Schedule a free 15-minute informational call about your NYC DOB notice or violation.
Received an NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) notice or violation and not sure what it means or what to do next? This free 15-minute informational call offers plain-English educational information to help you understand the notice and consider practical next steps.
Learn what to expect from the call, who it is for, and how to choose a time. The conversation is focused on general questions about a DOB-related issue.
This is a free, no-pressure informational consultation. It is designed to help you understand the notice, identify useful publicly available City information, and decide whether you may need to contact DOB, OATH, or a qualified licensed professional.
Urgent matters:
If your notice involves an immediate safety issue, stop-work order, hearing date, cure deadline, or another urgent deadline, review it promptly. Consider contacting the appropriate agency or a qualified professional without waiting for this consultation call.
What you can expect
During your free 15-minute call, you may:
- Share your DOB violation number, summons number, DOB notice, or a clear photo of the document, if available.
- Discuss the notice in plain English and identify relevant information that may be available in public City records or official guidance.
- Ask general questions about possible next steps, including when it may be appropriate to contact DOB, OATH, or a qualified professional, such as a contractor, expeditor, architect, engineer, or attorney.
- Ask general questions about deadlines, possible penalties, and why it is important to review the notice promptly.
Important:
This call provides general educational information only. It is not legal, architectural, engineering, or licensed-expediting advice. It does not include permit filing, Certificate of Correction filing, representation before OATH, preparation of technical reports, or a guarantee that a violation, summons, or notice will be removed, dismissed, or resolved.
Who this call is for
This free call is for NYC homeowners, landlords, and owners or managers of small properties who have a DOB-related notice, violation, compliance question, or other non-emergency building concern.
This call is not suitable for emergencies, matters already being handled by an attorney, detailed architectural or engineering evaluations, permit filing, active OATH representation, or situations requiring immediate on-site inspection or repair.
Common concerns may include:
- Possible unpermitted work: Interior renovations, decks, finished basements, or other work that may require DOB approval.
- Failure to maintain: Unsafe building or sidewalk conditions, cracks, loose railings, water damage, or similar repair concerns.
- Boiler, elevator, or equipment issues: Missed inspections, expired registrations, or open defects.
- Façade or exterior-wall issues: FISP (formerly known as Local Law 11) matters for buildings subject to those requirements.
- Illegal occupancy or conversions: Possible extra dwelling units, cellar apartments, or rooming-house or SRO-type conditions.
If your issue is different, you may still schedule a call. Please have the notice, summons, violation number, or other basic information available so we can discuss whether this free informational call is appropriate for your situation.
Safety note: For a possible gas leak, electrical hazard, fire risk, structural emergency, or other immediate danger, contact 911, the utility, building staff, or the appropriate emergency service first.
How to schedule your call
Booking takes about one minute:
- Enter your name, email address, and U.S. phone number in the booking form.
- Choose a date and time that works for you.
- Briefly describe your question or enter your DOB violation, summons, or complaint number, if you have one.
- If useful, attach a clear photo of the notice or condition. Please do not send Social Security numbers, financial account information, passwords, government ID numbers, or other highly sensitive personal information.
You will receive a booking confirmation, and we will call you at the selected time. This service is for genuine consultation requests only. We may decline or cancel requests containing clearly false information, spam, abusive content, emergencies, or matters outside the scope of this informational service.
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