Live Chat: Compliance Questions Most People Get Wrong

In any given week, our Support team fields chat requests from hundreds of SiteCompli users, asking questions about navigating their accounts and NYC’s complex web of regulations.

This week, the Blog sat down with Lindsay and James, two of our Customer Support superstars and bonafide compliance experts. Over legos and coffee, we got the inside scoop on how folks are utilizing Live Chat to resolve their most complex compliance dilemmas.

Reading Tip!
In addition to our chat-focused compliance tips, we’re also highlighting some key responses from this year’s 4 Weeks of Compliance: Quiz Edition. Make sure you know the right answers for questions that stumped most quiz takers.

1. What Everyone’s Asking

“A good number of the questions we get are about violations,” notes Lindsay. James agreed, commenting that the most popular type of question on his end was some form of, ‘What’s this violation for?‘ He said, “…violations are issued from several different agencies for several different reasons, so it’s critical that when people ask these questions we get it right.”

Lindsay also mentioned that a frequent ask was about the duality of FDNY violations – specifically, how paid FDNY-ECB infractions are still open because of missing compliance paperwork. “Understanding how the FDNY handles each separate part of the violation – fines and compliance – is really important for making sure they’re taken care of ASAP.”

 

61% of people got this elevator question wrong!
An EVCAT1 violation (issued for failing to file a Category 1 inspection) carries a $3,000 fine per noncompliant device. An ACC1 violation (issued for failing to submit an Affirmation of Correction on an “Accepted – Unsatisfactory” Category 1 inspection) carries the same penalty per device. That means whether or not you skip your annual inspections altogether or just forget to follow up on those needing correction, you’ll be facing the same fines.

2. What Everyone Should Be Asking

One question that’s a great follow-up to ‘What’s this violation?’ is, ‘How can I prevent this violation in the future?’

“That’s definitely something we can help with,” says James, mentioning inspections, permits, and other types of proactive records in your SiteCompli account that can help you prevent infractions. “It’s not just about figuring out what happened, or how to fix it – it’s making sure it doesn’t happen again.”

While we have resources to help you understand and prevent violations, it’s always a good idea to talk with someone and confirm you’re on the right track.  Next time you’re curious about industry-wide best practices for preventing types of violations, ask us on Live Chat!

Only 56% of responders knew the answer to this question
Slightly more than half of quiz-takers knew that Class C violations from the HPD are deemed immediately hazardous, more severe than Class A or B violations. It’s really important to know the difference, because Class C violations have the quickest period to correct (typically 24 hours).

3. The Best Way to Learn Compliance

“It sounds silly, but I found that the best way to learn (and the way I learned myself) is to ask questions,” Lindsay said. NYC regulations are hairy, daunting, and constantly changing – it’s important to have a resource at your disposal that’s on top of the details, and can help walk you through the city’s processes, step by step.

Moral of the story? Ask away! Lindsay, James, and the rest of our team are here to help you navigate the wide world of real estate regulations, all without having to leave your SiteCompli account. Log in, and let us know how we can help.

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About the Author

Kristen Hariton

Kristen Hariton is the Vice President, Product Engagement at SiteCompli, focused on exploring new solutions and innovations in property operations tech. When she's not sharing the latest industry trends, changes, and updates, she's planning her next adventure to Walt Disney World.