A NUISANCE, as it is ordinarily understood, is any wrong which annoys, disturbs and is offensive to others.  Nuisances may be private or public.  A PRIVATE NUISANCE violates only private rights and produces damages to one or a few people.  Public officials are not directly concerned with private nuisances.

However, common or PUBLIC NUISANCES affect the public interest and may be defined as the doing of certain acts which tend to produce a common injury, adversely affecting health, safety, convenience and the comfort of a considerable number of people, i.e., the general community.

The Environmental Health Section (EHS) of the Chemung County Health Department will investigate complaints of public health nuisances when another agency does not have jurisdiction.  For instance, a complaint of untreated or unprotected garbage on a property may be investigated by EHS, but in reality, the local building code enforcement officer for that area has jurisdiction through the Property Maintenance Code of New York State.

HOUSING ISSUES

Many of the issues you may have when you lease or rent a property are addressed by the Building Code Enforcement Officer having jurisdiction in the area you live.  However, as a tenant living in New York State, you have certain rights.  The NYS Attorney General's office has created a "Tenant's Rights Guide" that has a lot of useful information.  To go to the Attorney General's website on Housing Issues to get a copy of the Attorney General's Tenants Rights Guide, click HERE.

To file a consumer complaint, call 1-800-771-7755.

To talk to a representative at the Binghamton Regional Office, call (607)-721-8778