Management teams have many responsibilities, but a growing one in cities like NYC is staying on top of building regulations and compliance. There are recurring inspections, notices, and filings almost all buildings are responsible for. And depending on criteria, such as certain mechanicals, number of stories, or square footage, a building may be subject to additional compliance that can range from annual to every four or five years. This also makes it easy to miss compliance, leading to many violations buildings can be subjected to. In this guide, we walk through how to check if your building has an open violation.
What types of violations can I receive from the NYC Department of Buildings?
According to the NYC Open Data, the most common types of DOB violations are elevator and immediately hazardous violations, with over 15,000 incidents recorded annually.
In general, there are three types of violations: Environmental Control Board (ECB) violations, DOB violations, and Electrical Unit violations. Specifically, the DOB violations cover fire safety, facade, boiler, and elevator. Each will come with its own set of fines and requirements to correct or dismiss it.
Can I see if my building has violations online?
For ECB and DOB violations, go to the Building Information Search and type your building address under the box for “Search by Property.” It will direct you to the Property Profile Overview for your property, which shows all the information related to your ECB and DOB violations.
For electrical violations, contact either the Electrical Unit Center or your Electrical Unit borough office for the information.
How can I tell which ones are open violations?
BIS shows the total number of violations, including which ones are open for both DOB and ECB violations. It also allows you to see the details of each violation. All open violations are indicated as "Open" as opposed to "Resolved" or "Dismissed." In addition, for open DOB violations, you will find the violation number without an asterisk.
Are any violations avoidable?
Yes! Many violations are issued simply due to missing a filing or inspection date. Avoiding violations requires good recordkeeping, organization, and documentation. To stay on top of the growing list of required compliance, you and your management team will need to track due dates carefully and save inspection reports and permits. It’s also important to stay informed of changes to regulations—such as new Local Laws—to ensure your building is compliant with current requirements. New Local Laws are posted on the NYC.gov website.
This essential work can feel like an uphill battle. However, technology can make it easier and more manageable. A tool like Super’s automated compliance monitoring ensures you know all of your key inspections and filing deadlines, reminds you, and helps you track them over time. It also notifies you in the case of a new violation.
Managing building compliance doesn’t have to be difficult. Super’s platform streamlines and automates your compliance checklist to keep you on top of every deadline.
Ready to get started? Schedule a demo of Super.
