Landlord Responsible for Defective Electrical Condition in Sidewalk Shed

DOB issued a violation notice to landlord for failing to ground electrical conductive materials in a fully operational sidewalk shed outside a residential building. DOB found that this created a severe hazard to tenants and visitors in the event of electric fault or lightning strike. Landlord argued that its contractor, and not landlord, should have gotten the violation since the contractor performed the faulty work. The ALJ ruled against landlord and fined it $4,800. Landlord appealed and lost. ECB ruled that a premises owner is responsible for electrical conditions at the building, whether or not he created them.

BPE Realty Owner LLC: ECB App. No. 1800125 (4/11/18) [2-pg. doc.]