New York City is a busy, exciting place where renters and property owners have to deal with a lot of rules. NYC HPD violations are one of the most important issues because they can lead to fines, legal trouble, and angry renters.
Whether you handle a few rental homes or a large portfolio, following the rules is essential to avoid costly fines. We’ll talk about the nine most common violations and, more importantly, how to avoid them in this guide. Read more!
Failure to Provide Adequate Heat and Hot Water
The winters in New York City can be very harsh, and landlords are expected by law to make sure their renters have heat and hot water. When heating systems break down or aren’t kept properly, NYC building code infractions related to heat occur frequently.
To prevent this, make sure your boiler and heating systems are serviced regularly before winter, keep an eye on the temperature inside, respond quickly to renter complaints, and keep records of all maintenance and service calls as proof that you are following the rules. Investing in heating systems that use less energy can also help lower long-term costs and make sure you follow the rules.
Lead Paint Hazards
Lead-based paint is still a big problem, especially in older houses in New York City. The Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) department makes landlords check for lead in their properties, especially ones where kids under six live.
To stay in compliance, you must do lead inspections once a year, fix any paint that is peeling or chipping right away, hire qualified experts to remove the lead, and give tenants the necessary lead disclosure forms. Over time, the risk of lead exposure can also be greatly reduced by making sure there is enough air flow and painting over and over with lead-free paint.
Pest Infestations
Bugs and rodents are not only a bother, they are also very bad for your health. Pest control problems are often the cause of property upkeep violations. To keep bugs out, have an exterminator come in on a regular basis, teach your renters how to properly dispose of trash, and seal any openings they could use.
By checking basements, attics, and other places that aren’t used very often on a regular basis, you can find early signs of infection before they become a big problem. Encouraging renters to report pests right away will also help get problems fixed quickly.
Mold and Water Damage
Mold usually grows where there are leaks, bad air, or water getting in. It is one of the most popular tenant complaint solutions that owners must deal with.
To lessen these problems, check for leaks often and fix them right away, put dehumidifiers and vent fans in damp places, and act quickly when tenants report mold or water damage. Also, making sure that drains and pipes work properly and waterproofing basements can help stop water problems before they happen.
Broken or Missing Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors
All rental flats must have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms according to New York City landlord regulations. When these safety gadgets are missing or don’t work, HPD issues citations.
To follow the rules, you must put smoke and CO detectors in all of your units, test them often, change the batteries when they die, and give your renters information on how to keep the devices in good shape. Using smart monitors that send alerts when the batteries are low or when repair is needed can also help make sure that rules are always followed and that tenants are safe.
Illegal Apartment Conversions
Serious NYC building code infractions can result from adding extra rooms or flats without the right permits. Illegal changes can cause fires and damage to buildings. To stay out of trouble, make sure all changes follow the rules set by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB).
Also, get the right permits before changing the plan of units and never live in a building with more people than it’s legal to have. Planning carefully and talking to an expert before making changes can help you stay on the right side of the law and follow city rules.
Failure to Maintain Public Areas
Hallways, stairs, and other common areas must be kept clean and free of hazards by landlords. Common places that aren’t kept up well often lead to HPD violations.
To stay in line, you must regularly check and clean all public areas, light up stairwells and hallways, and fix any damage to floors, locks, or railings right away. Setting up a regular fix plan and having staff check every day may help stop violations and keep renters safe.
Window Guards Not Installed
New York City landlord regulations say that landlords must put up window guards in houses with kids under ten to keep them from falling. Install window guards in all units that need them, check them often to make sure they stay in place, and let renters know that they have the right to ask for window guards. Giving renters clear advice on how to make sure that the system is safe can help prevent falls and keep rental units in line with city rules.
Failure to Register Rental Units
HPD requires landlords to register their structures annually. Failure to do so leads to property maintenance infractions, which may prevent owners from fixing other issues.
To stay in line, you must register your property before the deadline every year, update your HPD registration records, and respond immediately to registration issue alerts. Digitizing data and posting notes might also aid complete the registration procedure on time each year.
For additional compliance, landlords should also consider Local Law 97, which focuses on reducing carbon emissions in NYC buildings. Understanding the implications of this law can help property owners make necessary energy-efficient upgrades and avoid future penalties.
Stay Compliant and Avoid NYC HPD Violations
You need to know how to stop NYC HPD violations if you don’t want to get fined, get in trouble with the law, or have renters who are unhappy. Being prompt, fixing issues quickly, and following New York City landlord regulations will help you keep your property in compliance and your renters happy. In the long run, you can also be great at property management if you use rental training programs and stay up to date on changes to the rules.
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