To file a building complaint in NYC, call 311, use the online portal at nyc.gov/311, or use the NYC311 mobile app. Your complaint is routed to one of two agencies: the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) handles habitability problems like heat, hot water, pests, mold, and lead paint, and the Department of Buildings (DOB) handles construction, structural, and elevator issues. An inspector visits to confirm the condition, and if a violation exists, the property owner receives a Notice of Violation with a deadline to fix it.
The Three Ways to File
All building complaints go through 311, regardless of which agency ends up handling the case.
- Phone. Dial 311. An operator walks you through category selection and enters your details. The TTY number for hearing-impaired callers is (212) 504-4115.1NYC Department of Buildings. File a Complaint – Buildings
- Online. Go to the 311 portal at nyc.gov/311 and choose the category that matches your complaint. The form prompts you through location, problem type, and description.2NYC311. Report Problems
- Mobile app. The NYC311 app uses the same prompts and lets you upload photos directly from your phone.
Some complaint types can be filed anonymously. NYC311 collects the information needed to work the request, but not every category requires your name.3NYC311. NYC311 Providing contact information means you receive status updates, which is usually worth it.
What to Have Ready Before You File
Gather the basics first: the exact building address with borough and zip code, your apartment number or the floor where the problem exists, and a specific description of the condition. If you know the landlord or managing agent’s name, have it handy. The more precise your information, the faster the system can route an inspector.
Documentation strengthens everything that follows. Keep a log of dates and times when heat went out, when a leak started, or when you first noticed mold. Take clear photos. Save any texts or emails you sent your landlord asking for repairs. This paper trail matters for the complaint itself and for any enforcement action later.
Which Agency Handles Your Complaint
HPD enforces the Housing Maintenance Code and covers conditions inside your apartment or in common areas that affect daily livability: heat, hot water, pest control, lead paint, mold, broken windows, and similar problems.4New York City Department of Buildings. New York City Housing Maintenance Code
DOB handles the physical structure and construction activity. That includes work being done without permits, illegal building conversions, unsafe scaffolding, non-functioning elevators, boiler problems, and structural instability.1NYC Department of Buildings. File a Complaint – Buildings If you see active construction that looks dangerous or suspect your landlord carved an apartment out of a basement without approval, that goes to DOB.
Getting the agency wrong doesn’t kill your complaint, since 311 generally routes it correctly. Knowing the difference just helps you describe the problem in a way that triggers the right response.
What Counts as a Valid Complaint
Heat and Hot Water
Heat is the single most common complaint HPD receives in the winter. Building owners must provide heat from October 1 through May 31. Between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., if the outside temperature drops below 55 degrees, indoor temperature must reach at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., indoor temperature must stay at 62 degrees or above regardless of outside conditions. Hot water is a year-round obligation at a minimum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit.5Housing Preservation and Development. Heat and Hot Water Information
Heat and hot water violations are Class C (immediately hazardous), giving the owner 24 hours from posting of the notice at the building to restore service.6NYC HPD. Frequently Asked Questions If your building has no heat in January, file immediately.
Lead Paint
NYC lead paint rules are stricter than federal ones. A lead-based paint hazard exists when peeling or disturbed paint is present in a building built before 1960, in any unit where a child under six lives at least ten hours per week. Under Local Law 1 of 2004, owners must also follow and document safe work practices whenever more than two square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed during any repair in a unit or common area where a young child resides. Failure to comply can result in a Class C immediately hazardous violation with civil penalties up to $1,500.7Housing Preservation and Development. Lead-Based Paint
Pests, Mold, and General Disrepair
Rodent and roach infestations, visible mold, broken windows, leaking pipes, and missing smoke detectors all fall under HPD’s enforcement. These problems don’t need to reach crisis level before you file. Persistent mold behind a bathroom wall or mice that keep returning after your landlord sets a few traps are exactly the conditions the complaint system exists to address.
