Can You See the ‘Problem’ with this Saugerties Apartment?

A recent apartment listing in Saugerties, NY has got the entire Hudson Valley talking.

While the local housing market has cooled off slightly for prospective buyers and renters, the general sentiment among New York residents is that the power is still firmly in the hands of homeowners and landlords. That's the current focus on an apartment that is currently for rent in Saugerties, NY.

Saugerties, NY Residents Take Issue with New Apartment Listing

"Who can spot the problem with this rental", asked a local resident in the Saugerties Village Facebook group.

The attached link showed a listing that at first glance, seemed completely normal... Then the comments came rolling in.

Is It the Tiny Fridge?

"Why is the fridge so small?" asked one eagle-eyed commenter. While the size of the refrigerator was the butt of several jokes ("don't need a big fridge if you can't afford food anyway"), that wasn't the focus of the original complaint.

What About the Coin-Operated Laundry?

It wasn't the coin-operated laundry, either, even though the locks and coin slots look slightly out of place in a residential building versus an apartment complex or laundromat.

In fact, the issue that many people were having with the apartment wasn't shown in pictures, but spelled out in the listing instead.

Read More: This Literal Castle for Sale has its own Lagoon & FOUR Kitchens 

The commotion all had to do with one simple line included in the Zillow listing: "[Rent is] $1,100/ month that includes heat to 60 [degrees], water, and garbage but does not include electric"... Can you notice what has caught the attention of irate renters?

Heating Laws for Tenants in New York State

The focus of the fuss was related to the thermostat. As many commenters mentioned, New York State law states that "indoor temperatures must be at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit between September 15th (or October 1st for some counties) and May 31st". So is this listing legal?

Do Landlords Need to Heat Your Apartment in New York State?

The question may come down to the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law. While the rent for this apartment includes "heat to 60 degrees", there is an additional mini-split available so tenants are able to run heat or air conditioning up to the necessary degree marks. The only catch is that electricity isn't covered in the rent, which means that tenants looking for temperatures above 60 degrees will have to pay for it.

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While many Hudson Valley residents are simply searching for a humble apartment, there are also an unbelievable amount of multi-million dollar mansions for sale in the area. Take a look at the Newburgh, NY home below that comes with its own batting cage and movie theater, and keep scrolling to see the literal castle just a short drive from the Hudson Valley.