Cal. Civ. Code § 57
Bells; mail receptacles
Operative Text
§ 57. Bells; mail receptacles. 1. Whenever bells are installed at the entrance to any multiple dwelling or at any door of an individual apartment in a multiple dwelling, they shall be kept in good working order. 2. Whenever the owner of a multiple dwelling has not arranged for mail to be delivered to occupants thereof by himself, his agent or employees, arrangements shall be made for the delivery of such mail in conformity with regulations of the post office department.
New York Multiple Dwelling Law § 57 establishes two baseline maintenance requirements for apartment buildings. First, any bells installed at a building entrance or individual apartment door must be maintained in working condition. Second, if the building owner does not personally arrange mail delivery to occupants through staff or agents, the building must have mail delivery arrangements that comply with postal regulations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 57, compliant building operators routinely inspect and repair entrance and apartment doorbells to ensure they remain functional, treating non-working bells as a maintenance deficiency to be corrected promptly. On the mail side, operators who do not use staff to distribute mail to residents generally ensure that the building's mail receptacles and delivery setup meet U.S. Postal Service requirements. Keeping records of bell repairs and any correspondence with the post office about delivery arrangements can support a showing of ongoing compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 57 gives occupants of multiple dwellings a basis to expect that installed doorbells and compliant mail delivery arrangements will be maintained by the building owner. If bells are broken or mail delivery does not conform to postal regulations, tenants may raise the violation with their local housing or building code enforcement agency, or note the condition as a potential housing code violation in any relevant proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand what remedies or complaint processes may be available under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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