3 Little Known City Rules That Manhattan Homeowners MUST Know

Manhattan real estate prices are a steal compared to pre-pandemic rates.  The New York Post reported that “buyers looking for the best deal might consider Manhattan, where home prices were still down 9.6% in the second quarter.”  With that said, realtors are seeing increased interest from first-time Manhattan home buyers.  

The Top Hat Home Services team is all over the city, taking care of hundreds of Manhattan brownstones, lofts, townhomes, and condos.  Owning a home in New York City can be a challenge (which is why homeowners come to us).  The city has unique rules that, if not followed, can not only be a major headache, but also costly.  Here are three not so well-known NYC rules that you need to know if you’re going to buy a Manhattan home:

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1. Internal water sprinkler systems should be inspected monthly, tested yearly, and filed with the city every 2 ½ years.

  • This needs no further explanation.  Though many NYC buildings are fire-proof, homes might also have an internal sprinkler system.  Sprinklers cause less extensive water damage than that caused by fire-fighting hoses.  They also quickly control the smoke and heat. 

 
 
 

2. Townhouses and Brownstones are required to have backflow preventer devices and they need to be tested yearly.  

  • A backflow preventer is a device that's installed on your home's water pipes that allows water to flow in one direction (into your house) but never in the opposite direction. Its sole job is to prevent the city’s water supply from being contaminated.

 

3. Dumb waiters are considered elevators in the eyes of the city and must be inspected along with your elevator each year.

  • Though this seems, well, dumb to some homeowners, it’s a fact.  A dumb waiter is considered “vertical transportation equipment.”  Not only must the elevator and dumb waiter be inspected, sometimes the inspection must be witnessed by a third party, who is not affiliated with the inspector.  Paperwork must be filed with the city within 45 days of the test.  If any violating conditions are found and filed, they must be completed within 45 days of filing the report.

 
 

We wear many hats here at Top Hat, so we’ve seen it all.  Let us know if you have any questions about caring for and maintaining your Manhattan home.

Gary Mindlin is co-founder and owner of Top Hat Home Services, a full-service property care and management company.  Top Hat services homes in Manhattan and are known as experts in every aspect of building management, maintenance and repair, as well as renovation and construction supervision.

Matthew Callahan