Resident Retention Certification Course
This course teaches you what Resident Retention is at CDA Co-Living, why the company invests in it, and exactly how to run a retention case from the moment a notice arrives to the moment you close the task — using the real systems, real forms, real deadlines and real scripts the team uses today.
By the end of this course you will be able to
- Explain what Retention is, where it sits in the occupant lifecycle, and the four KPIs it is measured against
- Classify any incoming case by type, source and root cause, and route it to the correct sub-process
- Work a case end-to-end in Asana: the two boards, the four lanes, every field you must set, and the evidence trail
- Contact occupants on WhatsApp for Business within the required timeframes, using the approved templates and tone rules
- Handle transfers, relocations, replacements, inspections and the fee/waiver rules correctly
- Run an arrears case to the correct deadline for the occupant's deposit type, and issue the HOLD or PROCEED signal
- Recognise the limits of your authority and escalate through the right channel
How this course works
| Modules | 13 modules plus a final assessment. They are sequential — module 2 unlocks only after you pass module 1's knowledge check. |
|---|---|
| Knowledge checks | Every module ends with a knowledge check. You must get 100% correct to unlock the next module. You can retry as many times as you need — the goal is that you know it, not that you guessed it. |
| Certificate | After the final assessment you enter your name and generate a printable certificate of completion. |
| Source documents | Every rule in this course is traceable. Grey Source boxes tell you which SOP, manual, policy or deck the rule comes from, so you can always check the original. |
| Time | Roughly 2–3 hours. Complete it in one sitting — progress is held in the page, so refreshing or closing the tab returns you to Module 1 and you would need to redo the knowledge checks. |
1. Asana, not HubSpot. The current Resident Retention Manual names HubSpot as the company-wide system. A HubSpot migration is genuinely in progress, but Asana is still Retention's live system of record today — the Retention Team board has hundreds of open tasks and is being worked daily. This course teaches Asana. Module 4 flags what will change.
2. Arrears deadlines follow SOP CI RE 04. Different documents quote different arrears day-counts. This course uses the SOP CI RE 04 deadlines, which fork by the occupant's deposit type. If a deck or a colleague quotes different numbers, SOP CI RE 04 wins.
PM CI RE 01 Resident Retention Manual · SOP CI RE 01 Move-Out Notice & Retention Review · SOP CI RE 02 Replacement, Transfer & Relocation · SOP CI RE 03 Communication & Approach · SOP CI RE 04 Communication for Collection (Arrears) · CA CI RE 01 Characterization · Retention & Negotiation Policy · GU CI RE 01 Tone and Language Guidelines · GU CI RE 1–8 training decks · PR CI MS 03 Communication Management · SOP FI AR 01 Managing Arrears · the live Asana Retention Team board. Full library with links in Module 13.
What Retention Is, and Why CDA Does It
Retention is not "talking people out of leaving". It is a structured process that meets the occupant at the end of their journey with CDA, finds out what actually went wrong, and offers real alternatives before the decision becomes final.
In this module
- The formal definition, and the three events that trigger Retention
- Why the business funds this process — vacancy, cost and reputation
- Retention's second job: feeding Continuous Improvement
- The four KPIs you will be measured on
The definition
Resident Retention is the process CDA Co-Living uses to engage occupants at the end of their journey with the company. When an occupant submits a move-out notice, falls into arrears, or signals they may be leaving, the Retention team steps in to understand the reason and offer meaningful alternatives before the decision becomes final. This includes presenting transfer options across CDA's portfolio in Sydney and other Australian states — giving occupants more choices than they may realise they have. Where issues are the root cause, Retention works to resolve them privately and constructively, protecting both the occupant experience and CDA's reputation.
Three events start a retention case
1 · A move-out notice
- From the occupant directly, via the Tenant Move Out Notice form
- Or from the Occupant Transition – Move Out on the occupant's behalf
2 · An arrears case from Finance
- Accounts Receivable has exhausted its own collection steps
- Retention is asked to re-establish contact
- