Milwaukee, WI Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum unit temperature
- 67°F, 3 feet above floor
- Governing chapter
- Ch. 275, Building Maintenance Code
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Neighborhood Services
- Applies to
- All rented dwelling units citywide
- Outdoor design condition
- Down to -10°F
Summary
Milwaukee's property maintenance code requires landlords to keep rented dwelling units heated to at least 67°F during occupancy, with heating facilities properly installed and maintained under Chapter 275 of the city's Building and Zoning Code.
Every dwelling unit shall be supplied with a heating facility... Such facilities shall be properly installed, be maintained in reasonably good working condition, and be capable of adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms contained therein... to a temperature of at least 67F. at a distance 3 feet above floor level when the outdoor temperature is at or above 10 below zero Fahrenheit. ...Every owner or operator who rents, leases or lets any dwelling unit... shall maintain a minimum temperature of 67F continuously during periods of occupancy.
Full Breakdown
Under Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 275-61, every dwelling unit must have a heating facility capable of warming all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms to at least 67°F, measured three feet above the floor, when outdoor temperatures are at or above 10 below zero. Any owner or operator who rents, leases, or lets a dwelling unit and undertakes to supply heat must maintain that 67°F minimum continuously throughout the tenant's occupancy. The Department of Neighborhood Services enforces the standard alongside its broader habitability inspections under Chapter 200, which directs the department to inspect rental units for exterior code compliance and habitability.
Violations & Fines
Landlords who fail to maintain the 67°F minimum face inspection and correction orders from the Department of Neighborhood Services, which enforces Chapter 275 through the citation and code-compliance procedures set out in Chapter 200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a minimum indoor temperature Milwaukee landlords must provide?
Who enforces Milwaukee's rental habitability standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee
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Repairs & Habitability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Milwaukee County handle repairs & habitability.