Heat and Boiler Records Make Up 56.5% of Recent NYC DOB Violations
Published August 16, 2026. Based on NYC’s BIS-era DOB Violations dataset, using valid issue dates from January 1, 2024 through the latest record in RentReboot’s August 15 snapshot.
Of 68,734 DOB violation records issued since 2024 in this dataset, 38,802—56.5%—have a violation type containing heat, boiler, or steam. Those records appear across 20,015 buildings. The largest category is a low-pressure boiler record, so this is primarily an equipment and compliance story—not evidence that half of NYC buildings lost heat.
Use the free search below to check whether an address appears in this specific list, how many matching records it has, and how many were still listed without a disposition date in our snapshot.
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Search 20,015 address-level records. Results are a research starting point, not a safety grade or legal determination.
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What the 56.5% figure counts
We started with 68,734 rows that had a valid issue date on or after January 1, 2024. We classified a row as heating-related when its violation-type label included “heat,” “boiler,” or “steam.” That produced 38,802 records.
The classification is intentionally mechanical and reproducible. It includes boiler inspection and filing obligations as well as equipment-related conditions. It does not say that 38,802 apartments lacked heat, and it should not be combined with HPD heat complaints as if the two datasets measured the same event.
During NYC heat-season months—November through March—these labels represent 60.5% of records issued in the analyzed data, compared with 52.7% in warmer months. Seasonal inspection and compliance activity can contribute to that difference.
Why “open” needs careful wording
The building search calls a record “listed without disposition” when its disposition-date field was blank in the snapshot. Of the 38,802 heating-related records, 36,773 had no disposition date.
That does not prove every underlying condition remains physically unresolved. A correction may be underway, documentation may be pending, or the record may be old or administrative. DOB explains that violations remain on the property record until the condition is corrected and proof is provided to the relevant unit; applicable penalties may also need to be paid.
Read the type, issue date, violation number, and official building profile together. If the latest record concerns equipment serving the apartment, ask management for the correction or inspection filing number.
How to use the building search
- Search the address or seven-digit BIN.
- Expand the result and note the total records, the count without a disposition, and the latest relevant type.
- Open the linked DOB property profile and confirm the BIN matches the building entrance.
- Review the individual violation plus related boiler, job, permit, or inspection records.
- Search HPD Online separately for heat and hot-water complaints or housing-maintenance violations.
DOB and HPD records answer different questions. DOB’s record may concern boiler equipment or filings. HPD’s record may show a tenant complaint, inspection, or housing-maintenance violation. A serious pre-signing review often needs both.
The question to send management
“DOB lists heat/boiler record [number], issued [date], for this BIN. Please confirm what equipment or filing it concerns, whether it serves this apartment, what corrective work was completed, and the official record number showing the current status.”
Ask whether any planned shutdown will affect heat or hot water during the lease. For a current loss of heat or hot water, follow NYC’s tenant guidance and 311 process rather than waiting for a leasing answer.
What this dataset leaves out
The city describes this dataset as older civil penalties commonly called DOB Violations, maintained in the Building Information System. Newer DOB Safety Violations and OATH/ECB summonses are separate datasets, with some duplication possible across systems.
Therefore, a building absent from this search may still have other DOB records, HPD violations, complaints, permits, or equipment filings. This tool is a focused index of one public dataset and date window—not a complete building-safety search.
How we measured this
We validated dates stored in YYYYMMDD format, excluded malformed dates, and included records issued from January 1, 2024 onward. Heating-related records were selected only by their published violation-type labels. We grouped matching records by BIN and retained the latest address and record identifiers for search.
The 20,015-building list includes both disposed and undisposed records. Search data reflects the August 15, 2026 snapshot and can lag later agency updates. Always confirm the current official profile.
Questions renters ask
Does a matching result mean the building currently has no heat? No. It means the BIS DOB Violations dataset has a recent record whose type includes heat, boiler, or steam.
Why are there so many low-pressure boiler records? Boilers are subject to inspection, filing, maintenance, and correction requirements. The record type can reflect compliance paperwork or equipment conditions.
Is a blank disposition date the same as unsafe? No. It is a status field to investigate. Read the individual record and connected filings.
👉 Set up RentReboot alerts and use this free DOB search when an apartment becomes a serious contender.