Messages & notifications.
Direct messaging between members, one important restriction to protect tenants, and a notifications bell that keeps you posted.
Direct messages
Open Messages from your account menu. You'll see your inbox (one conversation per member pair) and, on selecting one, the full thread.
Click New message and pick a member from the directory.
Write your message and send. If the pairing is restricted (see below), Dwell explains why and what to do.
Unread counts track what you haven't opened; opening a conversation marks it read.
The contractor ↔ tenant restriction
Most member pairs can message freely. The one exception is contractor ↔ tenant: those conversations are blocked by default, so tenants aren't contacted directly by tradespeople without oversight.
A manager who looks after the tenant's unit or complex can grant access from the Access tab of their own Messages page:
- Grant — unlocks the specific contractor ↔ tenant pair, typically when a dispatched job needs direct coordination.
- Revoke — blocks the pair again once the job is done.
Both the contractor and the tenant are notified when access is granted or revoked — those notifications land in the bell described below. The block is enforced by the server, so it holds even if someone crafts a request outside the app.
You can't message a contractor directly until your property manager or strata manager enables it for that specific person. For anything else — questions to your manager, committee, landlord — message away normally.
The notifications bell
The bell beside your avatar tracks the things that need your attention:
- New messages — a badge shows your unread count (9+ once it passes nine).
- Messaging access granted / revoked — when a manager changes a contractor ↔ tenant pairing involving you.
Click the bell for the panel: each item links straight to the relevant conversation, and Mark all read clears the badge in one go. The panel updates in real time when new notifications arrive, and also refreshes on a timer and when you return to the tab — so it's right even if you keep Dwell open all day.