Local Law 55 — Indoor Allergen Hazards Act basics

Local Law 55 of 2018 — the Indoor Allergen Hazards Act — requires owners of multiple dwellings (three or more units) to inspect for, prevent, and remediate indoor allergen hazards: mold, mice, rats, cockroaches, and similar. Inspections are required at least annually and at each unit turnover, with remediation performed to recognized standards.

This guide explains the owner obligations, the remediation standards, and how compliance typically looks. Educational only — not legal advice.

What this means

LL55 layered new obligations on top of the existing HMC. The core pieces:

• Annual inspections. Owners must inspect every unit in a covered multiple dwelling at least once a year for indoor allergen hazards.
• Turnover inspections. Every time a unit turns over, the owner must inspect for and correct indoor allergen hazards before re-occupancy.
• Recordkeeping. Owners must keep records of the inspections, findings, and remediation.
• Annual tenant notice. Owners must send an annual notice to tenants about the law, similar in shape to the LL1 lead notice.
• Remediation standards. Remediation must follow recognized practices. For mold, that means the NYC DOHMH guidelines (and, above a threshold, NYS-licensed mold professionals). For pests, that means integrated pest management (IPM) — not just spraying.

Mold over ~10 square feet requires licensed professionals. NYS Labor Law Article 32 requires a NYS-licensed mold assessor to write the scope and a separate NYS-licensed mold remediator to perform the work above that threshold. The owner cannot self-perform.

Common causes

• Visible mold over ~10 square feet that has not been remediated by a licensed firm
• Ongoing mouse, rat, or cockroach infestations without integrated pest management
• Failure to inspect units annually for indoor allergen hazards
• Failure to respond within the cure window after a 311 / HPD complaint
• Inadequate recordkeeping of inspections and remediation

Timeline

• Annual inspection. At least once per year per unit; many owners fold this into the LL1 lead inspection visit.
• Turnover inspection. Every time a unit is vacated and re-rented.
• Complaint-triggered inspection. A 311 complaint can trigger an HPD inspection within a few business days.
• Cure window. Remediation timing follows the underlying HPD class (see Class B and Class C). Significant mold is often issued as Class B or Class C.
• Record retention. Inspection and remediation records should be retained per HPD / HMC rules; keep them for the length of your ownership at minimum.

Penalties

LL55 violations are enforced through the HMC penalty framework (see HPD Class A/B/C guides).

• Class B penalties: commonly $25 to $100 per day per violation (HMC § 27-2115 — verify current schedule).
• Class C penalties: commonly $50 to $150 per day per violation, with minimum starting penalties on many conditions.
• Emergency Repair. HPD can perform remediation and bill the owner; unpaid charges can lien the property.
• DOHMH overlap. Mold-related health complaints can also attract DOHMH attention, which has its own enforcement framework.

How it typically gets resolved

1. Build a real annual-inspection program. Use a standard form, record findings per unit, and file the records in the building's compliance binder.
2. Respond quickly to complaints. A 311 complaint can escalate fast; inspect within the first few days, not weeks.
3. For mold: determine the affected area. At or above ~10 square feet (or in HVAC or hidden spaces), retain a NYS-licensed mold assessor to write the scope, then a NYS-licensed mold remediator to perform it; they must be separate firms. Obtain a post-remediation verification report.
4. For pests: implement integrated pest management — sanitation, exclusion (sealing entry points), monitoring, and targeted pesticide application by a DEC-registered pest-control operator.
5. Certify correction with HPD within the applicable cure window.
6. Keep the remediation report in the building's compliance records.

When to hire a pro

• NYS-licensed mold assessor and NYS-licensed mold remediator — above threshold, always, and they must be separate firms.
• DEC-registered pest-control operator with an IPM capability, not just a sprayer.
• Environmental consultant when the cause is structural (leak, roof, window-wall interface) and the cure needs an engineer.
• Attorney when the violation is tied to a Housing Court case or a tenant claim.

Related guides

• HPD Class B — hazardous
• HPD Class C — immediately hazardous
• Local Law 31 — lead paint XRF testing

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