Being a landlord in New York City involves more than buying properties and finding tenants to rent them. It’s a big responsibility that includes, among other things, doing annual inspections to make sure those apartments are habitable. 

According to Local Law 1 and Local Law 55, NYC landlords must complete three types of annual inspections for lead paint, mold, and pests. In addition to those inspections in Manhattan apartments for rent, the city’s laws require landlords to provide various items in most rental buildings. Learn more below.

Three Important Annual Inspections

If you’re a landlord in NYC, you can perform the three important annual inspections yourself, or you can outsource them to environmental health and safety experts such as Green Orchard Group. 

Annual Lead Paint Inspections

According to Local Law 1, you must perform an annual visual inspection for lead-based paint hazards. The inspection is required for any dwelling unit in which a child under the age of six lives. You also need to conduct an inspection before new tenants move into apartments for rent in Manhattan (or any other borough). 

You must document the findings of every inspection properly and keep those records for at least 10 years. The annual lead paint inspection does not apply to buildings built after 1978 or to buildings or units that have a lead exemption from HPD.

When conducting the inspection, check every surface in every room, including closet and cabinet interiors. Look out for:

  • Peeling paint
  • Chewable surfaces
  • Deteriorating surfaces
  • Friction surfaces
  • Impact surfaces

All areas with deteriorated paint must be abated and/or repaired by trained workers who use safe work practices. If the abatement or repair in your New York apartments for rent involves more than 100 square feet of lead paint or replacing windows, you must hire an EPA-certified lead abatement firm to do the job.

Annual Mold and Pest Inspections

According to Local Law 55 of 2018, also known as the Asthma-Free Housing Act, landlords are responsible for ensuring their Manhattan apartments for rent and other properties are free from mold, pests, and other indoor allergen hazards. 

If you do the inspections yourself, you can limit them to looking for visible signs of mold and pests, or you can hire professionals whose inspections include an infrared camera, moisture, and temperature readings. When conducting inspections, look for:

  • Visible mold or mildew
  • Underlying defects that can cause indoor mold hazards
  • Rodents
  • Cockroaches
  • Underlying defects that may allow or cause a pest infestation
  • Other potential indoor allergen hazards such as strongly scented chemicals and pests such as houseflies, silverfish, bedbugs, ants, and mites

If you identify any indoor allergen hazards during the annual inspection, it’s your responsibility to address them by remediating mold conditions and pest infestations, as well as by correcting underlying defects.

Other Requirements For Landlords

In addition to the three annual inspections, state and local laws stipulate landlords must provide other essential items in apartments for rent in Manhattan and NYC’s other boroughs. It’s helpful to know about them when answering questions people looking to rent in NYC may have. According to Brick Underground, those 11 key items include:

  • Heat as well as hot and cold water
  • Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
  • Fire safety measures
  • Pest-free properties
  • Lead-free walls
  • Paint or wallpaper on walls
  • Windows and lighting
  • Window guards
  • A locked front door with a peephole
  • Mail services such as approved mailboxes and tenant directories
  • Access to amenities described in the lease

If you’re looking for or want to list Manhattan apartments for rent, Platinum Properties can help. Contact our professional team of agents today.