Water Leak in a Building

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Tenants can report a water leak in an apartment or a public area of a residential building.

Property owners can report water leaking into a basement of a building from an outside source other than storm-related rainfall.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) health and safety concerns, Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) staff will wear masks if inspection is required/attempted. Tenants are also asked to wear masks during any inspection.

Report a water leak in a single apartment of a residential building, including:

  • A damp spot
  • A slow leak
  • A heavy leak

Before filing a complaint, you should try to resolve the issue with your landlord, managing agent, or superintendent. If you live in a co-op or condo, you should first report apartment maintenance issues to the owner, management company or board before filing a complaint with HPD.

What You Need

You must provide your contact information.

What Happens Next

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) investigates maintenance complaints and tickets owners who break the law.

HPD will attempt to contact your building's managing agent to advise them that a complaint has been filed and that a violation may be issued if the condition is not corrected immediately. HPD will also attempt to call you back to see if the condition was corrected. If you indicate that the condition was corrected, HPD will close the complaint.

Learn more about HPD complaints and inspections.

Learn more about housing quality and safety issues on the HPD website.

Inspections

If it was not corrected or HPD cannot reach you, a uniformed Code Enforcement inspector will be sent to inspect the reported condition. If English is not your primary language, let the Inspector know and they can call a translator to help.

The owner/agent is not notified of the inspection date. Inspectors will also check for the following violations: smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, lead-based paint (if there is a child under six), window guards (if there is a child under 11), double cylinder locks, and bars on the fire escape windows.

Additional Assistance

There is additional support available for tenants in rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartments. To learn more, go to the Rent Regulated Apartments page.

For more information about residential property maintenance requirements and tenant rights and responsibilities, use the Housing Rules for Owners and Tenants page.

Copies of maintenance complaints are available for both Tenants and Landlords. For additional questions about a complaint or to get copies of complaints, go to the HPD Building Information and Code Enforcement Borough Service Centers page.

Housing Court

If you made a complaint and your landlord didn't fix the problem, you can take legal action in Housing Court. Document all contact with your landlord and HPD about the conditions in your apartment so you can use it in court.

To learn more about Housing Court, go to the Housing Court for Tenants and Landlords page.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) health and safety concerns, Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) staff will wear masks if inspection is required/attempted. Tenants are also asked to wear masks during any inspection.

Report a water leak in a public area of a residential building, including:

  • A damp spot
  • A slow leak
  • A heavy leak

Before filing a complaint, you should try to resolve the issue with your landlord, managing agent, or superintendent. If you live in a co-op or condo, you should first report apartment maintenance issues to the owner, management company or board before filing a complaint with HPD.

What You Need

You must provide your contact information.

What Happens Next

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) investigates maintenance complaints and tickets owners who break the law.

HPD will attempt to contact your building's managing agent to advise them that a complaint has been filed and that a violation may be issued if the condition is not corrected immediately. HPD will also attempt to call you back to see if the condition was corrected. If you indicate that the condition was corrected, HPD will close the complaint.

Learn more about HPD complaints and inspections.

Learn more about housing quality and safety issues on the HPD website.

Inspections

If it was not corrected or HPD cannot reach you, a uniformed Code Enforcement inspector will be sent to inspect the reported condition. If English is not your primary language, let the Inspector know and they can call a translator to help.

The owner/agent is not notified of the inspection date. Inspectors will also check for the following violations: smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, lead-based paint (if there is a child under six), window guards (if there is a child under 11), double cylinder locks, and bars on the fire escape windows.

Additional Assistance

There is additional support available for tenants in rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartments. To learn more, go to the Rent Regulated Apartments page.

For more information about residential property maintenance requirements and tenant rights and responsibilities, use the Housing Rules for Owners and Tenants page.

Copies of maintenance complaints are available for both Tenants and Landlords. For additional questions about a complaint or to get copies of complaints, go to the HPD Building Information and Code Enforcement Borough Service Centers page.

Housing Court

If you made a complaint and your landlord didn't fix the problem, you can take legal action in Housing Court. Document all contact with your landlord and HPD about the conditions in your apartment so you can use it in court.

To learn more about Housing Court, go to the Housing Court for Tenants and Landlords page.

Property owners can report water leaking into basement from an outside source other than storm-related rainfall:

  • Less than one foot of water
  • More than one foot of water

If the water is coming from an internal pipe, the building owner is responsible for contacting a licensed plumber to have it fixed.

What You Need

You must provide your contact information so the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) can contact you, if necessary. DEP must have this information to take action on the Service Request.

If your water meter has been upgraded to the Automated Meter Reading (AMR) unit you can sign up to get emails when your water use increases significantly over several days. This will allow you to quickly check potential leaks and fix them before they become a billing problem.

The email does not always mean there is a leak and there could be other reasons for the increase in water use.

If you discover a leak, you should contact a licensed plumber for repairs.

Possible Leak Locations

  • Check toilets by looking for water movement in the bowl and the tank.
  • If you have refrigerators, air conditioning units or lawn sprinklers, check that they are turned off when not in use.
  • Check your water meter to see if the triangle-shaped leak indicator on the face of the meter is moving when no one is actually using water.

Sign up for the DEP Leak Notification Program:

Online

Register or login to My DEP Account.

By Phone

  • Agency: Department of Environmental Protection
  • Division: Bureau of Customer Services Water Meter Services and Billing
  • Phone Number: (718) 595-7000
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 6 PM

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