How We Respond

What Is It?

This page covers:

What happens when a complaint is filed.
How the inspection process works.
How a complaint case progresses through the system.

What It Isn’t

This page does not fully cover how to make a complaint or the specific steps you should take if your property has been cited.

The Process

We send an inspector to the property to see whether there is a violation after we receive a complaint. If we do not find a violation, the inspector closes the case with no further action.

If we do find a violation, the inspector will tell the property owner and/or the person causing the violation by issuing a warning, citation, or notice of violation. We'll also give you other information that tells you about the violation and how to fix it, and whether you have to make repairs, stop an activity, or get a permit.

For very serious violations, we may issue a "Stop Work" or "Emergency Order."

You may be given a certain amount of time to fix the problem before being subject to penalties, or penalties may begin immediately, depending on the type of notice. Compliance dates can range from the next day to up to two months.

We'll conduct a second inspection on or after the date given in the warning or notice. We'll close the case If you've fixed the problem by the time the inspector re-inspects. You may be able to request an extension if you can't fix the problem in time. The case may be referred to the City’s Law Department if you do not fix the problem in a reasonable amount of time. We'll continue to conduct inspections and fines will continue to accumulate until the matter is resolved.

Is It an Emergency?

Note: Life-threatening emergencies and/or after-hours noise complaints should be reported to 9-1-1.

We treat emergency conditions differently. The compliance timeframe is very short, usually a few days. We may close your building and require all occupants to leave, and charge you fines if your violation is not corrected. You may face criminal chargesIf you violate a “stop work” order.

Emergencies include:

no water
no heat
raw sewage leaks

We may also treat certain construction violations as emergencies, such as those that create a danger to public health and safety. We may issue a stop work order, or a hazard correction order for the most serious violations in those cases. We may also issue a stop work order for working without a permit.

What Types of Notices Are Issued?

Citations are like parking tickets: they state a violation and assess a fine right away. Your options are to:

Pay the fine.
Ask for a hearing to contest the violation.
Correct the violation and ask for the fines to be reduced or eliminated at a hearing.

Notices of Violation (NOVs) provide a specified amount of time, usually 30 to 60 days, to correct a code violation. You can request a review of the NOV if you disagree with the notice. If the violation is not fixed in time, your fines will accumulate.

Inspection Charges

We'll inspect your property twice, for no charge, on a housing or land use complaint. We'll charge you for all subsequent inspections until you fix the violation. These charges are billed to the property owner and are in addition to any fines or penalties. We may refer unpaid fines to the City's collection department.

Ways to File a Complaint

Visit our Make a Property or Building Complaint page for more detailed information on our complaint process. You can also:

Visit the Seattle Services Portal.
Call our violation complaint line at (206) 615-0808.
Send a letter to SDCI Code Compliance, 700 Fifth Ave, Suite 2000, PO Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019

Checking Complaint Status

You'll need either the address of the property or the case number to obtain the status of your complain. You may track our investigation process by:

Checking the status online.
Calling the complaint line at (206) 615-0808.
Contacting the inspector assigned to the case.