Fitchburg, WI Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Section 37-141 bars anyone from occupying or letting a dwelling unit that lacks a kitchen sink, a private bathtub or shower with lavatory and water closet, and both hot and cold water lines at each fixture, all connected to an approved water and sewer system. Subsection (e) requires water-heating facilities capable of delivering water at not less than 120 degrees Fahrenheit at every required sink, basin, tub or shower, while capping the available temperature at 160 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding. Subsection (j) sets the heat floor: an owner who provides heat must maintain a system able to hold 67 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius) at any hour, any day of the year, with all windows and doors closed.

Subsection (m) allows only three narrow exceptions to the general rule that equipment stay operational around the clock: air conditioners may be disconnected November through March, heating systems may be turned off June through August if the unit still reaches 67 degrees, and rooms with set seasonal or event hours are exempt. Subsection (n) separately forbids an owner, operator, or occupant from shutting off any required service, facility, or utility except for actual repairs in progress or an inspector-approved temporary emergency. Companion Section 37-140 requires properly installed heating, lighting and ventilation equipment under the building code, plus insect screens on ventilation openings and doors, installed by June 1 and kept up until storm windows go on in October.