DOB Alerts vs SiteCompli vs ViolationWatch: Full Comparison for 2026

You can track violations manually and risk missing critical deadlines. Or you can put your compliance on autopilot with the right platform.

The problem isn’t finding a violation tracking tool. The problem is finding one that actually works for NYC’s complex regulatory environment. Most platforms either overcomplicate simple tasks or oversimplify critical workflows. You end up paying for features you’ll never use or missing the ones you desperately need.

Here’s what makes this choice harder: each platform markets itself as the “complete solution.” But the reality? They target different users, handle violations differently, and vary wildly in pricing and functionality. Picking the wrong one costs you time, money, and compliance headaches down the line.

We’ve tested all three platforms across multiple NYC properties. We’ve compared their violation tracking, alert systems, reporting capabilities, and actual day-to-day usability. You’ll know which platform fits your portfolio size, compliance complexity, and budget constraints. You’ll skip months of trial-and-error testing. You’ll make a decision backed by data, not sales pitches.

DOB Alerts

DOB Alerts has monitored NYC construction sites and properties since 2011. The platform focuses exclusively on one mission: getting complaint notifications to property managers and construction professionals before problems escalate.

You get text and email alerts when someone files a complaint with the NYC Department of Buildings. That’s it. No violation tracking dashboards. No document management. No compliance workflows. DOB Alerts does one thing and does it well.

How DOB Alerts Work?

The platform operates through automated monitoring across all five NYC boroughs. Software scans the DOB complaint database approximately once per hour. When a new complaint appears for your property, the system triggers an alert.

Alerts arrive via two channels:

• SMS text messages sent directly to your phone
• Email notifications with full complaint details

Each alert includes the exact complaint registered with the city and the priority level assigned by the Building Department. You know what happened, where it happened, and how quickly you need to respond.

The master account holder receives notifications for all properties in the portfolio. You can designate up to four additional team members per property to receive alerts. This means your foreman, site manager, or compliance officer gets the same notification simultaneously.

Who does DOB Alerts Serve Best?

DOB Alerts targets active construction sites and development projects across NYC. The platform suits contractors, developers, and construction managers who need instant awareness of complaints filed against their job sites.

Ideal users include:

• General contractors managing multiple active sites
• Developers overseeing new construction projects
• Site supervisors are responsible for compliance
• Property owners with ongoing renovation work

The service works best for professionals who need complaint awareness but handle violation resolution through other systems or internal processes. You’re paying for early warning, not full-scale compliance management.

Service Coverage and Speed

DOB Alerts monitors complaints filed with the NYC Department of Buildings only. The platform doesn’t track violations from HPD, ECB, FDNY, or other city agencies. The focus stays narrow and specialized.

Coverage breakdown:

Scanning frequency runs approximately once per hour. The software circles through all five boroughs continuously. You won’t get notifications within minutes of a complaint filing, but you’ll know within the same business day.

DOB Alerts Pricing Structure

The platform offers three pricing tiers based on portfolio size. All plans include the same core features: SMS alerts, email notifications, and multi-user access per property.

1. Starter Plan — $19/month: Perfect for single-property owners or small contractors. You monitor one property with the option to add more later. The entry price point makes testing the service risk-free.
2. Save-As-You-Grow Plan (Most Popular): Designed for portfolios between 2 and 200 properties. Pricing scales based on property count, with the per-property cost decreasing as your portfolio grows. The platform labels this as their most popular option for mid-size operations.
3. Premium Plan — $750/month: Built for large-scale operations managing up to 500 properties. The monthly rate breaks down to $1.50 per property when you max out the tier. Property management companies and large developers typically use this plan.

Key pricing features:

• No setup fees or onboarding costs
• Month-to-month billing (no annual contracts required)
• Ability to add properties as your portfolio expands
• Four additional user notifications per property are included at all tiers

Platform Limitations to Consider

DOB Alerts delivers complaint notifications. It doesn’t help you track violation status, manage compliance documents, or monitor resolution progress. You’ll need separate systems or manual processes for everything that happens after the initial alert.

The platform doesn’t offer:

• Violation status tracking across agencies
• Document storage or management
• Compliance reporting or analytics
• Resolution workflow tools
• Integration with other property management software

You’re buying an early warning system, not a comprehensive compliance platform. For contractors focused solely on DOB complaints at active construction sites, that narrow focus might be exactly what you need. For property managers handling violations across multiple city agencies, you’ll need additional tools to manage the full compliance cycle.

SiteCompli

SiteCompli approaches NYC compliance from a different angle than DOB Alerts. The platform combines violation monitoring with on-site operations management, preventive maintenance tracking, and comprehensive workflow automation.

