Illegal Basement Violations in NY Has your basement apartment recently been inspected by a NYC inspector and deemed illegal? The bad news is that if your basement apartment doesn’t meet certain criteria, it’s not legal to rent it for habitation, and if you rent it without regard to the current building codes, you could receive civil penalties and fines of up to $1,000 a day. According to TheRealDeal, NYC issued 5,151 valuations for illegal basements in 2019.
Are Illegal Basement Conversions Dangerous for Your Renters?
While you may think your illegal basement conversion is fine and enjoy the extra income from your property, the truth is that you could be putting your basement renters in danger as well as your entire building. If you have gas furnaces, cooking equipment or water heaters in the basement that haven’t been inspected, were illegally installed or do not have carbon monoxide detectors in the area, your basement apartment and entire building could fill with carbon monoxide gas, resulting in an extremely hazardous and potentially deadly situation for all the occupants of your building.
Many basement apartments do not contain windows, which means there is inadequate light. The basement unit may not have direct exits to the outdoors, which means there is no egress in case of an emergency, like a fire. It’s important to note that an exit at the top of the basement stairs does not count as a basement exit.
Why Do Landlords Receive Illegal Basement Violations in NY?
A landlord with a basement apartment can receive violations for ceiling heights that are too low, renting a cellar (more than 50 percent of the exterior walls underground), illegal water or gas fixtures and pipes, having no exits, not getting permits for basement apartment construction or upgrades, illegal basement bathrooms and kitchens and inadequate lighting and ventilation.
What Happens if You Get an Illegal Basement Violation in NY?
- You could be fined.
- You could receive civil penalties.
- Your renters could be ordered to vacate the basement apartment immediately.
- You will need to fix the violations and report the repairs to the NYC Department of Buildings.
Getting Help from John Farr to Remove Your Illegal Basement Violation in NY
If you’ve recently gotten an illegal basement violation in NYC, it can be corrected. If your violation involves illegal plumbing pipes, gas lines or water fixtures, John Farr can help. He can read the violation, determine the correct repairs, pull the proper permits and get the work done in a timely manner. If you had additional violations that require additional contractors, John can also work with them to ensure your basement is up to code by the time the work is completed.
To have your basement violation in NYC remedied, give John Farr a call today at 917-324-2535.
If you’ve recently received a stop work order for any gas or water pipe violation, call John Farr at 917-324-2535.
Also, to get your HPD, ECB/OATH violations corrected, illegal basement violation, gas company violation, gas boiler violation or any Plumbing building violations in NYC removed, call John Farr at 917-324-2535.
