Look up HPD violations by NYC address
See whether the building or apartment has housing-maintenance violations on record, which ones remain open, and what the history looks like before you rent.
What an HPD violation tells you
HPD violations document housing-maintenance conditions recorded by New York City. The useful questions are not only how many exist, but whether they are open, how serious they are, whether the same condition keeps returning, and whether the record points to one apartment or the whole building.
A closed violation means the city record is closed; it does not guarantee the condition was repaired to a future tenant’s satisfaction. A complaint is also different from an inspected violation.
What Apartment Fax checks
- 01
Open and historical HPD violations tied to the address
- 02
Hazard class, recorded condition, dates and current status
- 03
Apartment-level versus building-wide scope where available
- 04
Related 311 complaints, DOB records, ownership and court filings
Read severity and recurrence, not just the total
HPD groups violations into classes that reflect the seriousness of the recorded condition. A long list of old, closed items can mean something different from one recent, immediately hazardous condition. Repeated heat, hot-water, pest or mold records can be especially informative because recurrence shows what a single total hides.
Apartment Fax keeps status, dates and descriptions together so you can scan the pattern. The full report also places HPD records beside other agencies rather than making you repeat the same address search across several city systems.
HPD, DOB and 311 are not interchangeable
HPD focuses on housing-maintenance conditions. DOB records relate to building code, construction and property safety. NYC 311 records begin as service requests and complaints. The same real-world problem can touch more than one system, but each record means something different.
A good apartment check preserves those distinctions. It should show what the agency recorded without turning every complaint into a confirmed defect or treating every closed case as proof that the underlying experience was good.
Confirm important questions with the official record
Frequently asked questions
How can I check HPD violations for an NYC building?
Search the exact street address. Review open and closed violations, hazard class, dates and whether each record applies to a particular apartment or the building generally.
What is the difference between an HPD complaint and violation?
A complaint reports a condition. A violation is a condition formally recorded by the agency. The two should not be counted or described as if they were the same thing.
Are closed HPD violations still worth reviewing?
Yes. Closed records can reveal recurring conditions, how long issues stayed open and whether the same category appears repeatedly over time.