Turnover lead inspections — required before you re-rent.

What the turnover rule requires.

Under Local Law 1 of 2004, an owner of a pre-1960 multiple dwelling must, at every tenant turnover:

• Perform a lead-paint inspection of the unit;
• Remediate any identified lead-paint hazards using EPA Lead-Safe Certified contractors and lead-safe work practices;
• Perform post-remediation dust-wipe clearance;
• Document the inspection, remediation and clearance — and retain the records for at least 10 years;
• Provide the new tenant with the required lead notice and disclosure.

The turnover inspection is a separate obligation from the annual Local Law 1 investigation, even when the annual investigation was recently completed for the same unit. It runs whether or not a child under six will reside in the new tenancy.

What an Envirex turnover engagement covers.

Typical turnover scope:

• Same-week scheduling. Most turnover inspections are scheduled within 3–5 business days of intake.
• Calibrated XRF survey. Component-by-component reading of every painted surface in the unit by an EPA-certified inspector. See XRF Inspections.
• Friction-surface assessment. Special attention to window stools, troughs, sashes and doors — the surfaces most likely to deteriorate between tenancies.
• Field-level remediation scope. If lead-bearing surfaces requiring remediation are identified, we scope the work on-site — encapsulation, replacement, or full abatement, depending on the surface and the condition.
• Remediation execution. Performed by an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm with proper containment and worker protection. Typical friction-surface scope completes in 1–3 days.
• Post-remediation clearance. Independent dust-wipe clearance against current EPA thresholds before the unit is re-keyed.
• Documentation package. Turnover inspection report, remediation records, clearance results — built to satisfy LL1 recordkeeping and ready for HPD audit.

Typical turnover timeline.

• Day 0. Outgoing tenant vacates, unit access granted.
• Day 1–3. Turnover XRF inspection performed.
• Day 4. Inspection report delivered; remediation scope (if any) and quote sent same day.
• Day 5–7. If remediation triggered: contractor mobilization and execution.
• Day 8–10. Independent dust-wipe clearance and lab turn.
• Day 11. Documentation package finalized, unit cleared for re-rental.

Units with no required remediation (clean XRF) re-key the day after the inspection report. The 7–10 day timeline applies only to units with friction-surface or other lead-bearing components requiring work.

Common turnover scenarios.

• Standard same-tenant-type re-rental. Inspection runs, friction surfaces remediated if needed, unit cleared. Typical 5–10 day total when remediation is required.
• Re-rental to a family with a child under six. Same inspection, but downstream LL1 annual investigation cycle begins. Coordination of the turnover record into the annual file matters.
• Major renovation between tenancies. Renovation triggers EPA RRP rules in addition to the turnover inspection requirement. Both can be coordinated into a single scoped engagement.
• Long-vacant unit being re-rented. Friction surfaces have often degraded over the vacancy; the inspection scope is typically deeper.

If the turnover inspection was skipped.

If a unit was re-rented without a turnover inspection and the gap is later identified — often by HPD inspection in response to a tenant complaint — the result is typically a Class B or Class C lead violation. The HPD Lead Violation Closure workflow applies. Catching the gap during owner self-audit, before HPD inspects, materially reduces exposure: a self-reported and corrected gap typically doesn't generate a violation.