Tenancies & tenants · Troubleshooting
Tenancies & tenants: troubleshooting
Fixes for common tenancy and tenant problems and error messages. For how tenancies work, see Tenancies & tenants; for step-by-step instructions, see Tenancies & tenants: how-to.
I can’t see the Occupancy panel, or the tenancy buttons
Section titled “I can’t see the Occupancy panel, or the tenancy buttons”Why it happens: your role doesn’t include Tenancies. With view but not edit permission you can see tenancies but not Edit, Set tenancy end or Change room. Tenant buttons such as Add tenant and Invite tenant need edit permission for Tenants, and Change rent needs Rent Collection.
How to fix it: ask an admin in your organisation to give your role the permissions you need. See Who can use it.
A tenant who’s staying has moved to Previous Tenancies
Section titled “A tenant who’s staying has moved to Previous Tenancies”Why it happens: the tenancy still had a move-out date (for example a Fixed term only tenancy, or one where notice was withdrawn), and that date has passed. A renewal with an end date moves the move-out date to that end date, but a periodic renewal (no end date) doesn’t remove it.
How to fix it:
- Open the room, then Previous Tenancies > View on the tenancy.
- Click Cancel move-out and confirm.
- Check the rent schedule, and the room’s availability.
The tenancy becomes Active again.
Rent is still being charged after the tenant left
Section titled “Rent is still being charged after the tenant left”Why it happens:
- No move-out date was set, so the tenancy is still active and rent keeps being added.
- Update rent schedule (modify rent due items) was unticked when the move-out date was set.
- The charges have payments against them, which COHO never removes.
- The rent is paid Per term, which isn’t updated automatically.
How to fix it: set the move-out date if it’s missing. Otherwise click Adjust move-out, keep the same date, tick Update rent schedule, and save. If the tenancy has already ended, Adjust move-out isn’t shown: click Cancel move-out, then Set tenancy end again. Remove or adjust anything left in Rent Collection.
The last month’s rent wasn’t pro-rated
Section titled “The last month’s rent wasn’t pro-rated”Why it happens: Adjust last month for pro-rata was unticked, or the rent is paid Per term.
How to fix it: click Adjust move-out (or, once the tenancy has ended, Cancel move-out then Set tenancy end), keep the date, tick Update rent schedule and Adjust last month for pro-rata, and save. If the tenant has already paid more than the new amount, COHO reduces the payment allocated to it; refund the difference from Rent Collection.
The room shows as unavailable after Cancel move-in or Cancel move-out
Section titled “The room shows as unavailable after Cancel move-in or Cancel move-out”Why it happens: both mark the room as unavailable (occupied or no reason).
How to fix it: if you’re re-letting the room, set its availability again from the room’s Availabilities panel.
A future tenancy didn’t become active on the move-in date
Section titled “A future tenancy didn’t become active on the move-in date”Why it happens: COHO only starts tenancies in rooms and properties that are active. A deactivated room or property stays as it is. A tenancy still in onboarding (Prospective) only becomes future or active when its contract is confirmed.
How to fix it: reactivate the room or property, or finish the onboarding’s contract step. See Onboarding.
I can’t cancel a tenancy that hasn’t started
Section titled “I can’t cancel a tenancy that hasn’t started”Why it happens: Cancel move-in only shows on a Future tenancy. A tenancy still in onboarding is Prospective.
How to fix it: for a prospective tenancy, click Cancel Onboarding in Tenant Information, or cancel it from the Onboarding panel.
I can’t restore a cancelled tenancy
Section titled “I can’t restore a cancelled tenancy”Why it happens:
- It was deleted, not cancelled. Deleted tenancies can’t be restored in COHO.
- Another tenancy is active in the room over the same dates.
- COHO doesn’t know whether the tenancy had been confirmed.
How to fix it: for 2, set a move-out date on the other tenancy first. For 1 or 3, contact COHO support, saying whether the tenancy had been confirmed or was still in onboarding.
My tenant can’t see their tenancy, or never got the invite
Section titled “My tenant can’t see their tenancy, or never got the invite”Why it happens:
- They haven’t been invited, or the invite went to spam.
- They registered or logged in with a different email from the one on the tenancy.
- The room or property is deactivated, so the invite is on hold.
How to fix it:
- Click Resend invite, check the Email and Mobile number, and click Send. Ask them to use that link, and to log in rather than register if they already have an account.
- If they’ve already joined with another email, follow Change the email of a tenant who has joined.
- Reactivate the room or property.
There’s no Invite tenant button
Section titled “There’s no Invite tenant button”Why it happens: the tenant has already joined COHO. The button only shows for tenants who haven’t.
How to fix it: to send a new invite, click Revoke user access first, then Invite tenant.
I changed a tenant’s email but they still log in with the old one
Section titled “I changed a tenant’s email but they still log in with the old one”Why it happens: once a tenant has joined, changing details on the tenancy doesn’t change the account they log in with.
How to fix it: revoke their access and invite them again at the new email. See Change the email of a tenant who has joined.
“COHO has stopped sending emails to this address.”
Section titled ““COHO has stopped sending emails to this address.””Why it happens: emails to the address have bounced or been marked as spam, so COHO stopped sending to it.
How to fix it: check the address with the tenant. Correct it if it’s wrong, or click Resolve to start sending again.
Former tenants were removed from a conversation
Section titled “Former tenants were removed from a conversation”Why it happens: two days after a tenancy ends, COHO removes former tenants from that property’s maintenance and housemate conversations, unless they have another current or future tenancy there. If you deleted a tenant from a joint tenancy, they’re removed from those conversations straight away. One-to-one conversations with you aren’t affected.
How to fix it: to keep talking to them, for example about their deposit, message them directly. They can’t be added back to the shared conversation: Add participant only lists current and future tenants.
I can’t delete a tenant
Section titled “I can’t delete a tenant”Why it happens: a tenancy must have at least one tenant, so Delete only shows when there’s more than one.
How to fix it: add the new tenant first, then delete the old one. To remove the whole tenancy, delete the tenancy.
A new onboarding can’t join an existing group of tenants
Section titled “A new onboarding can’t join an existing group of tenants”Why it happens: a tenancy can only join a group of tenancies at the same property with the same status. A tenancy still in onboarding can’t join a group of active tenancies.
How to fix it: onboard the new tenant without grouping and issue their own contract or an addendum, or end the existing tenancies and onboard the whole group for a new contract.
Change room shows no rooms, or the property I need
Section titled “Change room shows no rooms, or the property I need”Why it happens: Change room only lists rooms in the same property that are empty, or whose tenancy ends before this one starts. It’s for fixing a tenancy added to the wrong room.
How to fix it: set a move-out date on the other room’s tenancy if that’s right. To move a tenant to another property, or for a real room move, end the tenancy and start a new one. See Move a tenant to another room.
I edited the tenancy dates but the rent schedule and contract didn’t change
Section titled “I edited the tenancy dates but the rent schedule and contract didn’t change”Why it happens: editing a tenancy only updates the rent schedule if you changed the move-in date and chose Update now. It doesn’t change a signed contract. Update now isn’t offered if you only changed the fixed term end, you’re changing the rent frequency too, no rent day is set, the rent schedule isn’t tracked in COHO, or you can’t edit Rent Collection.
How to fix it: regenerate the schedule in Rent Collection, and replace the contract in the Contract panel if it needs the new dates.
A periodic tenancy only shows a couple of months of rent
Section titled “A periodic tenancy only shows a couple of months of rent”Why it happens: this is expected. For periodic tenancies, COHO adds rent about two months ahead.
How to fix it: nothing to fix. If no new rent is being added, check automatic generation is on in Rent Collection. See Rent Schedules & Rent Collection.
Error messages
Section titled “Error messages”| Message (as shown) | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “You do not have permission to manage tenancies for this organisation” | Your role can’t change tenancies | Ask an admin for edit permission for Tenancies |
| “You do not have permission to manage tenants for this organisation” | Your role can’t change tenants | Ask an admin for edit permission for Tenants |
| “You do not have permission to update the rent schedule for this organisation” | You asked to update the rent schedule without Rent Collection permission | Untick the rent options, or ask an admin for Rent Collection permission |
| “Cannot delete the only tenant in this tenancy” | It’s the last tenant | Add another tenant first, or delete the tenancy |
| “This tenant is already linked to the tenancy.” / “This person is already linked to the tenancy.” | They’re already on it | No need to add them again |
| “Tenancy number ‘[number]’ is already used by another tenancy in this organisation. Please choose a different one.” | Tenancy numbers must be unique | Use a different number |
| “Cannot add this tenancy because there is currently an existing active tenancy with an overlapping start & end date…” | The room already has an active tenancy for those dates | Set a move-out date on the current tenancy, or change the dates |
| “Move-out date can’t be sooner than move-in date” | The move-out date is before the move-in date | Choose a later date |
| “A move-out date is required when changing the tenancy to fixed term only” | Fixed term only needs an end date | Enter the Move out date |
| “Only a future (not-yet-started) tenancy can be cancelled via cancel move-in” | The tenancy has started or isn’t confirmed | Use Set tenancy end, or cancel the onboarding |
| “Only cancelled tenancies can be restored” | The tenancy isn’t cancelled | Nothing to restore |
| “Cannot restore a tenancy to be active while there is an active one” | Another tenancy is active in the room | End the other tenancy first |
| “This tenancy cannot be automatically restored, please raise a support ticket and we will restore it manually…” | COHO can’t tell what status to restore | Contact support |
| “Holding deposits must be dealt with (kept or returned/refunded) before rent due records can be removed” | A paid holding deposit is still open | Keep or return it, then cancel again |
| “Cannot pro-rata the last rent charge because it is part of a settlement. Unsettle it or unassign the payments first.” | The last rent charge is in a settlement | Unsettle it or unassign its payments, then try again |
| “Everything updated successfully. You have set up recurring charges manually, these are not updated when adjusting your tenancy here. Please review them manually.” | The move-out was saved, but your recurring charges weren’t changed | Review the tenancy’s recurring items |
| “There are no available rooms to move this tenancy to…” | No room in the property is free for these dates | See Change room shows no rooms |
| “Your tenant has been added to the tenancy but something went wrong refreshing the tenant actions for this property. Please reload the COHO application” | The tenant was added; a follow-on step failed | Reload the page |
| “Your tenancy has been created but something went wrong refreshing the tenant actions for this property. Please reload the COHO application” | The tenancy was added; a follow-on step failed | Reload the page |