We’ve recently overhauled our Remote Comments feature to make it faster, clearer, and more collaborative for tenants, landlords, and inspection teams.

The aim of these changes is simple, to reduce friction, remove unnecessary steps, and encourage constructive input without creating confusion or tension.

A shift away from agree or disagree

Previously, tenants and landlords were required to agree or disagree with every room and every question in a report. While thorough, this approach could feel time consuming and, in some cases, confrontational.

Remote Comments now focus on sharing input where it matters.

Instead of responding to every section, tenants and landlords can:

1. Add comments only where clarification or feedback is needed
   
2. Upload supporting photos if relevant
   
3. Sign once they have completed their review

This makes the process significantly quicker and more user friendly, while still providing a clear audit trail.

Clearer roles and clearer language

To remove ambiguity, we’ve updated the language used throughout the feature.

• “Commenter” has been replaced with Tenant or Landlord, making it clear who has provided feedback

• Sections are now marked as complete rather than approved, reducing confusion around intent

• Negative terminology such as disagree has been removed in favour of neutral, constructive wording

This creates a calmer, more professional experience for everyone involved.

Better context, past and present

Remote Comments now provide clearer visibility across reports.

• Photos linked to comments include date and time stamps, helping inspectors understand when evidence was captured

• Previously agreed comments from linked reports now appear in the app, providing context on what was already reviewed and agreed prior to the current report
  

Clear confirmation at the point of signing

Before signing, tenants and landlords are now shown a clear confirmation statement explaining that, with the exception of where comments have been added, the report is an accurate reflection of the property at the date it was created.

This improves transparency and reduces misunderstandings after submission.

Fewer follow up calls and clearer communication

When a report has been reviewed, inspectors or managers can now include a message when submitting it back to the tenant or landlord.

This allows you to explain why any comments may have been rejected, helping to avoid frustration and unnecessary follow up calls requesting clarification.

Improved visibility in the final report

To make Remote Comments easier to identify and understand:

• Linked comments are displayed with improved background visibility in the final PDF

• References to previous comments have been reworded for clarity

• Signatures clearly show the role of the signer, along with date and time

This results in a clearer, more professional final document.

Better oversight for managers

A comment count is now displayed on the Remote Comments screen, allowing managers to quickly identify reports with a higher volume of comments.

This can be used as:

• A quality review indicator

• A training opportunity for inspection teams

• A way to spot patterns that may need process improvements

Learn how to use the new Remote Comments flow

For a full step by step walkthrough, including how to send reports, review comments, and capture tenant or landlord signatures, see our guide:

How to use Remote Comments with Tenants or Landlords