You check your mail. Nothing. You log into the city portal. Still clean. Then a tenant calls. The DOB posted a notice three days ago. Now you’re racing against deadlines you didn’t know existed, scrambling to find inspectors, and watching potential fines multiply by the hour.
NYC agencies don’t wait for you to discover violations. They expect you to act fast. Miss a notice by 24 hours, and you’re already behind. Miss it by a week, and you’re looking at penalties that could have been avoided entirely.
Property owners and contractors lose thousands every year, not because they ignored violations, but because they didn’t know they existed until it was too late.
We built ViolationWatch to solve that exact problem. Our alert system tracks violations across every major NYC agency and notifies you the moment something hits your property. No more checking multiple portals. No more missed deadlines. No more surprise fines.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Why instant alerts save you money (and how delayed notices drain it)
- Which NYC agencies our system monitors (DOB, HPD, FDNY, 311, DOT, DOHMH, and more)
- How our WhatsApp and email notification system works
- Who benefits most from automated violation tracking
Every minute you spend unaware of a violation costs you. Let’s fix that.
The Real Cost of Finding Out Too Late
NYC violations operate on a countdown clock. The timer starts when the agency files the notice, not when you discover it. Most property owners learn about violations through three channels: mail that arrives late, tenants who spot posted notices, or random portal checks. By then, the clock has been ticking for days. Sometimes weeks.
Here’s what that delay costs you.
Late Response Fees Stack Up Fast
NYC agencies don’t care when you learned about a violation. They care when it was issued. A standard DOB violation gives you 30 days to respond. Sound reasonable? It would be if you actually had 30 days. But if that notice sat in your mailbox for a week, or got buried under junk mail, or was posted on a tenant’s door while you were out of town, you’ve already burned through a quarter of your deadline.
Miss the response window, and penalties kick in automatically. ECB violations can double in cost. HPD violations accrue daily fines. What started as a $500 issue becomes a $2,000 problem because you didn’t know it existed.
Emergency Repairs Cost More
Speed matters when fixing violations. Find out about a problem early, and you can schedule contractors at normal rates. Find out late, and you’re paying emergency fees.
Consider a standard FDNY fire safety violation. Give yourself two weeks to address it, and you can:
- Get competitive quotes from multiple contractors
- Schedule work during regular business hours
- Order parts at standard shipping rates
- Avoid overtime labor charges
Discover that same violation with 48 hours left on the clock, and you’re stuck with whoever picks up the phone. Rush fees. Weekend rates. Expedited shipping. Same repair, triple the cost.
Hearings Without Preparation
ECB hearings don’t reschedule because you showed up unprepared. You get one shot to present your case. Late notification means you walk into that hearing without:
- Proper documentation of remediation efforts
- Time to gather supporting evidence
- Contractor affidavits or completion certificates
- A clear timeline showing good faith compliance
Administrative Law Judges see dozens of cases daily. An unprepared defense gets dismissed. A well-documented case gets reduced fines or dismissals. The difference comes down to preparation time, which you can’t have if you don’t know the hearing exists until the week before.
Portfolio-Wide Blind Spots
Managing multiple properties multiplies the problem. One building’s violation is manageable. Ten buildings with violations you don’t know about create chaos.
We’ve seen property managers discover violations during routine inspections that had been active for months. Each one is accruing fines. Each one creates liability. Each one is completely preventable if they’d known sooner.
Automated alerts flip this equation. Instant notification means:
- Immediate triage: You know what needs attention right now versus what can wait
- Proactive scheduling: Book contractors before deadlines get tight
- Budget control: Plan for repairs instead of scrambling for emergency funds
- Compliance documentation: Start your paper trail from day one
ViolationWatch monitors your properties 24/7 across various NYC agencies. When a violation appears, you get a WhatsApp message and email within minutes. That notification speed turns a potential crisis into a manageable task. You gain back the time NYC agencies assume you have but rarely give you in practice.
Every Agency That Matters, One Dashboard
NYC violations don’t come from a single source. They cascade from multiple city agencies, each with its own portal, filing system, and notification process.
Tracking them all manually means logging into separate systems, checking different databases, and hoping you didn’t miss anything. ViolationWatch pulls it all together.
The Agencies We Monitor in New York City
Our platform tracks violations and compliance issues across every major NYC enforcement agency. Here’s what we cover:
Building & Construction Enforcement
- DOB (Department of Buildings): Construction permits, structural violations, work-without-permit citations, stop-work orders
- FDNY (Fire Department): Fire safety violations, sprinkler system issues, emergency exit compliance
Housing & Health Standards
- HPD (Housing Preservation & Development): Heat and hot water complaints, lead paint violations, habitability issues
- DOHMH (Department of Health & Mental Hygiene): Food service violations, pest control, environmental health hazards
Environmental & Infrastructure
- DEP (Department of Environmental Protection): Water system violations, sewer connections, air quality issues
- DSNY (Department of Sanitation): Waste management violations, recycling compliance
Streets & Transportation
- DOT (Department of Transportation): Sidewalk violations, street construction permits, traffic sign issues
- 311 Service Requests: Tenant complaints, noise violations, quality-of-life issues
Financial & Tax Compliance
- DOF (Department of Finance): Property tax violations, lien notices
- ECB (Environmental Control Board): Hearing schedules, penalty assessments, compliance deadlines
Each agency operates independently. Each one expects you to check their specific system. ViolationWatch monitors them all simultaneously.
