Viewings, Availabilities & Leads · Troubleshooting
Viewings, Availabilities & Leads: troubleshooting
Fixes for the problems people meet most often. For how things work, see Viewings, Availabilities & Leads; for step-by-step instructions, see the how-to.
Availability and listings
Section titled “Availability and listings”A let room still shows as available, or people keep asking to view it
Section titled “A let room still shows as available, or people keep asking to view it”Why it happens: a room’s availability only changes when someone sets it. Starting an onboarding doesn’t change it unless you tick Set room as unavailable (it isn’t ticked by default). A holding deposit confirmed automatically, a tenant giving notice, or a tenancy being added without the box ticked don’t change it either.
How to fix it: open the room’s Availabilities panel, click Change availability, choose Unavailable, pick a reason and save. The room comes off Find a Home straight away. See Mark a room as unavailable.
The dashboard or Availabilities panel shows more available rooms than I have
Section titled “The dashboard or Availabilities panel shows more available rooms than I have”Why it happens: each room counts as available if it’s marked available, whether or not someone lives there. Rooms added without a tenancy are often left available.
How to fix it: on the Availabilities panel, click Available and check each room. Use Change availability on any that are occupied.
A room is still on Zoopla after I marked it unavailable
Section titled “A room is still on Zoopla after I marked it unavailable”Why it happens: COHO removes Rightmove and OnTheMarket listings automatically, usually within an hour, but doesn’t remove Zoopla listings when a room becomes unavailable.
How to fix it: open the room’s listings (View > Listing portals), open the Zoopla listing and click Remove from Zoopla. It goes within a day.
A Rightmove or OnTheMarket listing is still live an hour later
Section titled “A Rightmove or OnTheMarket listing is still live an hour later”Why it happens: COHO only removes listings it created through your connected account, and only once the room is marked unavailable (or disabled or deleted).
How to fix it: check the room says “This room is unavailable.” If it does, use Manage Rightmove listing (or OnTheMarket) > Remove. If the listing was created outside COHO, remove it on the portal.
I can’t list on Rightmove, Zoopla or OnTheMarket, or the option has gone
Section titled “I can’t list on Rightmove, Zoopla or OnTheMarket, or the option has gone”Why it happens: COHO no longer lists on portals on your behalf. You need your own account with the portal, and its credentials added in COHO. The portal boxes only appear once credentials are added.
How to fix it: get your branch or feed ID from the portal, then follow Connect a portal and list a room.
Listing fails because details are missing
Section titled “Listing fails because details are missing”Why it happens: portals need a headline, description and other details from the property and room.
How to fix it: complete Property Marketing, Property Details (on the property page, not the room) and Room Details, then try again.
Portal enquiries aren’t coming into Leads
Section titled “Portal enquiries aren’t coming into Leads”Why it happens: only Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket connect, and only through your own credentials. COHO checks every hour. SpareRoom and other portals aren’t connected. If the enquirer’s email already belongs to a lead, COHO doesn’t add a second lead.
How to fix it: check your credentials in Availabilities Settings, wait an hour, and search Leads for the person’s email. For SpareRoom, add the lead yourself, or reply with a link to an enquiry form.
The new-lead Action stays after I’ve dealt with the lead
Section titled “The new-lead Action stays after I’ve dealt with the lead”Why it happens: the Action clears when the lead is archived. A lead that’s in progress, rejected or stale still has its Action.
How to fix it: archive the lead, or dismiss the Action. Portal leads can take up to a few hours to get their Action.
I want to message a portal lead without arranging a viewing
Section titled “I want to message a portal lead without arranging a viewing”Why it happens: the conversation with a lead starts when you invite them to a viewing.
How to fix it: click Invite to viewing and choose Leave it for later for the date. The conversation opens without a date.
A lead’s notes don’t appear on the viewing
Section titled “A lead’s notes don’t appear on the viewing”Why it happens: notes stay on the lead.
How to fix it: open the lead from the Leads panel, or search for the person’s name.
I can’t start an onboarding from a lead
Section titled “I can’t start an onboarding from a lead”Why it happens: onboarding starts from a viewing, or from the Onboarding panel. There’s no Onboard on a lead.
How to fix it: invite the lead to a viewing and click Onboard on it (you don’t need to hold the viewing), or click Onboard new applicant on the Onboarding panel. To add a tenant without onboarding, add a tenancy to the room yourself.
