Welcome to Dwell

What Dwell Does

Dwell brings together everything you need to manage, live in, or work with a strata property: the full ACT Owners Corporation Directory, community noticeboards, maintenance requests, document libraries, levy tracking, meeting polls, and a complete work-order system from first report to final invoice.

Who This Guide Is For

Signing In

Your First Visit

1. Open Dwell in your web browser. You'll see a sign-in screen with the Dwell logo.
2. Enter your username — this is the name you were given by your strata manager or property manager. If your username is artie, Dwell will sign you in as artie@dwell.app automatically.
3. Enter your password and click Sign in.
4. You're in. Dwell will remember your session so you don't need to sign in every time.

Switching Between Accounts

If you have access to more than one Dwell account (for example, a personal tenant account and a work strata-manager account), sign out using your profile menu in the top-right corner, then sign back in with the other username.

The Directory

The first thing you see after signing in is the ACT Owners Corporation Directory — an interactive map and list of every unit plan (strata complex) in Canberra. This is your starting point for finding any building in the ACT.

Finding a Complex

1. Use the search box at the top of the sidebar to search by building name, street address, suburb, or unit plan number (e.g. "UP 1234").
2. Filter by district, suburb, or unit class using the dropdown menus to narrow down the list.
3. Click a complex in the list or on the map to open its detail panel.

Complex Details

When you select a complex, a detail panel appears showing:

• The official building name and unit plan number
• Street address and suburb
• Number of units and unit class
• Contact details for the strata manager (if linked)
• A View Complex button to open the full community page

The Portal

The Dwell Portal is where you set up your identity, link your properties, and switch between roles. Think of it as your personal dashboard.

Setting Up Your Profile

1. Click Portal in the top navigation bar.
2. Choose your role: Tenant, Landlord, Property Manager, or Strata Manager.
3. Fill in your profile: display name, email, phone number, and a short bio. Pick an avatar colour.
4. Link your properties:
   • Tenants: select the one unit you live in.
   • Landlords: add every unit you own across any number of complexes.
   • Property Managers: add every unit you manage — there is no limit.
   • Strata Managers: select the whole complexes you manage.
5. Click Save profile. You can edit these details at any time.

Switching Roles

If you have set up more than one role, you'll see a Your roles section on the portal page. Click any role pill to switch to it. Your active role determines what you can see and do on each complex page.

The Complex Page

Every unit plan in the ACT has its own dedicated page on Dwell. This is the hub for everything related to that building: community posts, events, maintenance, documents, levies, polls, and the contractor directory.

Tabs Overview

Viewing As Different Roles

Near the top of every complex page, you'll see Viewing as pills for each role. Click a pill to preview the page from that perspective. This helps managers understand what tenants and landlords see — and helps tenants see what extra information managers have access to.

For Tenants

As a tenant, Dwell keeps you connected to your building and your community. Here's what you can do:

Community Feed

The Community tab is your building's noticeboard. You can:

• Read announcements from your strata manager (pinned posts appear at the top).
• Post updates to share news with neighbours.
• Comment on any post.
• React with 👍 ❤️ or 😮.
• Delete your own posts and comments.

Events

Check the Events tab to see what's coming up — AGM dates, social gatherings, maintenance windows, and more. Click an event to see the full details, then click Going, Maybe, or Not going to RSVP. Your response helps the organisers plan.

Maintenance Requests

Something broken in your unit or the common area? Go to the Maintenance tab and click New request. Fill in:

• Title — a short description (e.g. "Kitchen tap leaking").
• Category — plumbing, electrical, structural, common area, or other.
• Priority — low, medium, high, or urgent.
• Description — the details that will help the tradesperson.
• Unit number — your unit, or leave blank for common-area issues.

Once submitted, your request appears in the list with a New status. You'll be able to track its progress as it moves through Quoted → Scheduled → In progress → Done.

