Skip to main content

​
In one minute

When a tenant reports a maintenance issue, Felicity runs a structured intake process to collect all the information needed for a work order. She asks category-specific questions, requests photos or videos, and determines the urgency - all through a natural conversation on email or WhatsApp.

​
How intake works

1

Tenant describes the problem

The tenant messages you about a maintenance issue. Felicity identifies the intent and begins asking questions to understand the problem.
2

Category classification

Based on the tenant’s description, Felicity classifies the issue into a category and subcategory (e.g. “Leaks > Ceiling leak” or “Heating and hot water > No heating and no hot water”). This determines what follow-up questions to ask.
3

Follow-up questions

Felicity asks targeted questions specific to the issue type. For example:
  • Leak: “Where exactly is the leak? Can you contain it with a bucket or towel?”
  • Heating: “When did the heating stop working? Are any error codes showing on the boiler?”
  • Electrical: “Is the issue affecting the whole property or just one area?”
4

Evidence collection

Felicity asks the tenant to send photos or videos of the problem. Media is attached to the work order to help the contractor understand the issue before arriving.
5

Access details

Felicity collects access information for the property:
  • Is someone available to provide access?
  • Are there key safe or entry code arrangements?
  • Any specific access instructions the contractor should know?
6

Intake complete

Once all required information is gathered, Felicity confirms the details with the tenant and a work order is automatically created.

​
What gets collected

Every maintenance intake aims to gather:

​
What the tenant sees

From the tenant’s perspective, reporting an issue is a straightforward conversation. Felicity:
  • Acknowledges the issue immediately.
  • Asks clear, relevant questions one or two at a time.
  • Provides safety advice for urgent situations (e.g. “If you smell gas, open windows and leave the property immediately”).
  • Confirms what she has understood before proceeding.
  • Lets the tenant know what will happen next.
The tenant does not need to fill in forms or navigate a portal. Everything happens in the email or WhatsApp conversation they already started.

​
Ongoing maintenance issues

If a tenant reports an issue that relates to an existing open maintenance case, Felicity will recognise this and link the new message to the existing work order rather than creating a duplicate.

​
Tenant non-response during intake

If the tenant stops replying during the intake process:
  1. Felicity sends a follow-up reminder after a set period.
  2. If no response after multiple attempts (typically 3), the case is escalated to your team.
  3. Your team can follow up manually or close the incomplete request.

​
Emergency issues

When a tenant reports an emergency (e.g. gas smell, major water leak, power loss), Felicity:
  1. Immediately provides relevant safety guidance.
  2. Directs the tenant to emergency services if applicable (e.g. National Grid, 999).
  3. If your office has emergency escalation enabled, directs the tenant to your emergency phone number.
  4. Escalates to your team with an emergency flag for urgent contractor engagement.
Emergency issues bypass the normal intake flow - safety guidance comes first, detailed questions come after.