“Leads cannot be merged…”
Section titled ““Leads cannot be merged…””Why it happens: archived leads can’t be merged, nor can two leads that both have a questionnaire or a conversation, or that belong to different people.
How to fix it: unarchive the lead, or remove the extra questionnaire, then merge. Otherwise keep both and tag one.
Pre-qualification
Section titled “Pre-qualification”A viewing stays in Pre-Qualification even though it’s booked or has happened
Section titled “A viewing stays in Pre-Qualification even though it’s booked or has happened”Why it happens: while a questionnaire is unanswered, the viewing stays in Pre-Qualification. (A viewing with an agreed date still shows under Scheduled.)
How to fix it: ask the applicant to complete it, click Complete for applicant, or click Skip questionnaire.
The applicant can’t open the questionnaire link
Section titled “The applicant can’t open the questionnaire link”Why it happens: the link logs the applicant into their COHO account. If it has expired, COHO emails a new one.
How to fix it: ask them to use the newest email. You can also copy the link from the lead’s Pre-qualification questionnaire section and send it yourself.
Once the lead is linked to a COHO account, for example after you invite them to a viewing, the copied link asks them to sign in: “Sign in to complete this form from your messages or viewing.” They click Sign in and use their own COHO account. If they’re signed in to a different account, they click Switch account. They can also open the questionnaire from their messages or viewing page.
My questionnaire template is missing when I invite someone
Section titled “My questionnaire template is missing when I invite someone”Why it happens: a form can be set for particular properties only. It isn’t offered for others.
How to fix it: in Viewings Settings > Pre-qualification forms, open the form and set it for the property, or use it as the default for the whole organisation.
I want applicants to answer questions without proposing a date
Section titled “I want applicants to answer questions without proposing a date”Why it happens: the Find a Home request form always offers a date.
How to fix it: use an enquiry form set to Create a lead, with your pre-qualification form attached. It doesn’t ask for a date.
Viewings
Section titled “Viewings”The applicant can’t pick a date, or the date turns red
Section titled “The applicant can’t pick a date, or the date turns red”Why it happens: your viewing hours limit what applicants can choose. If Maximum days in advance is smaller than Minimum days before, no date is valid. The date may also be on a day marked Unavailable, or too soon.
How to fix it: in Viewings Settings > Viewing Hours, make the maximum at least as big as the minimum and check each day’s times. Or propose the date yourself: the limits don’t apply to you.
A viewing I booked shows “Awaiting date”
Section titled “A viewing I booked shows “Awaiting date””Why it happens: the applicant rejected the date, or you invited them to several rooms at once (each viewing is created without a date), or you chose Leave it for later.
How to fix it: open the viewing’s History, then Propose date and tick Date already agreed upon if you’ve agreed it.
The applicant confirmed, but the viewing still says unconfirmed
Section titled “The applicant confirmed, but the viewing still says unconfirmed”Why it happens: confirmation comes in two stages: about 24 hours before (pre-confirmed) and about 2 hours before (confirmed).
How to fix it: wait for the 2-hour request, or click Confirm attendance on their behalf.
Current tenants weren’t told about a viewing
Section titled “Current tenants weren’t told about a viewing”Why it happens:
- Viewing automatic alerts is set to No alert;
- the alert goes 24 hours before the agreed time, so it may not have gone yet;
- for a block property, the viewing has no unit, so nobody is told;
- alerts go by email and app notification only, not SMS.
How to fix it: set the alert in Viewings Settings. For a block, add the unit (Room on the viewing), then Modify viewing and tick Send notice to active tenants now. To text tenants, message them from the Message Centre.
The whole house was alerted, not just the room
Section titled “The whole house was alerted, not just the room”Why it happens: Alert room only needs a room on the viewing. A viewing for the whole property alerts everyone, because COHO can’t tell which room it’s for.
How to fix it: set the room on the viewing before the alert goes.
The applicant hasn’t received their invite
Section titled “The applicant hasn’t received their invite”Why it happens: the email address may be wrong, or the mobile number may have opted out of WhatsApp (then COHO uses SMS).
How to fix it: check the lead’s email and mobile, correct them, and click Resend invite on the viewing.
