Inspector Warren Hall, with the city’s Department of Buildings, is warning residents about the dangers of illegal home conversions.

The Department of Buildings says violations for the dangerous practice of illegal home conversions have spiked over the last year in the borough.

His job is to make sure that homes are being used how they were intended to be used - by law.

MORE: News 12 rides along with DOB for illegal conversion crackdown

The most common problem he says is basements used as bedrooms.

Hall says he often sees shoddy electrical and gas work, just to fit in more rooms. Officials say it led to an explosion in a Kingsbridge building last year. Before it comes to that, Hall responds to complaints, issues violations and connects tenants with resources to move into safer housing.

“People are just desperate to find a place to live and they'll just take anything they can,” he says.

Hall says tenants should do their homework to make sure every room has two ways of exiting in case of a fire. Those who are unsure whether their home is safe, should contact the city's Department of Buildings by calling 311.

The inspector also says that landlords should think twice before renting out a room that shouldn't be one.