What Happens After You File
The system generates a service request number, sends a confirmation, and updates you each time the assigned agency takes action.8NYC311. Service Requests You can also check status through the 311 online portal.9NYC311. Look Up Service Requests
An HPD or DOB inspector visits the property to verify the reported condition. Emergency conditions like no heat are inspected quickly, often within 24 hours. Non-emergency complaints take longer, and during peak heat season the queue can stretch considerably. When an inspector confirms a violation, a formal Notice of Violation is issued to the property owner specifying the condition, the required repair, and the deadline for correction.10Housing Preservation and Development. Clear Violations
Violation Classes and Correction Deadlines
HPD classifies violations by severity, and the deadlines are non-negotiable:
- Class A (non-hazardous): 90 days from mailing of the Notice of Violation. Minor maintenance issues like a cracked tile or chipped paint in a non-lead-paint situation.
- Class B (hazardous): 30 days from mailing. Problems like a broken lock on the front door, leaking pipes, or inadequate hallway lighting.
- Class C (immediately hazardous): 24 hours from mailing, or from posting at the building for heat and hot water violations. Reserved for conditions posing an immediate threat: no heat, lead paint hazards, no running water, or serious structural defects.
- Class C lead-based paint: 21 days from mailing, reflecting the specialized remediation required.6NYC HPD. Frequently Asked Questions
Owners who miss these deadlines face civil penalties, additional inspection fees, and enhanced enforcement.10Housing Preservation and Development. Clear Violations
Following Through
Save your service request number and check the portal regularly. If your complaint is closed without resolution, refile it. HPD sometimes closes complaints when the inspector visits and no one is home to provide access, and that closure doesn’t mean the problem was resolved. If an inspector schedules a visit, be there. Call 311 to discuss scheduling if the inspection window is inconvenient.
When the Landlord Ignores the Violation
If an owner ignores a Class C violation and refuses to fix an immediately hazardous condition, HPD can step in through the Emergency Repair Program. HPD or its contractors perform the work, then bill the property owner through the NYC Department of Finance. If the owner still doesn’t pay, the charge becomes a tax lien against the property.11Housing Preservation and Development. Emergency Repair Program
Tenants also have a court option. When inspectors confirm the violation, the owner ignores the deadline, and the problem persists, you can file an HP Action in NYC Housing Court to compel the landlord to make repairs and restore essential services like heat and hot water.12Housing Preservation and Development. Housing Court You don’t need a lawyer to start an HP case. Go to the Clerk’s Office at your borough’s Housing Court.
An HP Action is stronger than a complaint alone because a judge can issue a court order requiring specific repairs within a specific timeframe. Tenants can also seek civil penalties for harassment and, if the landlord later brings a non-payment case, raise the unrepaired conditions as a defense and request a rent abatement.
Protection Against Landlord Retaliation
Fear of retaliation is the main reason tenants hesitate to file, and New York law addresses it directly. Under Real Property Law Section 223-b, a landlord cannot evict you, refuse to renew your lease, or substantially alter the terms of your tenancy in retaliation for filing a good faith complaint about health or safety violations with any government authority.13New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law RPP 223-B – Retaliation by Landlord Against Tenant
The law creates a rebuttable presumption of retaliation if the landlord takes adverse action against you within one year of your complaint. If your landlord tries to evict you nine months after you called 311 about no heat, the court presumes the eviction is retaliatory, and the landlord carries the burden of proving otherwise.13New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law RPP 223-B – Retaliation by Landlord Against Tenant “Substantially altering the terms of tenancy” includes offering a lease renewal with an unreasonable rent increase, which covers one of the more subtle forms of retaliation. This is why your log of complaints and the timeline of the landlord’s response matters as evidence.
If You Live in Federally Subsidized Housing
If your building is HUD-insured or HUD-assisted, you have an additional channel beyond 311. The HUD Multifamily Housing Complaint Line handles reports of poor maintenance, health and safety dangers, mismanagement, and fraud in federally subsidized buildings. Call 1-800-685-8470, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.14U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Multifamily Housing – Complaint Line Housing discrimination complaints go through the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at 1-800-669-9777.
Filing with HUD does not replace filing with 311. The two systems address different enforcement authorities, and serious maintenance problems in subsidized buildings should be reported to both. The city enforces the Housing Maintenance Code regardless of who funds the building, and HUD enforces its own standards for properties receiving federal subsidies.