UPDATE: Paterson's family said the heat was turned back on Tuesday night, March 15.
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HAMBURG, N.Y. (WKBW) — 7 Problem Solvers recently got an email from a viewer in Arizona who said his mother had no heat in her apartment, at the Holiday Meadows apartments in Hamburg. On Monday 7 Problem Solver Michael Schwartz went to check it out.
Judy Paterson has March 2 marked on her calendar as the day there was no heat, and it's been that way since. When Schwartz went inside on Monday, Paterson's digital thermometer read 58 degrees. That's only 10 degrees warmer than it was Monday afternoon.
"I have arthritis, and when you get older that cold goes right to your bones," explained Paterson.
On Monday a local company was repairing the boiler, which a property manager told Schwartz had to be replaced. The manager said since the unit had to be ordered, that's what led to more than a week without heat for Paterson and neighbors in her building. The staff member told Schwartz each tenant impacted will get $100 off this month's rent.
"I said can they at least send us to a motel," explained Paterson.
Paterson said she was provided with a space heater that she has used to heat her bathroom for more than a week.
"[Staff] said you can move it room to room," said Paterson, whose nephew and neighbor brought her a space heater each.
Hamburg Code Enforcement told Schwartz that providing one space heater in this situation is "unacceptable."
New York State law states that from October 1 through May 31, when the outside temperature is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, building owners must provide tenants with heat that registers to at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. That mandate drops to 62 degrees between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Paterson said its been very stressful for her. She said she told the property owners multiple times about heating issues in the past year that she has lived there. Issue is, during that time there's been multiple different owners.
Birgo Realty, a multi-million dollar company based out of Pittsburgh, recently took over the complex. The company expanded from Pittsburgh to WNY in August, with the purchase of a property in Lockport.
As of Monday night the heat was still off, but is expected to be back Tuesday morning.
If you have a consumer issue impacting your living situation, email Michael at 7ProblemSolvers@wkbw.com
