Everything You Need to Know About HPD Violations & How to Look Them Up 

In NYC, HPD violations can significantly affect a building’s livability, marketability and even its ability to be sold or refinanced. This is why it’s essential that tenants, investors, real estate professionals and landlords know how to perform a HPD violations lookup when evaluating a property’s condition, code compliance and long-term potential.  

In this guide, we’ll cover what HPD violations are, how they differ from DOB violations and what they mean for property owners and tenants. We’ll also cover how to look up HPD violations in NYC using both public tools and subscription-based resources like PropertyShark. 

What Are HPD Violations and How Are They Different from DOB Violations? 

Unlike DOB violations which typically address structural, construction or zoning noncompliance, HPD violations target residential conditions that affect tenant health and safety. Typical examples include lack of heating or hot water, mold or pest infestations, lead paint hazards, missing or nonfunctional smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and broken locks or entry doors. The HPD enforces the Housing Maintenance Code for inhabited units, while the DOB enforces building and structural codes. 

What Are the Most Common HPD Violations? 

Based on HPD enforcement data, the most frequent HPD violations include: 

• Lack of heat and hot water 

• Lead‑based paint hazards, particularly in older buildings 

• Mold and pest infestations  

• Smoke and carbon monoxide detector failures 

• Mandatory safety features like window guards and self‑closing doors in family dwellings. 

Many of these violations are discovered after a tenant submits a 311 complaint, which triggers an inspection by the HPD. 

What Do HPD Violation Classes Mean? 

The HPD classifies violations into three severity and urgency levels: 

Class A (Non-Hazardous) 

Minor issues such as broken doorknobs, peeling non-lead paint or missing apartment numbers which are typically given up to 90 days for correction. 

Class B (Hazardous) 

Conditions like leaks, pest infestations or deficient lighting which usually must be remedied within 30 days. 

Class C (Immediately Hazardous)  

Issues that pose significant risks such as no heating or hot water, lead hazards, mold and exposed wiring, among others. Many Class C violations must be resolved immediately or within a maximum of 24 hours, depending on the specific violation.  

HPD rules do allow for slightly longer deadlines for some Class C violations: For example, certain self-closing door or window guard orders may allow for 14 to 21 days for remediation. Overall, failure to correct Class C violations can lead to civil penalties, emergency repairs conducted by the City which will be billed to the landlord, or legal enforcement actions. 

How Do I Look Up a Property’s HPD Violations? 

There are two main ways to perform HPD violation lookups by address: Researching the HPD’s database or using a subscription-based tool like PropertyShark.  

1. Research the NYC HPD Online Portal (Free) 

Visit the official HPD online platform to search by: 

• Address 

• Borough, Block and Lot (BBL) 

• Building Identification Number (BIN) 

Once you find your target building in the HPD database, you can view open violations, inspection history, orders, and complaints. 

2. Leverage PropertyShark (Subscription-Based Tool) 

A subscription-based tool like PropertyShark may the best option for you if you want a consolidated view that includes not only HPD violations but other critical datapoints like: 

• Ownership details, including real owners behind LLCs 

• DOB, FDNY and DEP violations 

• Sales and permit histories 

• Liens, tax data and zoning 

• Exportable reports with contact information 

Step-by-Step HPD Violations Lookup on PropertyShark 

Looking up HPD violations on PropertyShark takes only a couple of simple steps: 

1. Sign up or log in to your account at propertyshark.com 

2. Search by address or parcel ID (BBL or BIN) 

3. Navigate to the Violations tab 

4. Look for the HPD section to view specific housing violations 

5. Download property reports, contact landlords or perform deeper due diligence 

Tip: You can sign up for a free account to preview one full report which can give you a starting point in your HPD violations search. 

How Do HPD Violations Affect Landlords, Tenants and Property Sales? 

Impact on Landlords 

For landlords, unresolved violations can lead to: 

• Civil fines and penalties: Issued by the Housing Court for unresolved violations or false/incorrect certifications are false. 

• Emergency repair charges: If the HPD must intervene to repair hazards, costs will be billed to the owner.  

• Legal enforcement: Court orders, liens and contempt proceedings may follow persistent noncompliance. 

• Sale and refinancing challenges: Potential delays or complications may arise if open violations are discovered during title searches or underwriting reviews 

Impact on Tenants

In the case of tenants, unresolved violations can lead to: 

• Exposure to unsafe or unsanitary living conditions 

• Legal leverage in rent disputes or tenant claims  

• Faster intervention or enforcement by local government if landlords don’t act on immediately hazardous Class C violations. 

Impact on Real Estate Transactions: 

When it comes to real estate transactions, unresolved violations can lead to unique challenges: 

• Reduced buyer confidence: If open HPD violations emerge during due diligence 

• Financing delays: Lenders may require violations to be resolved before approving mortgages. 

• Lower valuations: Deals may be renegotiated or abandoned based on violation history 

• Buyer leverage: Many buyers use HPD violations as a negotiation tool and may even walk away if there are too many unresolved issues. 

Why Researching HPD Violations Matters 

Knowing how to perform a HPD violations lookup is a crucial part of NYC property research, whether you’re a buyer, investor, agent or tenant. While you can look up DOB violations online using free public tools like HPD Online, platforms like PropertyShark streamline the process by aggregating data and revealing deeper ownership insights. 

Start looking into HPD violations with PropertyShark to protect your investments, financial safety, health and peace of mind. 

---

About PropertyShark

PropertyShark is an online real estate database and property research tool that provides building details, ownership information, comparable sales and foreclosure data. Founded in 2003, PropertyShark serves real estate professionals and consumers in New York and other major U.S. markets.

Fair Use & Redistribution  

We encourage and freely grant permission to reuse and repost information, analysis, charts, tables and images included on this page. When doing so, we only ask that you link back to this page or PropertyShark.com as the official source. 

Disclaimer

Information provided on this page is purely informational and is not and should not be regarded as investment advice.