Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

Is it really free during early access?

Yes, access is completely free during the beta period, with no credit card required. You get access to every feature on the platform from the moment you sign up. You will be notified 30 days before any pricing change, with the option to export your data if you decide not to continue.

Do I need to install an app?

No, Kohabit is a web app accessible from any browser, on desktop or mobile. Nothing to download or install. Your condo board is up and running in minutes, from any device connected to the Internet.

How long does it take to set up Kohabit?

Basic configuration takes less than 30 minutes: create your association, enter the units and their ownership shares, then invite your members by email. Advanced features like the maintenance logbook and budget can be configured gradually, at your own pace.

Do all my co-owners need to sign up before I can get started?

No. You can start using Kohabit on your own, as the volunteer manager. Your co-owners do not need to create an account to receive announcements and participate in votes: everything works by email. An account gives them access to the full interface, but it is entirely optional.

How do I invite my co-owners?

From your dashboard, click Invite a resident. Kohabit automatically sends an invitation email to each member. They can vote, receive announcements and consult documents without ever creating an account, simply by replying to the emails they receive.

Can I import my existing Excel data?

For now, data entry is manual. Kohabit is designed so that initial setup is fast: entering units, ownership shares and members for a 10 to 20 unit building generally takes less than an hour. File import is on our roadmap and will be announced via the What's New section.

Features

Do my residents need to create an account?

No. Invited members receive announcements, can vote and reply to discussions directly by email, without creating an account. Creating an account is optional: it gives access to the full interface (dashboard, finance history, shared documents), but nothing requires a co-owner to sign up.

Can tenants use Kohabit?

Yes. You can invite tenants with limited rights: they receive announcements that concern them and can submit maintenance tickets, but they have no access to votes, finances or confidential association documents.

How does weighted voting work?

When creating a vote, Kohabit automatically weights each ballot according to the ownership shares configured for each unit. Quorum is calculated in real time and displayed throughout the voting period. Residents can vote from their email with a single click, no login required. The complete history of every vote is archived and accessible at any time.

How do I organize an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kohabit?

You create a notice via the Announcements module, attach the required documents (agenda, financial statements, reports), and launch the official votes in parallel. Members receive everything by email. After the AGM, you record the minutes in the Documents section. The full AGM history is accessible in seconds, without having to dig through emails.

How does the maintenance module work?

Residents report an issue directly from the app or by email. The ticket is categorized (plumbing, electrical, common areas, elevator), assigned to a board member, and tracked with a comment thread and attached photos. Each update triggers a notification to the resident concerned. The board has a dashboard with all open, in-progress or resolved tickets.

How do I manage my association budget?

The Budget module lets you plan your annual expenses by category (maintenance, insurance, reserves), automatically calculate each unit's contribution based on its ownership shares, and generate periodic fund calls. Each co-owner can check their balance and download their receipts. The board has a real-time financial dashboard.

What is the Koa AI assistant?

Koa is the search assistant integrated into Kohabit. It scans your documents, announcements, minutes and registries in seconds to answer your questions in natural language. For example: What is the current contingency fund balance? or What decision was made at the last AGM about the elevator? All your data stays hosted in Canada and is never sent to foreign servers.

What is the community idea board?

The idea board lets every resident propose improvements for the building, vote for or against other residents' ideas, and track their progress. A popular idea can be converted into an official vote with one click. It is a tool to engage your co-owners without multiplying meetings.

Does Kohabit work on mobile?

Yes. Kohabit is fully optimized for mobile screens via your web browser. No app to download: you access every feature from Safari or Chrome on your phone. For residents who prefer not to use the web interface, everything also works by email.

Can I manage bookings for common areas?

Yes. The Common Areas module lets you manage bookings for the community room, visitor parking spots, gym, or any other shared space in your building. Residents see availability and submit requests directly from the platform.

Does Kohabit offer a shared calendar?

Yes. The Calendar module centralizes all events for your condo association: board meetings, annual general meetings, maintenance days, common area bookings. Each member can view the calendar from their space or receive events by email.

What financial reports can I generate?

