Who this article is for
Lot owners in a strata building
Committee members who want a clear, independent view of their building
Owners who want more than a Health Score or snapshot
What is an Expert Report (for owners)?
A Cohabit Expert Report (sometimes called a Building Insight Report) is a paid report prepared by a Cohabit-vetted strata expert.
For owners, it’s useful when you want a deeper view of:
How your building has been managed
Financial strength and upcoming costs
Works, maintenance and defects
Issues and disputes in the records
Compliance and risk areas
Price: $49 (including GST) per report.
When you purchase an Expert Report, you also get:
A direct message thread with the assigned expert in your Messages section
Notifications on your Cohabit page and on mobile when the expert messages you
When might an owner order an Expert Report?
Typical reasons owners and committees order a report:
Preparing for a big AGM or EGM
Facing a special levy or major works decision
Concerned about defects, disputes or repeated issues
Wanting a clear picture before selling, refinancing, or proposing changes
Building has a lower Health Score and you want to understand why
How to purchase an Expert Report as an owner
Step 1 – Open your building
Log in to Cohabit.
Go to My Buildings.
Click the building you own in to open its Building Profile.
(Screenshot: My Buildings with a building selected → Building Profile)
Step 2 – Go to the Expert Report tab
On the Building Profile, click the Expert Report tab.
You’ll see either:
A prompt like “Purchase Expert Report” if there’s no current report, or
Your current report, plus an option to order a new one if the last report is older.
(Screenshot: Expert Report tab with “Purchase Expert Report” button)
Step 3 – Choose or confirm your expert
When you start the purchase flow, you may see options such as:
Use previous expert – the expert who last reported on this building
Choose an expert – if you’d like to pick from available experts (where supported)
Select what suits you:
Previous expert is handy if they already know your building.
Choose an expert if you have a preferred person from the list.
(Screenshot: expert selection screen)
Step 4 – Confirm your details and lot
You’ll be asked to confirm:
The building
The lot/apartment you own
Your owner details
If you’ve already connected your lot via Your apartments → Add new lot, some of this may be pre-filled.
Make sure everything is correct, then continue.
(Screenshot: confirmation screen showing owner + lot details)
Step 5 – Review the price and pay
Confirm the price – $49 including GST.
Enter your payment details.
Click Pay / Purchase Expert Report.
Once payment succeeds:
Your Expert Report request is created
A strata expert is assigned (based on your selection)
A message thread with that expert is created in your Messages section
You’ll see an on-screen confirmation and usually receive a confirmation email.
(Screenshot: confirmation screen)
Where your report appears
Once the report is complete:
You can read it from the Expert Report tab in your Building Profile.
In My Buildings → Expert Reports (if you have that view), you’ll see it under:
Current – for reports from the last ~3 months
Later it may move into Past once it’s older than 3 months
If your building is on Cohabit Building Intelligence, the building data and Health Score continue to be updated quarterly, even after a particular Expert Report becomes “past”.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a new Expert Report every time something changes?
Not necessarily. Many owners use an Expert Report for key moments (major works, levies, suspected issues), and rely on Building Intelligence for quarterly updates in between.
Q: Is the Expert Report included in Building Intelligence?
No. An Expert Report is a separate one-off, deep-dive report by a strata expert. Building Intelligence focuses on quarterly updates to building data and Health Scores.
Q: Can I talk to the expert after I get the report?
Yes. When you purchase an Expert Report, you get a Messages thread with that expert. You’ll receive notifications when they reply.
See: How to chat with your expert.