DOB Offering Free, No-Violation Building Inspections for Co-ops and Condos

Time is running out. Co-op and condo boards have until July 31 to sign up for the Department of Buildings' (DOB) free, no-violation building inspections.

This citywide initiative allows co-op and condo boards, homeowners, landlords and small business owners to call 311 to schedule a free, no-penalty visual inspection of various areas of their properties, including decks and patios, retaining walls, unregistered boilers, unregistered private elevator devices, and facades for buildings six stories or less. The Facade Inspection and Safety Program, formerly known as Local Law 11, requires owners of buildings taller than six stories to inspect and repair their facades every five years.

“Back by popular demand, DOB’s No-Penalty Inspection Program can help put building owners on the right path for home or business repairs,” says DOB Commissioner Jimmy Oddo. “Proper maintenance doesn’t just help ensure that a property is kept in a safe condition, it helps owners save money in the long run by avoiding violations and costly structural failures." 

Following the property inspection, DOB will notify property owners of any violating conditions or safety issues. Instead of issuing violations, the inspectors will provide guidance on how to correct the conditions, and they'll give the owners a time frame for making repairs that ensure their property is safe and code-compliant.

By law, all property owners in New York City are required to maintain their properties in a safe and code-compliant condition at all times, which includes maintaining all building structures and equipment on their property.

Last month, in response to building collapses in the Bronx and Lower Manhattan, the city council passed a bill requiring the DOB to establish a proactive inspection program for identifying potentially hazardous buildings through predictive data analytics, including code violation and compliance history and engineering professionals’ disciplinary records.