Kohabit includes an accounting and reports module that lets you visualize your association's financial state: budgets by fiscal year, fund call tracking, payments received, and balances per co-owner. This data is accessible in real time and can be exported for your accountant or presented at the annual general meeting.

Legal Compliance

How does Kohabit help comply with Quebec's Act 16?

Act 16 (An Act to amend the Civil Code and other legislative provisions concerning divided co-ownership) requires Quebec condo associations to keep a maintenance logbook and to conduct a contingency fund study before August 2028. Kohabit includes a compliant maintenance logbook module: you record each intervention with date, supplier, cost and notes, by building component. This register is exportable as PDF at any time to be presented to a notary or during a sale.

Does the contingency fund calculator replace an official study?

No. The calculator available on Kohabit is an indicative estimation tool, intended to help volunteer boards understand the order of magnitude of the required contributions. The contingency fund study under Act 16 must be conducted by a certified professional (notary, engineer or appraiser). Kohabit's calculator is a starting point, not a legal document.

What does Quebec's Law 25 require of condo associations?

Law 25 (An Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information) applies to every organization that collects personal data in Quebec, including volunteer condo boards. Since September 2023, an association must designate a person responsible for protecting personal information, have an accessible privacy policy, and report any breach to the Commission d'accès à l'information. Kohabit is designed to minimize data collection and facilitates compliance: no advertising tracking, data never resold, right to erasure respected.

Why host condo data in Canada?

Most popular collaboration tools (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox) are hosted on American servers, subject to the U.S. CLOUD Act. This law allows U.S. authorities to access data stored by American companies, regardless of where the servers are physically located. For a Quebec condo association, this means that the names, addresses and financial information of your co-owners may be accessible to foreign third parties. Kohabit hosts all of its data exclusively on Canadian servers, subject only to Quebec law.

Is Kohabit subject to the U.S. CLOUD Act?

No. Kohabit is a Canadian company whose servers are located in Canada. The U.S. CLOUD Act applies to American companies or their subsidiaries. Data hosted on Kohabit is subject only to Canadian and Quebec laws, notably Law 25 on the protection of personal information.

Pricing and Data

What is the price after the beta period?

The planned price after the early access period is $2.99 CAD per door per month, or $29.90 per door per year. You will be notified 30 days in advance before any switch to a paid plan, with no surprises.

What is a door?

A door corresponds to one unit in your condo association: an apartment, a commercial unit, or a private parking space each count as one door. A 10-condo building with 10 private parking spaces counts as 20 doors.

Are there any hidden fees?

No. The per-door price covers access to every feature: votes, documents, budget, maintenance, maintenance logbook and AI assistant. There is no separate paid module and no setup fee.

Can I cancel at any time?

Yes. There is no minimum commitment. You can export all of your data from settings at any time, then cancel without charges.

What happens to my data if I stop?

You can export all your data (documents, votes, financial history, maintenance logbook) from the Settings section. No data is deleted without your explicit consent. In case of cancellation, your data is kept for an additional 30 days to give you time to retrieve everything.

Does any data leave Canada?

No. All data is hosted exclusively on Canadian servers. It is never exported, resold or shared with foreign third parties.

Is Kohabit compliant with Quebec's Law 25?

Kohabit aligns with Law 25 requirements: minimal data collection, no resale, right to erasure respected, hosting exclusively in Canada. This is not legal advice: we recommend consulting a professional for your specific situation.

Support and Roadmap

Does Kohabit replace a professional condo manager?

No. Kohabit is designed for self-managed condo boards run by volunteers who do not want (or cannot) hire a professional manager. It centralizes and simplifies routine administrative tasks. For more complex condo associations with many units or significant legal issues, a professional manager remains the better option. Kohabit can however complement their work by centralizing communication with residents.

How can I contact support?

By email at [email protected]. You can also use the Feedback button directly in the app, available in the bottom left corner of the interface.

Can I request a feature?

Yes, and your feedback has direct impact. Use the Feedback button in the app or write to us at [email protected]. Kohabit's roadmap is largely driven by requests from associations in early access.