'It's very uncomfortable': Tenants deal with landlords turning on heat at mid-town building

The exterior of a mid-town apartment building dealing with the heat being turned on in high temperatures is shown.

Residents of a Toronto apartment building are having trouble keeping cool during this blast of summer weather as landlords have turned on the heat ahead of the fall and winter seasons.

Tenants of an apartment building located at 44 Jackes Avenue, in the area of Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue, told CP24 on Wednesday night that they have “no control” over the heat being turned on inside their building as temperatures for the week reach above 25 C.

Joel Rubinovich, a resident of the apartment building, told CP24 his unit is currently at 28 C.

“It’s very uncomfortable,” he said. “I’m sweating all the time.”

To cope with the heat Rubinovich said he has been spending lots of time on his balcony and had to purchase a fan as he doesn’t think the heat is going away just yet.

After speaking with the landlord, residents were told they were obliged to turn off the air conditioning as of Sept. 1.

“There are quite a few seniors in the building so I can’t image how they are coping,” resident Monica told CP24. “We’re having a hard time sleeping at night and (my daughter) came home from school the other day and our dog was sick all over the apartment just because of the heat and there’s not much you can do with pets if you’re not there during the day.”

Regarding this issue, the bylaw states that between Sept. 15 and June 1 landlords are required to keep the heat at or above 21 C. But, with the recent hot temperatures in the city, many residents said they feel that temperature setting is “unrealistic.”

Speaking with CP24, city councillor Josh Matlow said he has heard from several residents as the heat is expected to continue into the upcoming weekend.

“What we’re asking to do though is use common sense and just reasonable judgement that if people are in inclement heat inside their apartments right now, as so many hundreds of people are, then if you have centralized air conditioning turn it on,” Matlow said. “If you have the heat on, turn it off. Use good judgement.”

A notice was sent out to the residents of the mid-town apartment building that said the transition period for turning on and off heating or air conditioning units takes five days, which they cannot do. As well, the building management said they are offering a “cooling room” and fans to residents dealing with the heat.

The heat is expected to continue through the next few days in Toronto as Thursday will reach a high temperature of 26 then 27 on Friday and 30 for both Saturday and Sunday.

Temperatures are not expected to drop until near the end of next week.