Check Your Properties for Free
Before committing to automated alerts, you can see what already exists on your buildings. Our free lookup tool helps you track NYC building violations across government websites operated by the NYC department, giving you a clear view of code violations and hazardous conditions that often hide as hidden compliance risks.
Here’s how to use it:
- Go to our tool
- Enter your NYC property address in the search field
- Complete the verification check
- Click “Check Violations Now”
- Review your complete violation report
The tool pulls official data from New York City agencies and consolidates results for multiple addresses, including properties tied to construction sites and active developments. You’ll see filing details, status updates, reference numbers, and descriptions that help you avoid costly fines and long-term costly penalties tied to NYC’s enforcement landscape.
This visibility helps owners and legal teams stay ahead of enforcement pressure and protect tenants from escalation driven by overlooked safety concerns. When new violations surface, switch to our monitoring system and receive real-time alerts that identify emerging risks before they spiral into compliance setbacks.
The tool shows you what exists right now. But violations continue to appear. Set up alerts for any address to keep pace with enforcement changes and maintain control across your entire portfolio.
Who Gets the Most Value?
Automated violation tracking works for anyone managing NYC property. But certain professionals see outsized benefits based on how they operate and how quickly they must respond to risk, enforcement pressure, and operational failure.
Property Managers & Landlords
You’re responsible for multiple buildings. Tenants call with complaints. The city files violations. Maintenance needs scheduling.
Our platform provides full visibility through a user-friendly dashboard that keeps issues organized and easy to act on. You also receive unlimited alerts, so problems never slip past your workflow and compromise keeping tenants safe.
Our dashboard gives you:
- Portfolio-wide visibility: See violations across all your properties in one place
- Instant tenant complaint tracking: 311 complaints surface as soon as they’re filed
- Maintenance prioritization: Know which buildings contain high-risk issues or unsafe conditions
- Compliance documentation: Track resolution progress and maintain records for audits
Managing ten buildings no longer means juggling portals. It means relying on a powerful tool that helps you stay compliant and always remain one step ahead.
Construction Companies & General Contractors
Job sites attract inspections. Work generates violations. Delays cost money. You need to know when:
- Stop-work orders threaten timelines
- DOB issues appear without notice
- 311 complaints escalate to violation orders
- FDNY inspections expose risks that trigger jobsite shutdowns
The system alerts you before enforcement escalates to a criminal summons, allowing teams to correct issues quickly and maintain momentum on active projects. Catching violations early means you can address them before they shut down your job. Clients appreciate contractors who stay ahead of compliance issues rather than scrambling to fix them.
Real Estate Investors & Developers
You’re evaluating properties for acquisition. Due diligence matters. Hidden violations kill deals or drain budgets after closing. Use our free lookup tool during property research to:
- Identify violation history before making offers
- Calculate potential remediation costs
- Spot patterns that indicate deeper property issues
- Negotiate purchase prices based on compliance status
After acquisition, automated alerts protect your investment. New violations get flagged immediately so you can maintain asset value and avoid penalty accumulation.
Legal & Compliance Teams
You represent clients facing violations. You need accurate information fast. Our platform centralizes:
- Violation details from every NYC agency
- ECB hearing schedules and deadlines
- Compliance documentation and status updates
- Historical violation data for pattern analysis
Track violations across all client properties from one system. Generate reports for court submissions. Monitor resolution progress without chasing down information from multiple sources.
All of these professionals share one problem: violations appear without warning and demand immediate attention. Manual monitoring fails because it relies on you checking portals at the exact moment new violations appear.
Our tool flips that model. We monitor continuously. You get notified instantly. The system works while you handle everything else on your plate.
Set It Up Once, Stay Protected Forever
ViolationWatch runs on autopilot once you configure it. No daily logins. No manual searches. No wondering if you missed something.
The system operates in four straightforward steps that transform how you handle NYC building violations.
Step 1 – Create Your Account and Add Properties
Getting started takes minutes. Head to ViolationWatch and sign up with your email address. No credit card needed for the free trial. Once you’re in, add your properties to the monitoring system. You can input addresses manually or bulk upload them if you manage multiple buildings. The platform accepts:
- Full street addresses
- Borough, block, and lot numbers (BBL)
- Building identification numbers (BIN)
Each property gets added to your centralized dashboard. You control what gets monitored. Single building or a 50-property portfolio, the setup process stays identical.
The system validates each address against NYC’s official databases to confirm it can track violations accurately. Invalid addresses get flagged immediately, so you can correct them before monitoring begins.
