When an apartment is cold but official apps indicate “normal operation,” residents are faced with one of the most frustrating situations in Bucharest: the absence of a clear explanation. Although the instinct is to immediately look for answers in apps or on institutional websites, the correct verification process does not start online, but inside the building itself.

Bucharest’s district heating system operates across several levels, and many of the problems felt by residents arise after the point where the supplier’s responsibility ends. This is why the order of checks matters. Without following it, it is impossible to determine whether the issue is a genuine system failure or a local malfunction.

The verification starts inside the building

The first step is to determine whether the issue is isolated or affects multiple apartments. If the cold is limited to a single apartment, the cause is almost certainly internal: air trapped in the system, partially closed valves, or unbalanced radiators. In such cases, the supplier cannot intervene.

If several neighbours report the same problem, the building administrator should be contacted immediately. They can confirm:

• whether multiple complaints have been recorded in the building;
• whether recent works were carried out in the basement;
• whether valves were closed or adjustments were made to the shared installation.

Skipping this step often leads to unnecessary external complaints.

The thermal substation: the first real technical checkpoint

The building administrator or maintenance company knows which thermal substation supplies the building. This is where a key question is answered: does the issue affect only your building, or other buildings connected to the same substation as well?

If several buildings experience the same problem, the issue goes beyond the internal installation and concerns the distribution network. Only at this stage does it make sense to consult the supplier’s official sources.

What Termoalert shows — and what it doesn’t

The Termoalert app displays declared outages and scheduled shutdowns linked to thermal substations. It is essential to check the exact address or substation, not the citywide operational percentage.

However, this distinction is crucial: Termoalert only shows officially declared outages. Situations such as operation below normal parameters, significant network losses, or hydraulic balancing works can result in cold radiators without being labelled as an “outage” in the app.

Official information from Termoenergetica

The next step is the Termoenergetica website, where the company publishes:

• major outages;
• shutdowns for maintenance works;
• explanations regarding increased flow rates or hydraulic balancing;
• estimated repair timelines.

In many cases, this information appears on the website before it is clearly reflected in mobile applications.

The dispatch centre: on-the-ground confirmation

For real-time confirmation and complaints regarding lack of heating or hot water, Bucharest’s municipal heating operator, Termoenergetica, provides the following official channels:

• Toll-free line: 0800 820 002 — available 24/7
  (for reporting outages, reduced supply, or lack of thermal agent)
• Information line: +40 31 9442 — pre-recorded messages
  (general system status by sector)

When online data is unclear, the dispatch centre remains the most direct source of information. Operators can confirm:

• whether interventions are underway in your area;
• whether the thermal substation is operating below parameters;
• whether the issue concerns the network or the building’s internal installation.

This confirmation is essential before filing a formal complaint.

Written complaints and escalation

If the cold persists and the issue is confirmed as a supply problem, the next step is submitting a written complaint to Termoenergetica at office@cmteb.ro. The complaint should include the full address, the type of issue, and the time intervals during which it occurs.

If problems continue or remain unresolved, the complaint can be escalated to the public utilities regulatory authority, which can assess whether the operator is complying with its legal obligations.

In Bucharest, the absence of heating does not automatically mean a system-wide outage. More often than not, the cause lies between the building’s basement and the thermal substation. Applications are useful tools, but they are not the starting point. A correct diagnosis begins locally, proceeds technically, and only then reaches the supplier and the authorities.