You’re not getting a simple alert service. You’re getting a complete property management system built around compliance requirements. SiteCompli positions itself as an all-in-one solution for property managers who need to coordinate inspections, track violations, manage resident requests, and automate routine tasks from a single dashboard.

The platform comes from Inhabit, a property technology company that builds tools specifically for real estate operations. SiteCompli bundles its InCheck mobile inspection tool with compliance tracking to create an integrated property management ecosystem.

How SiteCompli’s Technology Works

SiteCompli pulls data continuously from multiple NYC agencies through proprietary aggregation technology. The system analyzes compliance information from DOB, HPD, and FDNY databases as soon as agencies enter it into their systems.

The platform processes violations through four core steps:

1. Data Aggregation: Software pulls compliance data from municipal agencies in near-instant timeframes
2. Immediate Analysis: The system identifies new complaints, inspections, or violations within minutes of filing
3. Alert Distribution: Notifications go out through multiple channels based on your preferences
4. Actionable Guidance: Alerts include specific steps to address the issue and prevent escalation

This gives property managers a chance to respond before inspectors arrive on-site or before violations turn into costly fines. You can address issues while they’re still manageable rather than after they’ve escalated into default judgments.

Alert System and Notification Methods

SiteCompli delivers alerts through three distinct channels. You choose which methods work best for your team’s workflow and communication preferences.

• Email Notifications: The primary delivery method sends detailed violation reports, inspection results, and incident summaries directly to your inbox. Emails include complete information about what happened, where it happened, and what compliance requirements apply.
• In-Platform Notifications: Alerts appear within the SiteCompli and InCheck dashboards using color-coded status bars. The system highlights issues that need immediate attention and separates them from routine maintenance items. You see the most urgent compliance problems at a glance when you log in.
• Calendar Synchronization: The platform syncs with your calendar tools (Outlook, Google Calendar) to add hearings, inspections, and filing deadlines automatically. This provides daily visibility into upcoming compliance items without checking the dashboard separately.

Notification customization options:

Complete Feature Set

SiteCompli bundles violation tracking with broader property management tools. The platform handles everything from make-ready processes to preventive maintenance schedules.

NYC Compliance Solutions

The platform offers specialized modules for New York City regulatory requirements. Each module tracks specific compliance areas and provides tools to manage the associated workflows.

NYC-specific capabilities include:

• NYC General Compliance: Tracks violations and responds to local law compliance changes across all agencies
• OATH Fines & Hearings: Manages the process to prevent and respond to OATH-related violations
• FDNY Compliance: Monitors fire safety requirements and inspection schedules
• DOB Regulations: Handles complaints, violations, and required filings with the Building Department
• Local Law 55: Tracks required inspections and follow-ups for facade work
• Lead Paint Compliance: Manages inspections related to Local Law 31 XRF requirements and more

Property Operations Tools

Beyond compliance tracking, SiteCompli provides operational management features through the InCheck mobile platform. Property teams use these tools to standardize on-site work and automate routine tasks.

Core operational features:

• Mobile Inspections: Conduct property walks and unit inspections using guided checklists on smartphones or tablets
• Task Automation: Set up workflows that automatically assign tasks to staff based on preset rules
• Resident Request Management: Track maintenance requests and response times in one system
• Document Management: Store and organize property records, violation documents, and compliance certificates
• Preventive Maintenance: Schedule and track routine maintenance to prevent violations before they occur
• On-site Incident Capture: Document problems with photos and detailed notes as they happen

Portfolio Oversight Capabilities

Property managers handling multiple buildings get portfolio-wide visibility into compliance status. The system generates reports that show performance across your entire operation.

Portfolio management includes:

• Performance Reporting: Track metrics like violation resolution time and inspection pass rates
• Portfolio Analytics: Identify patterns in violations across buildings and prioritize problem properties
• Centralized Visibility: View the status of all on-site work and compliance items from a single dashboard
• Due Diligence Tools: Pull comprehensive compliance reports when buying, selling, or refinancing properties

Agency Coverage Across NYC Departments

SiteCompli monitors violations from multiple NYC regulatory agencies. The platform covers broader compliance requirements than DOB Alerts’ single-agency focus.

Monitored agencies:

The multi-agency coverage means you track all NYC compliance requirements from one platform instead of juggling separate systems or manual checks for each department.

Who Benefits Most from SiteCompli?

SiteCompli targets property management companies and building owners who need comprehensive compliance tracking combined with on-site operations management. The platform makes the most sense for teams that want to consolidate multiple tools into one system.

Ideal users include:

• Property management firms handling residential and commercial portfolios
• Building owners managing multiple properties across NYC
• Real estate operators who need standardized inspection and maintenance processes
• Compliance teams coordinating responses across different city agencies
• Operations managers who want to automate routine tasks and track team performance

The platform works best when you need more than violation alerts. If you’re coordinating on-site staff, managing preventive maintenance schedules, and tracking resident requests alongside compliance requirements, SiteCompli’s integrated approach makes sense.

Workflow Integration and Automation

SiteCompli connects notifications to your existing standard operating procedures. You can trigger workflows automatically based on inspection results or violation types.

Automation capabilities:

• Assign tasks to specific team members when certain violation types appear
• Create automatic follow-up reminders for open compliance items
• Generate recurring inspection schedules based on regulatory requirements
• Route resident complaints to the appropriate staff based on issue category

The system helps automate responses to common compliance scenarios. Teams know exactly what happens when a violation appears without creating manual processes for every situation.

SiteCompli Pricing Structure

SiteCompli doesn’t publish pricing publicly. You need to contact their sales team directly for a custom quote based on your portfolio size and feature requirements. The platform doesn’t offer a free trial or freemium version. Pricing gets customized based on several factors that affect implementation complexity and ongoing platform usage.

ViolationWatch

ViolationWatch takes a fundamentally different approach to NYC building violations monitoring. The platform uses artificial intelligence to scan violations across all major city agencies and deliver instant notifications the moment an issue appears. You’re not waiting hours for database scans. You’re not limited to DOB violations only. You get comprehensive coverage across multiple agencies through a single dashboard that updates continuously.

The platform launched specifically to solve the gaps left by traditional monitoring services. Property managers needed faster alerts, broader agency coverage, and transparent pricing without custom quotes or lengthy sales calls. ViolationWatch delivers all three.

How the AI-Powered Monitoring Engine Works

ViolationWatch runs on an intelligent scanning system that monitors NYC agency databases continuously. The platform’s AI engine processes violation data through four distinct stages to deliver actionable alerts faster than manual or hourly scanning methods.

Step 1: Sign Up and Add Properties

You create an account and add your NYC properties using street addresses. The system accepts multiple addresses at once, letting you load an entire portfolio in minutes. You can assign custom labels to each location (Home, Office, Building A, etc.) for easier organization. Setup takes the maximum time of five minutes before you begin monitoring.

Step 2: Continuous Monitoring Across Agencies

ViolationWatch’s AI engine scans all major NYC agency databases without pause. The system checks for new violations, status changes on existing violations, and compliance updates as agencies post them. This continuous monitoring means you’re not waiting for the next hourly scan cycle. The platform pulls from public data sources across all agencies, ensuring correct information reaches you as soon as violations appear in city systems.

Monitored agencies include:

Step 3: Instant Multi-Channel Alerts

When the system detects a new violation or compliance issue, alerts go out immediately through three notification channels. Each violation hits your notification channels simultaneously. You choose which methods work best for your team’s workflow.

Alert delivery methods:

• WhatsApp messages: Instant notifications to your phone with full violation details
• Email alerts: Comprehensive reports sent to multiple email addresses simultaneously
• SMS text messages: Quick notification pings to keep your entire team informed

You can add multiple phone numbers and email addresses per property. Your property manager, building superintendent, compliance officer, and maintenance supervisor all get notified at the same time. No information bottlenecks. Every person on your team stays informed.

Step 4: Property Owners Take Action Before Escalation

Alerts include everything you need to respond quickly. You see the violation type, issuing agency, property address, filing date, and violation details. The platform provides access to original violation documents directly from city agencies, giving you proof of the violation status and requirements.

This lets you address issues while they’re still resolvable. You can fix problems before inspectors arrive, respond to complaints before they turn into violations, and handle violations before they escalate into default judgments or costly fines. The platform sends notices with actionable guidance on next steps.

Alert Speed and Timing

ViolationWatch delivers notifications in genuine instant timeframes once violations appear in agency systems. The AI-powered monitoring runs continuously rather than on hourly cycles.

Speed breakdown:

• Free Trial accounts: 48-hour notification delay (still valuable for tracking but not for immediate response)
• Paid accounts: Instant alerts as violations post to agency databases (typically within seconds)

This speed difference matters when you’re trying to prevent escalation. A 48-hour delay might work for general awareness. Instant notifications let you take action before problems compound or fall into default status.

Who Benefits Most from ViolationWatch

ViolationWatch serves property managers, building owners, landlords, and real estate investors who need comprehensive compliance tracking without enterprise-level complexity or pricing.

The platform works best for:

• Property managers handling residential portfolios across multiple NYC neighborhoods
• Building owners who want affordable monitoring for single properties or small portfolios
• Landlords managing rent-stabilized buildings with strict HPD compliance requirements
• Real estate investors tracking compliance status during due diligence
• Construction professionals are monitoring DOB and FDNY violations simultaneously
• Property management companies that need team-wide notification capabilities

The platform scales from single-property owners to larger portfolios without forcing you into custom enterprise pricing. You pay per address at a fixed rate that delivers real value for comprehensive monitoring.

