Local Law 55 mold inspections for NYC landlords

What Local Law 55 requires

Owners of NYC buildings with three or more apartments must inspect each occupied apartment and all common areas for mold and pests at least once a year and when tenants complain, fix the underlying causes such as leaks using safe work practices, clean vacant apartments before new tenants move in, and give tenants a notice about indoor allergens with the lease.

The law took effect in January 2019 and applies to NYC buildings with three or more apartments. HPD enforces it and can issue violations when mold or pests are found. Buildings with 10 or more apartments also come under Local Law 61 for larger mold jobs.

Local Law 55 compliance checklist

For each building with three or more apartments:

• Yearly inspection. Each occupied apartment and all common areas, at least once a year, and more often if needed.
• Complaints. Respond to complaints from tenants or from HPD.
• Fix the cause. Not just the surface: the leak, moisture or condition that lets mold grow.
• Safe work practices. For small jobs your own staff can do, HPD's safe work practices include isolating the work area with plastic sheeting, covering the path in and out, cleaning mold with soap or detergent and water, and drying the area completely.
• Turnover. Clean vacant apartments thoroughly, and make sure they're free of mold and pests before a new tenant moves in.
• Tenant notice. Give each tenant HPD's fact sheet and a notice of the owner's responsibilities with the lease.
• Bigger jobs. In buildings with 10 or more apartments, use licensed professionals for mold jobs of more than 10 square feet (Local Law 61).

Keep a dated record of every inspection and repair. If HPD or a tenant asks what was done, it's your answer.

Our yearly mold inspections

We agree the scope with you for each building: which apartments and common areas, and when. In each one we look for mold and water damage, take moisture readings and thermal images where needed, and record what we find.

• A written record for each apartment and common area, with photos
• The likely moisture source for every finding, so your super or contractor knows what to fix
• Turnover inspections for vacant apartments before a new lease
• Inspections when a tenant complains, so you have the facts quickly

When mold is found

Small areas of mold can be cleaned using safe work practices. In buildings with 10 or more apartments, mold jobs of more than 10 square feet need a licensed mold assessor and a licensed mold remediator under Local Law 61, with filings to DEP. If an HPD violation has been issued, see how to clear an HPD mold violation.