FAQ & troubleshooting.
The questions people ask most, and what to try when something doesn't look right.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I see the edit buttons on a complex page?
Editing features (announcements, documents, levies, polls, contractor records) are strata-manager duties, with maintenance tools also available to property managers for their units. If you're viewing as a tenant, landlord or committee member, those controls are hidden by design. Check the Viewing as pills near the top of the page, and make sure your active role — in your portal — is the one you expect.
My sign-in is rejected but my password is right.
Two common causes: your account's profile hasn't been finished (you'd see “not part of the private preview yet” — contact the administrator), or repeated failures tripped rate limiting — wait a few minutes, or ask for a password reset.
Can I change my active role?
Yes. Open the Dashboard from your account menu and click the role you want under Your roles. If you haven't set up that role's profile yet, Dwell walks you through it first. See Switching roles.
What happens if I delete a post or comment?
Deletion is immediate and permanent. You can delete your own posts and comments; strata managers can moderate any content on their complex.
Why was my comment cut off?
Comments are capped at 250 characters to keep discussions readable — a deliberate guardrail, not a bug. If you have more to say, start a new post or continue in the thread.
Why can't I message a contractor (or a tenant)?
Contractor ↔ tenant conversations are restricted until a manager grants access for that specific pair — see The contractor ↔ tenant restriction. Everyone else messages freely.
What does “compliance lock” mean for a contractor?
Their trade licence or public-liability insurance has expired. Dwell blocks new work-order assignments until the record is renewed and updated in the directory — it protects the building from liability.
My quote was sent back to the manager. What happened?
Nothing is wrong — the quote exceeded the job's pre-authorised spend limit, so Dwell automatically converted it to a quote request. The manager will approve or reject it shortly. See Spend limits and quote approval.
Can I vote in a poll more than once?
You can change your vote any time before the poll closes, but you hold only one active vote per poll — changing replaces your previous choice.
How do I download a document?
Go to the Documents tab on the complex page and click the document — it opens or downloads automatically.
Which browsers does Dwell support?
Dwell works best in the latest Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported. It's designed for desktop and tablet; mobile support is coming in a future release.
How do I get help?
For building-specific questions, contact your strata manager or property manager. For access problems (sign-in, roles, approvals), contact the Dwell administrator who set up your account.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | What to try |
|---|---|
| Holding page keeps coming back | Your 12-hour session expired — sign in again via Private sign in. |
| Signed in, but a page says I'm not authorised | The page needs a role you don't hold (for example, a manager dashboard). Check your roles in the portal; if you should have access, ask the administrator to check your assignment. |
| Blank list where I expected records (levies, contractors, work orders) | First successful-but-empty reads are real emptiness; a list that never loads may be a data-availability hiccup — use the retry button on the error panel. If a save fails, Dwell says so explicitly; nothing is silently lost. |
| Feature I used yesterday is gone | Your active role probably changed. Check Viewing as pills and your portal role selection. |
| Map not loading on the directory | Check your network connection and any content blockers, then reload. The map needs live access to open map data. |
| Notification badge stuck | Open the bell and click Mark all read; it also clears itself when you open the linked conversations. |