Landlord Fined for Fire Code Violation Based on Transient Use of Apartments

DOB issued four violation notices to landlord based on failure to maintain a building in a safe and code-compliant manner and failure to install a fire alarm system. The DOB inspector cited transient occupancy of two apartments in the building and found a lack of the required number of means of egress for every floor for transient use. The ALJ dismissed three of the violations because DOB failed to state in the violations which occupancy group the apartments fell under. DOB appealed and won, in part. ECB reversed the dismissal of one violation for failure to provide fire alarm system for transient use at the two apartments. That violation notice provided sufficient facts to establish the violation of the apartments in a Group R-1 use group. It was undisputed that no fire alarm system was installed. ECB fined landlord $625 for this violation.

DOB v. FPG CH 93 Columbia Holdings, LLC: ECB App. No. 1900364 (5/2/19) [3-pg. doc.]