Fort Wayne, IN Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum indoor temp
- 68°F in habitable rooms
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 152, Minimum Housing Standards
- Enforcement agency
- Dept. of Neighborhood Code Compliance
- Max penalty
- $2,500 per violation, per day
- Heater exception
- Portable heaters don't count
Summary
Fort Wayne's housing code requires landlords to supply heat maintaining at least 68°F in every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet room, enforced by Neighborhood Code Compliance under Chapter 152.
Dwellings shall be provided with heating facilities capable of maintaining a room temperature of 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms. Cooking appliances and portable heating devices shall not be used to provide primary heating to meet the requirements of this section. ... Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling units or sleeping units ... shall supply heat to maintain a temperature of not less than 68°F (20°C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-60: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. G-19-26, passed 7-14-26, and Res. 83-19, passed 12-17-19 State legislation current through Legislative Service, 2025 Acts, Pamphlet No. 3).
Full Breakdown
Under Fort Wayne Code of Ordinances § 152.08(B), part of the Minimum Housing and Maintenance Standards, dwellings must have heating facilities capable of maintaining 68°F in all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms, and any owner who rents units with heat furnished under the lease must supply heat to that same 68°F minimum. Portable heaters and cooking appliances don't count toward the requirement. Room temperature is measured three feet above the floor near the room's center. The Department of Neighborhood Code Compliance enforces the chapter through notice-and-cure procedures, and violations can bring a civil penalty of up to $2,500 per violation under § 152.12(K)(4).
Violations & Fines
Uncorrected violations of Chapter 152, including the heat standard, can draw a penalty up to $2,500 per violation under § 152.12(K)(4), with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense enforced by Neighborhood Code Compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
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