Who this article is for
Buyers and buyer’s agents looking at a building in Cohabit
Anyone wondering why a building shows little or no information in its profile, snapshot or files
What “missing data” can look like in Cohabit
You might notice that:
There is no Building Health Score yet, or it says something like “Health score not available”
The Building Snapshot tiles say “No data”, look very bare, or are mostly blank
There’s no Expert Report available in the Expert Report tab
The Files tab has few or no documents (e.g. no minutes, no financials, no insurance certificates)
Some sections say things like “No records found” or “No data yet”
This doesn’t always mean something is wrong with the building.
It usually means Cohabit doesn’t yet have permission or records to show more.
The main reasons your building is missing data
1. No one has authorised Cohabit to inspect records yet
Cohabit can only collect and use strata records after we have authority to do so.
That usually comes from:
An owner submitting a lot connection request in Cohabit, or
A buyer making a request (e.g. Health Score or Expert Report), which allows us to work with a conveyancer/solicitor to obtain a letter of authority.
If no owner has connected their lot and no buyer has requested anything through Cohabit yet, we may have no right to inspect the records.
👉 Result: the building can appear in search, but its profile, snapshot and files will look very empty.
2. No Health Score or Expert Report has been requested
Cohabit doesn’t automatically analyse every building in the country.
A Building Health Score is generated only when someone requests it.
An Expert Report (Building Insight Report) is created only when someone purchases it.
If neither has been requested:
The Health Score area will be empty or say “request health score”.
The Expert Report tab will not show any existing report.
👉 Result: you may see the building, but no score and no expert commentary yet.
3. The strata manager hasn’t provided records yet (or is slow)
Even when authority exists, there can be delays:
The strata manager may be preparing records for inspection.
They may be taking longer than usual to respond to document requests.
The expert may still be waiting on key documents (e.g. minutes, financials, insurance, compliance certificates).
Until those records are provided and processed:
Files may be mostly empty.
Some Building Snapshot tiles may say “No data” or “No records sighted”.
A requested Health Score or Expert Report may still say “in progress”.
👉 Result: your building looks like it’s missing data, but really we’re still waiting on source information.
4. The building is new or has limited history
If the building:
Is newly registered, or
Has only recently started operating, or
Hasn’t held many meetings or works yet,
then there might simply not be much to show yet:
Few minutes
Few financials
Limited maintenance or compliance history
👉 Result: the profile and snapshot look “thin” because the building itself has limited recorded history so far.
5. The data is older and hasn’t been refreshed
You might see:
Old minutes or financials in Files
A Health Score or Expert Report date that looks quite old
Snapshot tiles with information that hasn’t obviously changed in a while
If no one has asked for a new Health Score or updated Expert Report, and no new documents have been provided, then:
👉 Result: the data is stale rather than completely missing – it reflects the last time records were inspected.
What you can do as a buyer if your building looks empty
If you want more information on a building that looks light on data, you have a few options.
Option 1 – Request a Building Health Score
If there’s no score, or you want an assessment:
Open the Building Profile for your building.
In the Health Score area, click “Request health score” (or similar).
Confirm you’re a Buyer and follow the prompts.
This may:
Trigger a fresh review of records (where we have authority), and
Populate the Health Score and parts of your Building Snapshot.
Option 2 – Purchase an Expert Report (Building Insight Report)
If you need deeper insight:
Go to the Expert Report tab for the building, or
Add an Expert Report when requesting the Health Score (if that option appears).
A strata expert will then:
Obtain and inspect records (with the proper authority)
Provide plain-English insights across 12 categories (Financials, Compliance, Meetings, Works & Maintenance, Defects, Issues, etc.)
This can significantly reduce the feeling of “missing data” because you’re getting expert interpretation, not just raw numbers.
Option 3 – Speak with your conveyancer/solicitor
If you’re in an active purchase:
Ask your conveyancer or solicitor whether more records should be obtained.
They may help arrange a strata records inspection or provide a letter of authority so that Cohabit and/or an expert can inspect the records.
This can help unlock more information for both you and Cohabit.
Quick way to think about it
If your building looks like it’s “missing data”, it’s usually because:
No one has authorised Cohabit to see the records yet,
or we’re still waiting for those records,
or the building simply doesn’t have much history.
It’s rarely a “technical glitch” – it’s almost always about authority, records, or age of the building.
FAQs
Q: Is something wrong with my building if it looks empty in Cohabit?
Not necessarily. It often just means no one has authorised record inspection yet, or the strata manager hasn’t provided documents to Cohabit.
Q: Can Cohabit just find the data itself?
No. Cohabit can’t and won’t scrape or guess strata data. We only use records we’re properly authorised to inspect and that are legitimately provided to us.
Q: Will my building fill up with more data over time?
Yes. As owners connect lots, buyers request Health Scores or reports, and strata managers provide records, more data and insights will appear in your building’s profile.
Q: What if I need this information during my cooling-off period?
Talk to your conveyancer/solicitor as early as possible. They can advise whether to request a Health Score, order an Expert Report, or arrange more direct access to strata records.