I can’t archive a viewing
Section titled “I can’t archive a viewing”Why it happens: only viewings whose date has passed can be archived.
How to fix it: click Cancel and choose No to cancel it for good. A cancelled viewing is archived.
The conversation disappeared after I onboarded the applicant
Section titled “The conversation disappeared after I onboarded the applicant”Why it happens: when you onboard from a viewing, COHO archives the viewing, and the viewing conversation is archived when no open viewings are left.
How to fix it: open the Message Centre and include archived conversations, or search for the person.
Viewings for someone disappeared from the list
Section titled “Viewings for someone disappeared from the list”Why it happens: onboarding an applicant cancels and archives all their other open viewings with you. Archived viewings are hidden.
How to fix it: switch on Show archived only. Click Restore on a viewing to bring it back.
Viewing Actions keep appearing after I’ve dealt with them
Section titled “Viewing Actions keep appearing after I’ve dealt with them”Why it happens: some viewing Actions clear when the viewing moves on, others when you archive the viewing or dismiss the Action. A future viewing’s “date accepted” Action stays until you dismiss it.
How to fix it: act on the viewing (record feedback, propose a date, cancel or archive), then dismiss any Action that’s left.
“You need … WhatsApp conversation credit(s) for this send but do not have enough.”
Section titled ““You need … WhatsApp conversation credit(s) for this send but do not have enough.””Why it happens: messages you send in a WhatsApp conversation use WhatsApp conversation credits. Viewing invites, confirmations and other automatic viewing notifications don’t.
How to fix it: check your credits in the WhatsApp section of Your Account and top up, or message the applicant by email or SMS.
Error messages
Section titled “Error messages”| Message | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Only viewings with a date in the past can be archived, please cancel it instead.” | The viewing hasn’t happened yet | Cancel it |
| “Nothing to reset, this viewing has no date. Cancel it instead if it is no longer needed.” | You chose Leave it for later on a viewing with no date | Cancel it, or propose a date |
| “Nothing to accept, viewing has no proposed date.” | No date to accept | Propose one |
| “Selected lead needs an email address, please edit it first” | Invites need an email | Edit the lead |
| “Selected lead needs a forename, please edit it first” | Invites need a forename | Edit the lead |
| “A telephone number is required for WhatsApp lead communication.” | WhatsApp needs a mobile number | Add one, or don’t use WhatsApp |
| “This mobile number has opted out of WhatsApp notifications.” | The person replied STOP | Notifications go by SMS |
| “WhatsApp as the main channel can only be chosen when the lead conversation is first created.” | The conversation already exists | Keep the current channel |
| “Mobile number mandatory to propose a date” | Proposing a date needs the applicant’s mobile | Add it to the lead |
| “[Viewing date] - Date is too soon, should be at least [n] days in advance.” / “… - Date is too far, should be at most [n] days in advance.” | Outside your viewing hours limits | Choose another date, or Ignore viewing date validation errors |
| “… this date is not available as a viewing day.” / “… date-time combination doesn’t meet the criteria.” | Outside your viewing hours | As above |
| “A maximum of 50 viewings can be updated at once.” | Too many selected | Select fewer |
| “Viewing for [name] has no mobile number.” | Bulk propose date needs a mobile on every lead | Add the number or deselect |
| “You need to fill a contact method, email or tel” / “A lead needs an email or a phone number” | A lead needs one contact method | Add an email or phone |
| “… looks like a placeholder. Enter a real email address, or leave it blank if it’s optional.” / “Email ‘[address]’ looks like a placeholder. Enter a real email address, or leave it blank if email is optional.” | COHO doesn’t accept made-up addresses such as noemail@noemail.com | Enter the person’s real email. For a lead with no email, leave it blank and add a phone number |
| “Minimum budget cannot be greater than maximum budget.” | Budget range is the wrong way round | Swap the values |
| “Automatically creating a viewing requires the form to target a specific property” | Enquiry form set to create a viewing with no property | Choose a property, or Create a lead |
| “Only pre-qualification templates can be used on an enquiry form” | Wrong form type | Choose a pre-qualification form |
| “You do not have permission to manage viewings for this organisation” (or leads, or properties) | Your role can’t do this | Ask an admin |
| “You need [n] WhatsApp conversation credit(s) for this send but do not have enough. Please top up to continue.” | Not enough credits | Top up, or use email or SMS |