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NYC building research

Check an NYC apartment’s history before you sign

A listing shows the apartment as it is being offered. Public records can show earlier complaints, enforcement actions, ownership changes and construction work at the address.

Find official NYC building records (free) How to read the records
Read the building records

Reading the records

Start with the address and the question you need answered

Confirm the building and borough, then use the relevant guide below. Read HPD and DOB records for violations, complaints for reported problems, ACRIS and HPD registration for ownership, and permits and occupancy records for construction and use. Add the apartment number when the source identifies a unit.

A building history is a collection of dated public records. It is not an inspection, a tenant-screening report or a guarantee about the apartment’s condition. Some records cover the whole building and cannot be assigned to your unit.

  1. 01

    Confirm the address

    Check the borough and include an apartment number if you have one.

  2. 02

    Choose a record

    Use the topic guides for the question you need answered.

  3. 03

    Check dates and details

    Read the source record and ask what has changed since it was filed.

Address check and report

Check the address for free.
Get the records for $1.

The address check confirms the location. The full report brings the available public records together and is emailed when ready.

See a sample report

Address check

Match the building and borough before you pay.

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Full report

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$1

In the $1 report

  • Available HPD and DOB violations and complaint history
  • Owner, managing-agent and recorded property information
  • Bedbug filings, permits and occupancy records where available
  • HPD litigation and separate marshal eviction records

Some records cover the whole building; others name a particular unit. Coverage varies by address and source. A missing record does not mean a building has no problems.

Start with the address

Look for repeated problems and what followed

Several reports of a similar problem may be worth asking about, but complaints are reports, not confirmed violations. Check whether an agency inspected, issued a violation or recorded a later status. A closed complaint does not by itself prove a repair.

A large building can have more records because more people live there. Compare the dates, type of problem and number of units, rather than treating the raw total as a safety score.

Match each record to the right building or apartment

Keep the borough and tax lot with the address. Street names repeat across NYC, buildings can have alternate addresses, and a corner property may appear under a different entrance.

A bedbug annual filing gives building totals. A violation or marshal eviction record may name an apartment. Read the source’s unit information before assuming a building-level event happened in the apartment you are considering.

Use the records to prepare specific questions

Ask when a repeated leak was repaired, whether the owner has documentation and whether work covered your unit. For a listed renovation, compare available permits with the work the broker describes.

Use official agency records to confirm anything that matters to your decision. Visit the apartment, and request the official DHCR history separately if rent stabilization is part of your research.

Go to the source

Check the official city records

City records are spread across agencies. Use the guide links to reach each official source.

Find official NYC building records Search HPD housing records Browse Apartment Fax building records

More about the lookup

Frequently asked questions

How can I check an NYC apartment’s history?

Confirm the address and borough, then review violations, complaints, ownership, permits and other relevant records. Use the apartment number only where the source provides unit-level detail.

Is an apartment history lookup the same as a tenant background check?

No. This research concerns the property and its public building records. It does not screen tenants or report a person’s credit or criminal history.

Can I check building violation history for free?

Yes. HPD Online and the DOB systems provide official searches. These guides link to them. Apartment Fax’s optional $1 report brings available records together.

Does a clean record mean the apartment has no problems?

No. A problem may never have been reported, a source may be incomplete or the record may not match the address. Inspect the apartment and ask about its condition.