Levies

The Levies tab shows levy records for your unit. Each record includes the period (e.g. "Q3 2026"), the amount, the due date, and whether it's upcoming, paid, or overdue.

Polls

When your strata committee runs a poll or vote, it appears in the Polls tab. Click a poll to see the question and options, then cast your vote. You can change your vote until the poll closes.

For Landlords

As a landlord, Dwell gives you visibility across every unit you own — no matter how many complexes they're in.

Your Portfolio

In your portal profile, link every unit you own. Once linked, you can visit each complex page and see everything that's relevant to your investment:

• Levy notices and payment status for each of your units.
• Building announcements and community updates.
• Maintenance requests affecting your units.
• Meeting minutes and by-laws in the Documents tab.

Documents

The Documents tab is your building's filing cabinet. Download:

• By-laws — the rules that govern your building.
• Meeting minutes — records of AGMs and committee meetings.
• Insurance certificates — building insurance details.
• Levy notices — quarterly or annual levy statements.

Documents are organised by category and sorted newest first. Click any document to download it.

Levy Tracking

Keep tabs on levy payments across your portfolio. The levies list shows the period, amount, due date, and status for every unit you own. Filter by status to quickly spot anything overdue.

For Property Managers

Property managers handle the day-to-day of individual rental units. On Dwell, you link each unit you manage, then use the maintenance and contractor tools to coordinate repairs and upkeep on behalf of landlords and tenants.

Unit Management

In your portal profile, add every unit you manage — there is no limit. You can add units across any number of complexes. Once a unit is linked, you can:

• View and create maintenance requests for that unit.
• Access the complex's documents and community feed.
• Dispatch work orders to trade contractors.

Work Orders

Property managers can create, dispatch, and manage work orders through the Maintenance tab. When you dispatch a work order:

• Choose from the contractor directory, filtered by trade.
• Preferred contractors (those with an active maintenance contract for the complex) appear at the top.
• Set a spend limit to prevent budget overruns — if the contractor's quote exceeds it, the system automatically converts it to a quote request for approval.

Contractor Directory

The Contractors tab shows every registered trade contractor. You can:

• View compliance status — green (valid), amber (expiring soon), or red (expired/locked).
• See aggregated star ratings and feedback from past jobs.
• Mark a contractor as preferred for a complex.

For Strata Managers

Strata managers have the broadest set of tools on Dwell. You run the entire complex: communications, events, maintenance governance, document management, financial records, voting, and vendor relationships.

Communications

Use the Community and Events tabs to keep residents informed:

• Pin announcements to the top of the community feed for urgent notices.
• Create events for AGMs, maintenance windows, or social gatherings.
• Moderate posts — you can delete any post or comment on your complex.

Maintenance Governance

The Maintenance tab is your work-order control centre:

• Create work orders, quote requests, cost estimates, and warranty claims.
• Dispatch to contractors with spend-limit protection.
• Review and approve quotes that have auto-reverted due to exceeding the spend cap.
• Log received invoices and approve them for routing to accounts.
• Mark jobs complete and trigger the automated vendor invoicing instructions.
• Rate contractors after invoice approval.

Documents & Levies

Upload and organise building documents in the Documents tab. Supported categories: by-laws, meeting minutes, insurance, levy notices, and general files.

Record levy details in the Levies tab — period, amount, due date, and payment status. Update records when payments come in.

Polls & Voting

Run digital polls in the Polls tab. Create a question, add options, set a close date, and watch the results roll in. Close the poll when voting ends. This is ideal for informal building matters and can complement formal AGM processes.

Contractor Management

Build and maintain the Contractor Directory for each complex:

• Add new contractors with full details: legal name, trading name, ABN/ACN, trade category, contact info, licence number and expiry, insurer and insurance expiry.
• The system automatically flags expired licences or insurance and blocks work-order assignment until renewed.
• Mark preferred contractors so they appear first in dispatch dropdowns.
• View aggregated ratings to make informed vendor decisions.

