Are you ready to take on life in the big city by living in New York City apartment rentals? If so, there is a good chance you have already begun scouring the newspaper classifieds and popular online classified sites for some great apartment listings. While this may seem like the perfect, lost cost option for finding your first apartment in the Big Apple, it may cause you more headaches than you can handle.

Spotting Illegal New York City Apartment Rentals

Do you know what the NYC Department of Buildings, or DOB, is? If not, you definitely should. The DOB ensures the safety and legality of more than 975,000 buildings in New York City by enforcing building codes, electrical codes, New York’s labor laws, zoning resolutions, and the New York multiple dwelling law.

It is this department’s responsible to ensure that every apartment in New York City is up to code, safe for living, and legal. However, even with all of their effort, there are still some landlords who try to bypass the DOB and rent illegal apartments.

If you are in the process of looking for New York City apartment rentals, you need to be on the lookout for illegal dwellings. Renting an apartment that has is not legal can affect your living conditions, your safety, and the amount of time and money you spend. Here are just a few warning signs to watch for.

• Low Prices- Be cautious if the apartment you are considering has been advertised at a significantly lower price than other apartments in the area. While reduced rates may be used by landlords to attract new renters, if the monthly rent seems too good to be true, it probably is.

• Keep an Eye out for Basement or Attic Apartments- Attic, basement, and cellar apartments are often illegal due to their inadequate access to exits. They are usually advertised as “sunny” apartments and have very small windows or no windows at all. These apartments can affect your safety, as you might not be able to exit the building in the event of a fire or other disaster.

• Utilities Included- Many illegal landlords try to keep the DOB from discovering their building is occupied by renters by including utilities in the rent. This keeps the renters from putting the utilities in another name and alerting the DOB to the illegal occupancy of their New York City apartment rentals. Many times, these buildings will require renters to obtain a separate post office box for their mail as well for the same reason.

• “Flex”- Short for flexible, apartments that are advertised with the word flex refer to a unit that can be converted into multiple rooms with the use of pressurized walls. While this may sound promising, it is actually illegal in New York to construct a new wall in an apartment without obtaining a permit from the DOB.

• Odd Layouts- When you see the words “unique” and “interesting” layout in an advertisement, there is a good chance you will be a bit curious. You know what they say, though: curiosity killed the cat. These terms are generally used to describe illegal apartments that are oddly situated. For instance, the shower might be installed the kitchen.

• Exits- Any apartment you rent should have clearly defined exits that are easily available to you from either your apartment or a public hallway. Buildings that have blocked or locked exits are illegal and are not safe to live in.

Avoid Illegal Apartments: Use a Real Estate Broker

While you may think that avoiding illegal New York City apartment rentals is simple, they may not always be so easy to spot. After all, there are plenty of apartments in New York that have odd layouts and are not illegal and some apartments do include utilities.

So what’s the solution?

If you want to find an apartment that is right for you, consider using a licensed real estate broker. A broker can help you find the right neighborhood, locate a great apartment, help you understand your lease, and help you sign the right documents. Most importantly, though, a licensed real estate broker will know what they are doing. They will understand the real estate laws in New York City and will help you find an apartment that is not only legal for you to live in, but safe as well.

When you are searching for New York City apartment rentals, don’t try to locate one on your own. The results could be disastrous. Avoid the traps of illegal apartments by using a licensed real estate broker.

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