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What is NYC AC § 17-133.4?

Quick Answer

This section outlines the protocol for inspections related to rat complaints in buildings. The Department is required to inspect within 14 days of receiving a covered complaint, unless recent inspections have occurred. The results of these inspections, including any violations, must be reported publicly. Applies to building owners with rat-related complaints.

General informational summary. Not legal advice for your situation. Consult an attorney before acting on any specific matter.

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§ 17-133.4 Inspections for rats.

AC § 17-133.4

a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the term “covered complaint” means a complaint or service request submitted to the department through the 311 customer service center or other means relating to rats or conditions that attract rats in a building. b. Inspections. Within 14 days of receipt of a covered complaint, the department shall make its best effort to inspect the building to which such complaint pertains for signs of rat activity or conditions that attract rats, unless the department has inspected such building for the same within 90 days of the submission of such complaint or the department is otherwise currently engaged in pest control activities at the location of such building. If during such an inspection the department is unable to access the interior of a building as necessary to conduct the inspection, or otherwise unable to complete the inspection, the department shall make its best effort to conduct a subsequent inspection of the building within 20 days of the initial inspection. During an inspection, the department shall record the following information: 1. The date of the inspection; 2. The street address of the building so inspected; 3. Whether such building passed or failed such inspection, as determined by the department; 4. If any notice of violation relating to the presence of rats or order to abate a condition related to the presence of rats is issued to the person in charge of such building in response to such inspection, the number of such notices of violation or orders to abate so issued; and 5. The inspector’s observations of signs of rats or conditions that attract rats during such inspection or any subsequent inspection. c. Reporting. Within 30 days of completing an inspection pursuant to subdivision b of this section, or pursuant to any other lawful rat mitigation program inspection conducted by the department related to rats or conditions that attract rats, the department shall make publicly available on a website the information collected during such inspection, including the information required to be recorded pursuant to subdivision b of this section, to the extent such information is available for such inspection. Such information may be made available as part of an interactive map on rat activity on a city website wherein such information may be viewed upon selecting an individual address or as described in explanatory text on such website. (L.L. 2026/008, 1/3/2026, eff. 7/2/2026)

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