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?Knowledge ledger · 32 entries

Frequently asked
questions

Monitoring, plans, lookup, the $29 report, alerts, and filing help. Still stuck? Contact support.

01Section

Monitoring

7 entries · Back to index

  1. 01 What does DOBGuard monitor?

    DOBGuard monitors NYC property, enforcement, and compliance records from supported public sources. Categories include DOB, DOB NOW, HPD, FDNY, OATH, 311, DOT, DSNY, permits, stop work orders, certificates of occupancy, facades, and multiple dwelling registration. Cadence varies by source.

  2. 02 How does property monitoring work?

    After you subscribe and add a NYC address, DOBGuard enrolls that property in automated monitoring. New records that match the property can appear in your dashboard and alerts. Search/lookup is separate and does not require a plan.

  3. 03 How often is data checked?

    Monitoring is automated and continuous, but frequency varies by source. DOBGuard does not publish a guaranteed detection clock. Alerts are sent after a relevant new record is detected.

  4. 04 What happens after I add a property?

    The property is added to your plan capacity and enrolled in monitoring. Starter has no historical lookback. Pro includes 90-day historical access. Enterprise includes 180-day historical access. Deeper history is the $29 report, not the subscription.

  5. 05 Which boroughs does DOBGuard cover?

    All five NYC boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

  6. 06 What is a Stop Work Order and why does it matter?

    A Stop Work Order (SWO) is issued by NYC DOB to halt work at a property. Ignoring one can lead to fines and legal exposure. DOBGuard can alert you when an SWO appears in supported public records. Filing help to address an SWO is a separate quoted service.

  7. 07 Can an inspector visit before I get an alert?

    Yes. Inspectors can arrive unannounced. DOBGuard is a monitoring product, not a prevention product. Alerts follow detection in public records, which can lag the physical inspection.

02Section

Plans & billing

8 entries · Back to index

  1. 08 Which plan is right for me?

    Starter ($14.99/month) is one property and email alerts, with forward monitoring only. Pro ($49.99/month or $479.90/year) is up to 20 properties, email + SMS, and 90-day historical access. Enterprise is custom pricing for up to 150 properties, email + SMS, and 180-day historical access. See pricing.

  2. 09 How many properties can I monitor?

    Starter: 1. Pro: up to 20. Enterprise: up to 150. Larger portfolios are handled as an Enterprise quote.

  3. 10 Can I monitor multiple properties?

    Yes, on Pro (up to 20) and Enterprise (up to 150). Starter is limited to 1 property.

  4. 11 What is Enterprise?

    Enterprise is a quoted plan for larger portfolios (up to 150 properties), email + SMS, 180-day historical access, and API/SLA where applicable. Request a quote.

  5. 12 Do I pay before monitoring starts?

    Yes. Public plans are billed immediately at signup. You can cancel from your account; access continues through the end of the current billing period.

  6. 13 Can I upgrade, downgrade, or cancel?

    Yes. Upgrades are handled in the existing billing flow. Downgrades take effect at the next billing cycle. Cancel anytime from account settings with no extra cancellation fee.

  7. 14 How does annual billing work?

    Starter is $14.99/month or $143.90/year. Pro is $49.99/month or $479.90/year. Enterprise is quoted. Yearly billing is selected at signup when offered for that plan.

  8. 15 Does filing help come with my subscription?

    No. Monitoring plans cover monitoring, alerts, and dashboard access. Violation review and filing coordination are quoted separately. Get filing help. No outcome is guaranteed.

03Section

Reports & lookup

4 entries · Back to index

  1. 16 Do I need a subscription to search a building?

    No. Use lookup or the homepage search for a free preview. Ongoing alerts and the dashboard require a plan.

  2. 17 Can I get a historical property report?

    Yes. Purchase a $29 full historical property report through lookup. It is separate from monitoring. Starter monitoring does not include this history.

  3. 18 What does the $29 report include?

    A complete historical property record compiled from supported public sources, delivered as a PDF. It is not a 1-, 3-, or 5-year catalog SKU. Values and sections follow the records available for that address.

  4. 19 How is lookup different from monitoring?

    Lookup is an on-demand search. The $29 report is a one-time PDF of available history. Monitoring is a subscription that watches a property going forward (with plan-specific historical access on Pro and Enterprise).

04Section

Alerts

4 entries · Back to index

  1. 20 Does DOBGuard send SMS alerts?

    Email is included on every public plan. SMS is included on Pro and Enterprise. Starter is email only.

  2. 21 How will I be notified when a new record is detected?

    By email on all plans, and by SMS on Pro and Enterprise. Alerts can include the property, source, and a path into the dashboard. Detection is not a guaranteed clock.

  3. 22 Can I add other people to receive alerts?

    Yes. You can add additional recipients for a property from the dashboard so managers or staff get the same alerts you do.

  4. 23 What if I have not received any alerts?

    It usually means no new matching records were detected. Check the dashboard for the current property state, or run a lookup. Absence of alerts is not a legal certification that a building has no issues.

05Section

Violation / filing help

9 entries · Back to index

  1. 24 Can DOBGuard help remove violations?

    DOBGuard can review certain issues and quote filing or coordination help. That work is separate from monitoring and does not guarantee dismissal, removal, approval, or any outcome. Start at filing help.

  2. 25 What is the NYC DOB?

    The NYC Department of Buildings enforces construction codes and zoning, issues permits, inspects work, and issues violations. HPD covers housing maintenance in occupied residential units. FDNY covers fire/life-safety. OATH hears many civil penalty cases. See the DOB violations guide.

  3. 26 How do I contact the NYC DOB?

    Call 311 or use nyc.gov/buildings. To check records instead of calling, use lookup. DOBGuard is not affiliated with NYC DOB.

  4. 27 What is an ECB violation?

    An ECB summons is a civil penalty case, typically heard at OATH. You can search records via ECB lookup.

  5. 28 What is an HPD violation?

    HPD issues Housing Maintenance Code violations, classified A, B, or C with different correction windows. HPD lookup.

  6. 29 What is a Class C violation (HPD)?

    Class C is HPD’s immediately hazardous category (for example no heat/hot water). Correction windows are set by the Housing Maintenance Code, not by DOBGuard. HPD classes guide.

  7. 30 What is NYC DOB BIS?

    BIS is NYC DOB’s public building-information system. DOBGuard lookup combines supported public sources in one search. Search a building.

  8. 31 What is Local Law 97?

    Local Law 97 sets carbon-emission limits for many large NYC buildings. See the LL97 guide. DOBGuard does not claim to replace LL97 compliance consulting.

  9. 32 What is an LAA permit?

    A Limited Alteration Application is a DOB filing type for limited-scope work. Permit types guide.

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