DOB nabs more violators due to new elevator standards

After ramping up inspection efforts, the city Department of Buildings has reported that it’s finding 50 percent more elevator violations than in past years. Among the new rules, an expert third-party witness must now be present at the time of the inspection. Since the new rules took effect on Jan. 1, around 15,720 elevators in the city have been forced to make repairs. While some property managers are praising the improved safety regulations, others — especially those in charge of smaller co-ops and condos, where there are fewer residents among which the bill can be divided — say the financial burden is significant. Providing a third-party expert witness at inspections, for example, can pose an extra $175 to $1,300 cost to the building.