Hammond, IN Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum heat
- 68°F, 3 ft above floor
- Applies to
- owner-occupied and rental dwellings
- Emergency furnace repair authority
- rental property only
- Landlord repayment window
- 30 days
- Nonpayment remedy
- City Attorney suit in City Court
- New furnace installs
- not authorized under §96.047
Summary
In the City of Hammond, Indiana, every dwelling's heating system must hold at least 68°F, measured three feet above the floor, under the housing code's habitability standards. When a rental furnace fails in winter and the landlord can't be reached or can't afford repairs, the Building Commissioner can order an emergency fix and bill the landlord for the cost.
Every dwelling shall have heating facilities which are properly installed, are maintained in safe and good working condition and shall maintain a temperature of at least 68°F in every dwelling unit, at a distance 3 feet above floor level. ... (A) The Building Commissioner is authorized in his or her discretion to order emergency furnace repairs during winter months as follows. (1) This authorization only applies to rental property. (2) The repairs will only be ordered by the Building Commissioner when and if the landlord is unavailable to be contacted to make the repairs or when the landlord is economically unable to make repairs. (B) Once the Building Commissioner has authorized the furnace repairs, he or she shall notify the landlord in writing that the landlord has 30 days to reimburse the city for the cost of the repairs. ... (D) This section shall only cover emergency repairs and does not authorize the installation of a new furnace in an existing rental property.
Full Breakdown
044 of Hammond's Housing chapter sets the baseline habitability standard for heat: every dwelling's heating facilities must be properly installed, kept in safe and good working condition, and capable of maintaining at least 68°F in every dwelling unit, measured three feet above floor level. 015's compliance requirement, and a failure is enforced like the rest of Chapter 96, through inspection and a written notice of violation. 047 lets the Building Commissioner order emergency furnace repairs during winter months, but only for rental property, and only when the landlord is unavailable to be contacted or is economically unable to make the repairs.
Once the Commissioner authorizes the work, the city notifies the landlord in writing that they have 30 days to reimburse the city for the repair cost; if the landlord does not pay or arrange payment, the City Attorney can file a collection action in City Court. 047(D) limits it to true emergency repairs and specifically does not let the city pay to install a brand-new furnace in an existing rental unit. Tenants who lose heat should report it to Code Enforcement or the Building Commissioner's office, since the 30-day repayment clock and court-collection path only start once the city has stepped in and made the repair.
Violations & Fines
Falling below the 68°F standard is enforced under Chapter 96's general framework, with the city's Section 10.99 penalty of up to $2,500 for a first violation and $7,500 for a repeat, each day counted separately. Emergency furnace repairs under Section 96.047 are a cost-recovery action, not a fine: the landlord has 30 days to reimburse the city, or the City Attorney can sue for the money in City Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum indoor temperature required in a Hammond rental?
My landlord won't fix the furnace in winter. What can the city do?
Will the city buy my landlord a whole new furnace?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hammond
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