When a tenant reports a problem

This is the overview of what happens after a tenant reports a problem: where the report lands, who deals with it, and where you follow it.

Where a report lands

Your tenant reports a fault in their portal chat, or on WhatsApp if they have an Abodient app account. It becomes an issue on that property. Every issue, from every property, is listed on the Maintenance page.

Open issues is everything not yet resolved. Urgent counts the issues with something waiting for your answer. Each property also has its own Maintenance tab with the same issues, for that property alone.

Two ways it can go

Each property has an Alfred switch on its Maintenance tab. It decides who deals with a tenant's report.

With Alfred on, he talks to the tenant, works out the trade and how urgent it is, and asks you before anyone outside hears about it. This is how that card looks on a property where he is on.

With Alfred off, the report comes straight to you and you run the repair yourself. On most properties the card reads Alfred is off.

Switching Alfred off does not stop issues he is already running. A shop or office has the same switch. On a shop, Alfred goes by the lease to work out whose repair it is, and asks for a visit time that disrupts the business least.

What Alfred does, in order

1. He asks the tenant where the problem is, how bad it is and whether anyone is at risk.
2. He asks you for the go-ahead. A card in your Inbox says which trade he wants and which saved contractors he would ask, up to three. If nobody saved does that trade, he searches near the property and brings you a shortlist to pick from.
3. Nobody outside is contacted until you say yes or pick from the shortlist. Then they are asked for quotes.
4. The quotes come back to you, and you choose who does the job.
5. Alfred agrees a time with the contractor and your tenant, and books it.
6. After the visit you confirm the work is done, and the cost goes on the property's Finance tab.

Contractor messages wait for your approval unless approvals are off for that property. Properties added from 3 October 2026 start with approvals off. See Approving a message.

Where you follow it

Open any issue from the Maintenance page or a property's Maintenance tab. It opens in a window over the page. The Progress card shows the steps so far and which one is next.

When Alfred needs you, a button on the window reads 1 decision waiting and a card appears in your Inbox. Following a repair from start to finish walks through every stage with pictures. A property's Maintenance tab explains the rest of the tab.

If you would rather run a repair yourself, or log one a tenant told you about, see Raising and running an issue yourself.

Emergencies

Abodient does not handle emergencies. If a tenant says someone's safety is at risk, Alfred tells them to ring 999, or 0800 111 999 for a gas smell. He arranges nothing, and we email you at once.

No heating, hot water, water or power is urgent, not an emergency. That one is yours to sort out quickly.

If something's not right

• Nothing moving? Check your Inbox for a card waiting on you. Alfred does not contact anyone outside until you answer it.
• Nobody could take it on? You get a card headed Nobody could take this on. Approve it and Alfred searches for more. Or add a contractor on the Maintenance tab, and Alfred asks them straight away.
• A tenant's WhatsApp message came to you instead? They need an Abodient app account to reach Alfred on WhatsApp. Ask them to accept an app invite.