Step 2 – Continuous Agency Monitoring Starts Automatically
This is where ViolationWatch does the heavy lifting you used to do manually. Our platform connects directly to NYC agency databases and monitors them continuously. We’re checking DOB, HPD, FDNY, ECB, DEP, DOT, DOHMH, DSNY, DOF, and 311 systems around the clock for any changes tied to your properties.
When a new violation appears, when a status updates, when a hearing gets scheduled, we catch it. The system scans for:
- Newly filed violations across all tracked agencies
- Status changes on existing violations (open to closed, pending to resolved)
- ECB hearing dates and location assignments
- Stop-work orders or emergency postings
- 311 complaint submissions tied to your addresses
You’re not relying on mail delivery. You’re not hoping the city’s notification system works. You’re getting information directly from the source, faster than traditional channels.
Step 3 – Real-Time Alerts Hit Your Phone and Inbox
Speed separates ViolationWatch from manual tracking. When our system detects a new violation or update, you get notified within minutes through multiple channels.
WhatsApp Notifications
We send alerts directly to WhatsApp because it’s fast, reliable, and works internationally. You can configure notifications to reach multiple phone numbers, perfect for teams that need simultaneous updates.
Add your property manager’s number, your maintenance supervisor’s number, and your compliance officer’s number. When a violation hits, everyone gets notified at once. No forwarding messages. No communication delays.
WhatsApp alerts include:
- Property address
- Violation type and issuing agency
- Filing date and reference number
- Current status
- Direct link to view full details in your dashboard
We support bilingual notifications in English and Spanish. Set your language preference during account setup, and all alerts will arrive in your chosen language.
Email Notifications
Email alerts provide the same information with additional formatting options. You can set up:
- Primary email for immediate notifications
- Secondary email addresses for backup delivery
- Different email addresses for different property portfolios
Emails include clickable links that take you straight to the violation details in your ViolationWatch dashboard. No logging in and searching. One click and you’re viewing the complete violation record.
Both notification methods work simultaneously. WhatsApp gives you instant mobile alerts. Email creates a searchable paper trail. You get both automatically. Configure notification preferences for each property if needed. High-priority buildings can trigger alerts to more recipients. Lower-priority properties can route to fewer people. You control the flow.
Step 4 – Take Action Before Deadlines Expire
Notifications are worthless if they don’t lead to action. ViolationWatch makes it easy to act on violations immediately.
Click through from your alert to see:
- Complete violation description from the issuing agency
- All relevant deadlines and hearing dates
- Status history showing any updates since filing
- Attached documents or inspection reports
- Reference numbers for contacting agencies
From your dashboard, you can:
- Assign violations to specific team members
- Upload remediation documentation and contractor certificates
- Track resolution progress across your entire portfolio
- Generate compliance reports for legal or financial reviews
- Set internal reminders for upcoming deadlines
The platform keeps everything organized. Open violations stay visible. Closed violations move to your history. Upcoming hearings get flagged days in advance.
You’re not scrambling to piece together information from multiple sources. Everything related to each violation lives in one place, accessible from any device.
Pricing Built for Any Scale
ViolationWatch offers flexible pricing that matches how you operate.
- Free Trial: Start with a free trial. No credit card required. Add your properties and see how the system works before committing.
- Per-Address Monitoring: After your trial, monitoring costs $9.99 per address per month. Track one building or a hundred. You only pay for addresses you actively monitor. Each monitored address includes:
- Unlimited violation alerts
- All agency coverage (DOB, HPD, FDNY, ECB, and more)
- WhatsApp and email notifications
- Full dashboard access
- Document storage and management
Cancel anytime. Add or remove properties as your portfolio changes. No long-term contracts. The system scales with your needs. Small landlords pay for one address. Large property management firms pay for their entire portfolio. Same features. Same speed. Same reliability.
Stop Chasing Violations, Let Them Come to You
NYC doesn’t slow down for property owners who miss notices. Agencies file violations, set deadlines, and expect compliance all on their schedule, not yours.
You’ve seen what delayed notifications cost. You know which agencies create the biggest headaches. You understand how automated alerts change the game.
Here’s what you can control now:
- Notification speed: Minutes matter when fines compound daily, and deadlines start the moment violations get filed
- Portfolio visibility: Track violations across every property from one dashboard instead of logging into separate agency portals
- Team coordination: Route alerts to multiple people instantly so everyone stays informed without forwarding messages
- Compliance documentation: Build your paper trail from day one with centralized violation tracking and document storage
Manual monitoring made sense when you managed one building and violations came rarely. But portfolios grow. Regulations multiply. Agencies digitize their enforcement. The old system breaks.
ViolationWatch handles the monitoring you used to do manually. We track your properties 24/7 across every NYC agency. You get instant WhatsApp and email alerts when violations appear. Your team accesses everything through one dashboard. Start with our free trial and see how much time you get back when violations find you instead of the other way around.