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Window Guards 2024 Annual Notice ( pdf )
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- Window Guards 2024 Annual Notice ( pdf )
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- Window Guards 2024 Annual Notice ( pdf )
Description
The Importance of NYC’s Window Guard Law
Protecting Children, Preventing Falls, and Ensuring Safer Homes Across New York City
Every year, children in New York City are severely injured or killed after falling from windows—accidents that are entirely preventable. To address this public-health and safety issue, New York City enacted the Window Guard Law, one of the strongest child-safety housing regulations in the United States. The law requires building owners, property managers, and landlords to install approved window guards in apartments where a child age 10 or younger resides—or whenever a tenant requests them, regardless of whether children live in the home.
This annual requirement is not merely administrative—it saves lives.
Why the Window Guard Law Exists
Children are naturally curious and can climb onto furniture, beds, or radiators placed near windows. Even a partially opened window can lead to a tragic fall. Before the Window Guard Law was created, dozens of children each year fell from windows across NYC. The law has drastically reduced these incidents.
The regulation reflects three core priorities:
1. Preventing Serious or Fatal Injuries
Installed window guards create a physical barrier that protects children from accidental falls. They are designed to withstand pressure, remain securely attached, and prevent wide openings that a child could fit through.
2. Making Safety the Responsibility of Building Owners
The law places legal responsibility on landlords or managing agents—not tenants—to install and maintain window guards. This ensures that apartment safety does not depend on a tenant’s income, knowledge of the law, or ability to pay.
Landlords must install guards when:
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A child age 10 or younger lives in the apartment
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A tenant requests window guards at any time (for any reason)
3. Ensuring Consistent Annual Safety Checks
Every year, owners are required to send the Annual Window Guard Notice, like the form you provided.
This creates a yearly cycle of:
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Confirming if children live in the unit
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Allowing tenants to request guards
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Checking whether existing guards need repair
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Ensuring compliance before hazardous situations can arise
If a tenant fails to return the form, the landlord must follow up—and ultimately may be required to inspect the apartment.
What Tenants Must Know
Tenants play a crucial role in window-guard safety.
They must:
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Return the annual notice
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Notify the landlord when a child age 10 or younger moves in
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Request guards if needed
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Never remove, loosen, or block installed guards
Tenants can also request window guards even if they do not have children—for example, if they host visitors with young children or want extra peace of mind.
What Owners Must Know
Owners must:
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Provide the annual notice by January 15 each year
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Install approved window guards where required
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Maintain and repair guards at no cost to the tenant
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Document all communications and installations
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Ensure compliance to avoid HPD violations, penalties, or legal liability
Failure to comply can result in civil penalties, violations from HPD, and potentially legal action if a fall occurs.
Public Safety Impact: A Proven Success
Since the Window Guard Law went into effect, New York City has seen one of the largest drops in child window-fall injuries nationwide. The program is considered a model for other cities because it shows how proactive safety laws, regular communication with tenants, and clear legal responsibility dramatically reduce preventable injuries.
Conclusion: A Simple Law That Saves Lives
The NYC Window Guard Law reinforces a fundamental principle: safety in residential buildings is a shared responsibility between landlords and tenants, but the legal burden of protection falls on the property owner. With proper installation, annual notices, and ongoing maintenance, this program continues to protect thousands of children every year.
By understanding and complying with this law, both landlords and tenants contribute to a safer city—one window at a time.
Legal Disclaimer
Business Representation
We are a small, family-owned and operated business located in Brooklyn, New York. We are an independent private entity, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, approved by, or in any way connected to the City of New York or any of its agencies. This includes but is not limited to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), Department of Buildings (DOB), Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Sanitation (DSNY), Fire Department of New York (FDNY), or any city, state, or federal government department. Any references to agency names, codes, rules, or regulations on our website or within our printed materials are used strictly for informational and descriptive purposes. No government entity has reviewed, approved, or certified our products, services, content, or documentation.
Disclaimer of Legal Accuracy, Completeness, and Timeliness
The information, descriptions, code references, and due dates provided on our website, printed materials, or any related documentation are offered as general informational content. We do not guarantee that the information provided is accurate, complete, up-to-date, or applicable to any specific property or situation. Laws, regulations, and municipal requirements frequently change, may vary by jurisdiction, and may be subject to interpretation by regulatory authorities. We make no representations or warranties—express or implied—regarding the correctness, reliability, legal sufficiency, or updated status of any information provided. It is the user’s sole responsibility to confirm all requirements with official government sources, including federal, state, and local agencies, before relying on or acting upon any information.
User Responsibility for Compliance and Proper Use
All customers, property owners, managers, contractors, and end-users acknowledge and agree that they are fully responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and municipal laws, codes, rules, and regulations. The products, signage, documents, and materials we provide may not address every legal requirement applicable to your specific property type, building classification, or regulatory jurisdiction. We do not guarantee that our products or information will satisfy all statutory or regulatory obligations. Users assume all responsibility for determining whether any product, sign, document, or interpretation is correct for their intended use, and for verifying compliance with the appropriate regulatory authorities.
No Legal, Professional, or Regulatory Advice Provided
The information contained on our website, within our printed materials, or in communications with our business should not be interpreted as legal advice, professional guidance, or a definitive statement of law. We do not provide legal, engineering, architectural, or compliance consulting services. Nothing in our materials should be construed as creating a professional-client relationship. Any decisions that involve legal obligations, regulatory interpretation, code compliance, or potential liability should be made only after consulting with a qualified attorney, licensed professional, or regulatory expert familiar with your specific circumstances and jurisdiction.
Limitations of Liability
By using our products, website, materials, or information, the user agrees that our business, owners, employees, and affiliates shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages, losses, penalties, violations, citations, legal fees, or claims arising out of or related to: (a) the use or misuse of our products; (b) reliance on any information provided; (c) failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations; or (d) inaccuracies, omissions, or outdated content. All products and information are offered “as-is” and without any warranty, whether express or implied, including any warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, or compliance readiness.
Verification and Independent Review Required
For the most accurate and current information, users must verify all requirements directly
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