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Complaints, opening a case and findings

Cases begin one of two ways: someone reports a problem, or a staff member sees one. This page follows a case from that first moment to the finding that says a rule was broken.

A complaint arrives​

Complaints come in three ways, and Chiban records which:

  • Public form with contact details. A resident reports a problem on the town's website and leaves contact details.
  • Anonymous web form. The resident gives no contact details. An administrator has to turn anonymous intake on first, under Settings, Anonymous intake.
  • Entered by staff. You took the call or the visit at the counter.

Each complaint opens its own case, numbered like EC-2026-0001, with the complaint attached and numbered like CP-2026-0001. The case starts at Received and nobody is assigned. The staff home page counts Open cases with no one assigned so these do not wait.

To enter a complaint yourself, choose Enter a complaint on the enforcement list. Fill in Where is the property?, What was reported?, optionally the parcel, and the complainant's name, phone and email if they gave them. Choose Record complaint. Chiban opens the new case.

Chiban cannot add a second complaint to a case that already exists, so each report starts a case of its own.

What staff see in a complaint​

On the case, Complaints shows the original report and, for a named complaint, who sent it. A complaint with no contact details says Anonymous. The town does not know who sent this. Only staff see the reporter's identity and original words. Photos a resident attached arrive as Complaint photo documents, private to staff.

Open a case yourself​

If you see a problem yourself, choose Open a case. Enter Where is the property? and, if you know it, the parcel. Without a parcel, Chiban links the parcel whose site address matches exactly. If the text matches no parcel or more than one, it tells you and asks for the parcel number.

The case opens assigned to you. A case with no parcel linked is not on any parcel page. Choose Link a parcel on the case to fix that.

Assign the case​

Choose Reassign the case under Assignment and pick a staff member, or Nobody. The assignee shows in the list under Assigned to and counts under Mine.

Start the investigation​

A new case says Do this now: Start the investigation. Choose Start the investigation. The case moves to Investigating, and it can now take findings.

Notes and photos​

While you investigate, record what you saw.

  • Add a note takes a Date observed and the Note. Notes are listed under Investigation notes with the date and your name.
  • Add a photo is on the case, and on a phone it opens the camera. Photos and other files are listed under Documents and photos. Each starts private to staff.

Record a finding​

A finding is the town's statement that a rule was broken. Choose Record a finding and fill in:

  • What was violated: Zoning ordinance, Building code, Permit condition, Approved plan, Board decision or Other local ordinance.
  • Section or condition: tap a common section the town has listed, or type to search. A section that is on no list is saved as you typed it. An administrator keeps the common sections under Settings, Sections for findings.
  • Facts: what you saw, in plain words.
  • Inspection date.

Choose Record finding. The first finding moves the case to Violation found and the Do this now card moves on to the notice.

A case can hold several findings. A finding can be edited until it goes into a notice or an order. After that you withdraw it and record a new one. See resolving and closing a case.

Notices and orders come next: notices and orders.