How to Look Up Building Complaints in NYC

Why Check Building Complaints Before Renting?

In NYC, building complaints are public record. Before signing a lease, smart renters check for patterns of:

• Heat and hot water outages — The #1 complaint in NYC
• Pest infestations — Roaches, bedbugs, mice
• Structural issues — Leaks, mold, ceiling damage
• Safety hazards — Gas leaks, fire safety violations
• Unresponsive landlords — Patterns of unresolved complaints

A building with 50+ open HPD violations is a red flag. A building with zero complaints in 5 years? That's rare—and worth knowing.

The 5 NYC Databases You Need to Check

1. HPD Online (Housing Violations)

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) tracks housing code violations. This is your most important resource.

What to look for: Class C violations are "immediately hazardous" (lead paint, no heat in winter, gas leaks). Class B violations are "hazardous." Multiple Class C violations = major red flag.

2. NYC 311 Complaints

Residents file 311 complaints for noise, pests, illegal construction, and more. Unlike HPD violations, 311 complaints include neighborhood issues too.

What to look for: Repeated noise complaints at the same address suggest chronic issues. Rat sightings within 100 meters indicate neighborhood-level problems.

3. DOB NOW (Department of Buildings)

DOB tracks construction permits, building violations, and structural complaints. Important for checking if there's active construction or safety issues.

4. ACRIS (Property Records)

ACRIS shows ownership history, liens, and property transfers. Useful for identifying who actually owns the building and if there are financial issues.

5. NYPD Crime Data

While not building-specific, checking crime data for the immediate area helps assess neighborhood safety.

The Problem: This Takes Hours

Searching 5 different databases for every apartment you're considering is exhausting. Each has a different interface, different search methods, and presents data differently.

Most renters give up after checking one database—or skip research entirely. That's how people end up in buildings with chronic issues.

What to Do With the Information

Once you've researched a building, here's how to use what you find:

Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away

• 10+ open HPD violations (especially Class C)
• Active DOB vacate order
• Pattern of heat/hot water complaints every winter
• Recent bedbug complaints (check Bedbug Registry too)
• Frequent ownership changes (sign of financial distress)

Yellow Flags Worth Investigating

• A few resolved violations (normal for older buildings)
• Active construction permits (ask what work is being done)
• 311 noise complaints (could be a specific tenant, not building-wide)

Green Flags

• Few or no open violations
• Complaints get resolved quickly (good management)
• Building has recent capital improvements
• Long-term stable ownership

Questions to Ask the Landlord

Armed with your research, ask pointed questions during the apartment viewing:

• "I saw there were heat complaints last winter. Has that been resolved?"
• "What's the typical response time for maintenance requests?"
• "Is there any active construction planned for the building?"
• "How long have most tenants been here?"

A good landlord will answer directly. Evasive answers are a red flag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are building complaints public record in NYC?

Yes. All HPD violations, 311 complaints, and DOB records are public and searchable online through NYC government websites.

How far back do complaint records go?

HPD records go back to the 1980s for some buildings. 311 data is available from 2010 onward. DOB records vary by building age.

Can a landlord refuse to rent to me if I ask about complaints?

No. It's illegal to retaliate against prospective tenants for asking about building conditions. If a landlord refuses to answer or seems hostile, that tells you something about how they'll treat you as a tenant.

What if I find complaints after I've already signed a lease?

Document everything. If there are serious habitability issues (no heat, pests, safety hazards), you may have grounds to break the lease or withhold rent. Consult with a tenant rights organization like Met Council on Housing.

The Bottom Line

Checking building complaints takes effort, but it's the best way to avoid signing a lease you'll regret. The data is all public—you just have to know where to look.

Don't have time to search 5 databases? That's exactly why we built DwellCheck. One search, all the data, clear analysis.