Who this article is for
Buyers and buyer’s agents who have purchased an Insight Report (Building Insight Report / Expert Report) through Cohabit
Buyers who want to ask follow-up questions about the building covered in their report
When can I chat with a strata expert?
You will only be connected with a strata expert after you purchase an Insight Report for a building.
Once your Insight Report has been ordered:
Cohabit assigns a strata expert to that building and request.
A new conversation with that expert is created in your Messages section.
You won’t have an expert chat available if you haven’t purchased an Insight Report.
Step 1 – Open the Messages section
Log in to Cohabit.
From the main navigation, go to the Messages section.
You’ll see a list of your conversations.
Look for the conversation that:
Is linked to the building you requested the Insight Report for, and/or
Shows your assigned expert’s name.
(Screenshot: Messages screen showing a conversation with an expert)
Step 2 – Open your expert conversation
Click on the conversation with your strata expert.
This will open your message thread for that Insight Report.
Here you can:
See any initial messages or updates from the expert.
Review previous replies in one place.
All communication with your expert lives in this Messages section (not on the building page itself).
Step 3 – Send your question to the expert
In the message thread:
Type your question or comment in the message box. For example:
“Can you explain what the upcoming works might mean for future levies?”
“The minutes mention water ingress issues – how serious does this look from the records you’ve seen?”
“Is there anything in the financials you think I should raise with my conveyancer?”
Click Send.
(Screenshot: Expert conversation open with a draft question in the text box)
Helpful tips:
Mention the lot/unit you’re looking at (if relevant).
Refer to the part of the report or building you’re asking about (e.g. Financials, Meetings, Works & Maintenance, Defects, Issues).
Step 4 – How you’ll know when the expert replies
When your expert responds:
You’ll see a new message appear in the same conversation in the Messages section.
You’ll also receive a notification in Cohabit (for example, on your main page or dashboard).
If you’re using Cohabit on your mobile (via the app or browser), you’ll also get a notification there when the expert messages you.
So you don’t need to sit and watch the page — just check your notifications and open Messages whenever you see a new alert.
What your strata expert can and can’t help with
Your strata expert can:
Help you understand what they saw in the strata records used for your Insight Report.
Point out risks, issues and patterns they think are important for a buyer to know.
Talk through financials, meetings, works, defects and disputes based on the records inspected.
Suggest good follow-up questions for your conveyancer/solicitor or broker.
Your strata expert cannot:
Give you legal, financial or tax advice specific to your personal situation.
Tell you outright whether you should or shouldn’t buy.
Guarantee that there are no issues beyond what appears in the records they were able to access.
Their role is to help you see the building more clearly, so you and your own professionals can decide what to do next.
Need help with the Cohabit platform instead?
If your question is about using Cohabit (for example, logging in, finding a building, or viewing your report), that’s one for Cohabit Support, not your expert.
To contact support:
Click the chat bubble at the bottom-right of the screen.
Choose the option that best matches your issue (e.g. trouble signing up, signing in, or connecting to a building).
See How to contact Cohabit support for more detail.