In the New York City real estate market, renters definitely outnumber homeowners. With this in mind, there is a comprehensive set of housing codes that landlord must comply with when renting out their properties. Unfortunately, these rules and regulations are often overlooked or outrightly disobeyed by negligent landlords. Continue reading to learn the common code violations in residential apartments and how an experienced New York City real estate attorney at Zimmet Law Group, P.C. can ensure your landlord complies with these enforced regulations.
What are common code violations seen in New York City apartments?
Namely, the New York City Housing Maintenance Code is strictly enforced to protect the livability of the countless apartment buildings that make up this city. Therefore, a landlord may be found to be non-compliant of this code if any of the following issues are present on their property:
- A landlord may have failed to effectively remove mold or pests from their rental units.
- A landlord may have failed to install carbon monoxide or smoke detectors in their rental units.
- A landlord may have failed to remove locks from emergency doors and windows within their rental units.
- A landlord may have failed to maintain the inside temperature at 68 degrees when the outside temperature is below 55 degrees during the day.
- A landlord may have failed to maintain the inside temperature at 55 degrees when the outside temperature is below 40 degrees at nighttime.
- A landlord may have failed to provide hot water with a minimum temperature of 120 degrees at all times.
As a tenant, what should I do about my landlord’s noncompliance?
You may reach the sad conclusion that your landlord’s noncompliance with the housing maintenance code is creating an unsafe living environment for you and other tenants. If this is your case, then you must immediately schedule an appointment with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Enforcement Office. From here, an inspector may be sent to walk through your rental unit and the property as a whole. And if they find any conditions that do not comply with the housing maintenance code, then they may issue your landlord a violation.
Your landlord may be given a certain amount of time to resolve this violation, depending on what this violation exactly is. But if they fail to promptly rectify the conditions, then you may have to consider suing for any accidents or injuries you subsequently experience. Or, you may have to consider your rights to legally vacate the apartment unit to avoid any potential accidents or injuries.
You may be intimidated to take such actions against your landlord. But the one thing that may make this easier is having a skilled New York City real estate attorney stand by your side. Contact Zimmet Law Group, P.C. at your earliest possible convenience.