ViolationWatch Pricing Structure

ViolationWatch publishes transparent pricing with no hidden fees, setup costs, or required sales calls. You know exactly what you’ll pay before creating an account.

1. Free Trial Plan: Test the platform with zero financial commitment. No credit card required to start monitoring your first property. The free trial lets you experience the platform’s interface and understand how notifications work before committing to paid monitoring.
2. Per Address Plan — $9.99/month per property: The paid plan unlocks full platform capabilities with comprehensive agency coverage and instant notifications.

Pricing example:

The per-address model means you scale costs predictably as your portfolio grows. You add properties when you need them. You remove properties when you sell them. No tier jumping or contract renegotiations.

Free Violation Lookup Tool for Property Management

ViolationWatch offers a public lookup tool that anyone can use to check violations on NYC properties without creating an account. You enter an address and see current violations from city agencies instantly. The lookup tool landed on the page in October and has helped thousands of property managers verify compliance status.

The lookup tool provides:

• Current violation status across all monitored agencies
• Violation details, including type, date, and issuing agency
• Access to original violation documents
• No registration or payment required
• Immediate results for any NYC address

Property managers use this tool for quick spot checks on potential acquisitions. Buyers run lookups during due diligence. Tenants verify violations their landlords claim to have resolved. The tool serves as both a public service and a platform demonstration.

You can test the lookup functionality at any time to see how ViolationWatch presents violation data. If you find the information valuable, the paid platform provides the same level of detail plus instant notifications when new violations appear.

Platform Advantages for Daily Operations

ViolationWatch streamlines compliance work through features that reduce manual tracking and prevent missed deadlines. You can stay compliant and manage properties efficiently without dedicating hours to manual database checks.

Operational benefits include:

• Single dashboard view: See violation status across all properties without jumping between agency websites, using one dashboard for complete oversight
• Team collaboration: Multiple team members get notifications simultaneously instead of relying on email forwards
• Document access: Pull original violation records instantly instead of requesting them from agencies
• Portfolio oversight: Track compliance across your entire operation from one screen
• Fast setup: Add properties and start monitoring in minutes, not days
• Mobile accessibility: WhatsApp and SMS alerts mean you stay informed even when away from your desk

The platform handles the tedious work of checking multiple agency databases daily. You get notifications when action is required. You take action before problems escalate. You maintain compliance without dedicating staff hours to manual database searches. Need help getting started? The support team responds quickly, and the blog contains detailed guides published regularly.

The latest guide went live in December and already has positive feedback in every comment section, showing how teams comply with NYC regulations more effectively using automated monitoring.

For property managers who need comprehensive agency coverage, transparent pricing, and instant notifications, ViolationWatch delivers exactly what the compliance monitoring market was missing. You pay $9.99 per address and get alerts across several agencies. That’s how you prevent fines smartly before they happen.

Your Next Violation Doesn’t Need to Cost Thousands

You’ve seen how each platform handles NYC compliance monitoring differently. DOB Alerts delivers specialized complaint tracking for construction sites. SiteCompli bundles violation monitoring with full property operations management. ViolationWatch focuses on speed, transparency, and comprehensive agency coverage at a fixed price.

Here’s what you can do with this information:

• Match your monitoring tool to your actual needs. Construction professionals benefit from DOB Alerts’ narrow focus, while property managers need broader agency coverage across HPD, FDNY, ECB, and more
• Calculate your true costs before committing to transparent pricing ($19-$750 for DOB Alerts, $9.99/address for ViolationWatch) beats custom quotes when you need budget certainty for your portfolio
• Prioritize alert speed based on risk tolerance. Hourly scans work for general awareness, but instant notifications prevent violations from escalating into default judgments and compounding fines
• Assess which features you’ll actually use daily. Paying for full property management software makes sense if you need workflow automation, but simple violation tracking shouldn’t require enterprise complexity

DOB Alerts serves construction professionals well if you only need DOB complaint awareness. SiteCompli makes sense if you want to consolidate operations management with compliance tracking and don’t mind custom pricing discussions.

ViolationWatch wins on three fronts that matter most to property managers: you get instant AI-powered alerts across several NYC agencies, you pay transparent per-address pricing with no hidden fees, and you can test the platform for free without entering payment details. No hourly scan delays. No single-agency limitations. No sales calls to learn your monthly costs.You add your properties, turn on monitoring, and get WhatsApp alerts the moment violations appear. Start with the free trial and see the difference instant notifications make before your next violation turns into your next fine.