For Contractors

Trade contractors are a vital part of the Dwell ecosystem. You don't need a Dwell login to receive work — managers dispatch jobs to you via the platform, and your performance is tracked to help you win more work.

How You Receive Work

When a property manager or strata manager needs a job done, they browse the contractor directory and dispatch a work order to you. The work order includes:

• The job title and full description.
• The trade category (plumbing, electrical, structural, etc.).
• The property address and unit number.
• Site contact details and access notes.
• Any spend limit or pre-authorised budget.

Submitting Quotes

For quote requests, you'll be asked to provide an estimated cost before work begins. If your quote is within the manager's spend limit, the job proceeds. If it exceeds the limit, the request is automatically sent back to the manager for approval — this protects everyone from unexpected costs.

Compliance

Dwell tracks your trade licence and public liability insurance expiry dates. If either expires, the system will:

• Show a warning when either is within 60 days of expiry.
• Block work-order assignment if either has expired.

Keep your details current by asking the strata manager to update your record when you renew your licence or insurance.

Ratings & Feedback

After a job is completed and the invoice is approved, the manager is prompted to rate your work. They give a 1–5 star rating and can leave written feedback. These ratings are visible in the contractor directory and help you build a reputation for quality work.

Work Orders — The Full Lifecycle

A work order on Dwell tracks a maintenance job from first report to final payment. Here's how it works, step by step:

Step 1: Create the Request

Anyone signed in can create a maintenance request. Choose the request type:

Step 2: Set a Spend Limit (Optional)

Managers can set a pre-authorised spend cap. If the contractor's quote is higher, the system automatically converts the request to a quote request and routes it back for approval. This prevents budget surprises.

Step 3: Dispatch to a Contractor

A property manager or strata manager assigns the job to a contractor from the directory. The system checks:

• Is the contractor's trade category a match?
• Is the contractor's licence and insurance still valid?
• Does the quoted amount fit within the spend limit?

If everything checks out, the status becomes Scheduled. If the quote is too high, it becomes Awaiting approval.

Step 4: Quote Approval (If Needed)

When a quote request comes back, the manager reviews the contractor's estimate and either approves it (the job proceeds) or rejects it (the job stays open for reassignment).

Step 5: Work in Progress

Once approved, the contractor completes the work. The manager can update the status to In progress to keep everyone informed.

Step 6: Completion & Invoice

When the job is done:

1. The manager marks it Done.
2. The contractor submits their invoice.
3. The manager logs the invoice in Dwell (amount and filename).
4. The manager clicks Approve Invoice — the system routes the PDF to the accounting destination (e.g. your strata firm's invoices inbox).

Step 7: Contractor Rating

Immediately after approving the invoice, the manager is prompted to rate the contractor: "How did Maritex go with this job?" Give 1–5 stars and optional feedback. This builds the contractor's reputation and helps future vendor selection.

Status Reference

Quick Actions

The Plus menu is the blue floating button in the bottom-right corner of every screen. It gives you instant access to four tools without leaving the page you're on.

Phone Call Triage — Step by Step

1. Click "Phone call" from the Plus menu. A floating popup appears with a live timer.
2. Enter the caller's name and attach a property by searching the directory. The popup stays open while you browse the rest of Dwell to look up records.
3. Take notes in the call notes field as you talk.
4. Click "End call" when finished. The "What's next?" panel appears.
5. Choose an action:
   • Draft a maintenance request — creates a pre-filled request from your call notes.
   • Create a task — logs a to-do item in your list.
   • Set a reminder — pick a follow-up date, or mark as FYI only.
6. The call is saved to your log, complete with outcome, property reference, and notes.

Your Open Items

The Plus menu also shows your five most recent open tasks and reminders. Click the checkbox next to any item to mark it done instantly. It's a lightweight way to stay on top of your workload without opening a separate task manager.

Frequently Asked Questions