Fair Rent commissioners find furnace replaced, dismiss heating and habitability complaint

The Bristol Fair Rent Commission heard testimony from a tenant who said repeated heating failures and building maintenance problems left her and her young child without reliable heat and exposed them to smoke and other hazards. The tenant said the most recent heating outage lasted roughly from Oct. 16 until late December and that repeated complaints to management produced only temporary fixes until code enforcement intervened.

The property manager told the commission that management had made multiple repair attempts, supplied portable electric heaters while repairs were attempted, paid for motel nights and cash credits totaling roughly $550, and ultimately replaced rooftop furnace units at a capital cost the manager estimated at about $33,000. The manager said the tenant currently owed no rent balance and that utilities were included in the rent for that unit.

Commissioners confirmed that code enforcement had visited the property and that the health department’s notes indicated the immediate issue had been addressed. After discussion, a commissioner moved to dismiss the complaint on the basis that the primary safety and health concerns that had prompted the referral were resolved; the motion passed by voice vote.

The commission’s decision does not remove other enforcement avenues available to tenants or code officers. Commissioners urged staff to follow up with code enforcement and the police department if there are ongoing safety or nuisance reports. The commission also discussed clearer pre-hearing guidance for tenants and landlords to improve evidence and comparables at future hearings.

The commission then proceeded to the next docketed appeal.