Research building violations and complaints before signing a lease.
Search any address to see violations, permits, ownership, tax, and more — no account needed.
Before committing to a new apartment in New York City, smart renters investigate the building's violation history. A building's record with the Department of Buildings (DOB), Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and Environmental Control Board (ECB) reveals critical information about maintenance quality, safety compliance, and landlord responsiveness that no apartment tour can show.
NYC tenants often sign leases without knowing about a building's history of violations, complaints, or unresolved safety issues. Checking multiple city agency websites individually is time-consuming and confusing. Critical red flags like repeated heat and hot water complaints, lead paint violations, or failed elevator inspections can be buried across different databases. By the time problems surface, tenants are locked into a lease.
RegWatch consolidates violation data from DOB, HPD, ECB, FDNY, and other agencies into a single, searchable property report. Tenants can instantly see open violations, complaint history, permit activity, and inspection results for any NYC building. The platform highlights patterns that indicate systemic maintenance problems versus one-time issues, helping renters make informed decisions before signing a lease.
Enter the building address or BBL (Borough, Block, Lot) into RegWatch's property search to pull up the complete building profile.
Check open and historical DOB, HPD, and ECB violations. Look for patterns: recurring heat complaints, pest issues, or structural violations indicate ongoing problems.
Review 311 complaints and HPD complaint history. High complaint volume relative to building size suggests poor management.
Check if the building has current elevator inspection certificates, boiler inspection records, and any active construction permits that might cause disruption.
Use the complete picture to negotiate your lease, request repairs before move-in, or choose a better-maintained building.
Complete property intelligence from 273 sources. Violations, permits, tax records, zoning, title data, and more.