Keeping track of all the signs you are required to post in your building's lobby or entrance hall can be difficult. The sign-posting requirements are buried in several different city and state laws. But as difficult as it may be to keep up with the many different requirements, a missing or...
When a rent-controlled tenant dies leaving behind no legal successors, voluntarily moves out, or is lawfully evicted, his apartment automatically becomes “vacancy decontrolled.” When any of these situations occur, it is important to file all the necessary forms with the Division of...
The environmental fallout from toxic vapors has been in the news recently. According to the New York Times, toxic vapors are intruding into homes in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is having difficulty assessing the problem...
In an exclusive interview with ALI, Noel Miller, Deputy Chief Inspector of the New York City Fire Department, explains what apartment building owners can do to avoid the most common fire code violations and how to comply with the new fire code requirements.
If you are not careful when you hire a super who will live in a rent-stabilized apartment in your building, the super could maintain rights as a rent-stabilized tenant when he later quits or is fired from his job.
By law, the building superintendent is an employee of the owner. But the...
If a New York City agency such as the Department of Buildings (DOB) believes that you have violated one of the city's laws, the agency will issue you a Notice of Violation (NOV) that summarizes the charge and tells you what to do next.
As winter approaches and erratic weather patterns become more frequent, owners and managers may want to be proactive in keeping their apartment building roofs in the best shape possible. Harsh weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snow, strong winds, and extreme temperatures, can cause...
As an owner, you are required by federal and state laws to provide a reasonably safe workplace for your employees. Unfortunately, even if you provide proper equipment to your employees and implement safety policies, accidents still occur. To protect your building staff—and yourself, as an...
Lead-based paint hazards have been in the news recently. A New York state bill dealing with lead-based paint is awaiting Governor Paterson's signature at the time of this writing. Its purpose is to identify 30 communities with the highest amount of lead-based hazards and...
Occasionally, you may need to enter a tenant's apartment to inspect for defects or to perform maintenance tasks. However, there may be some instances when you may need immediate access to an apartment for emergency repairs. A common dispute between owners and tenants involves the conflict...
All owners will have to deal with a problem employee at some point, no matter how carefully they hire employees or how diligently they try to create a good work environment. For many owners, deciding whether and how to discipline or fire an employee is one of the most stressful parts of the job...
Building owners are responsible for maintaining their properties in a clean manner, and this includes public sidewalks that are 18 inches from the curb line and abutting their properties. The new Lawn Litter Law may help owners with this responsibility, since unsolicited advertisements that are...
