How to Send and Receive Messages
Part 1: Send a Message (PM)
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Navigate to the Messages section of the PM dashboard.
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Select New message to start a new conversation.
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Choose the property from the Property dropdown.
⚠️ Heads up: The property must belong to you as the PM or landlord. If the property does not appear, verify your management permissions for that property.
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Choose the tenant from the Tenant dropdown.
⚠️ Heads up: Messaging is governed by communication rules (
canUserMessageUser). You can only message tenants linked to properties you manage. -
Enter your message in the message text area and send it.
⚠️ Heads up: The message must contain at least one non-whitespace character. Empty messages are rejected by the backend.
Part 2: Read and Reply (Tenant)
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Navigate to the Messages section of the Tenant dashboard. [SCREENSHOT NEEDED HERE]
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Select the conversation thread to open it. The unread count is marked as read when the thread is opened.
[SCREENSHOT NEEDED HERE]
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Enter your reply in the message text area and send it.
⚠️ Heads up: Only active participants in the conversation thread can send replies. If you are not a participant, the backend returns a 403 error.
Part 3: View Unread Messages (PM)
- Navigate back to the Messages section of the PM dashboard. The unread count badge updates to reflect the new reply.
What to expect
- Messages are sent and received in real time.
- The conversation thread appears in the threads list for both participants.
- Unread messages are tracked via an unread count badge. When a thread is opened, it is automatically marked as read.
- Both the PM and tenant can continue the conversation by replying within the same thread.
Need help?
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| New message dialog does not show any tenants | No properties are linked to your account, or no tenants are linked to your properties | Verify your properties have active leases with tenants assigned |
| Cannot select a tenant from the dropdown | The tenant may not be linked to a property you manage | Confirm the tenant has an active lease at one of your properties |
| Message does not send | The message content is empty or the communication rules block the message | Enter a non-empty message and verify you have permission to contact the recipient |
| Reply is blocked (403 error) | You are not an active participant in the thread | Only participants in a conversation thread can send replies |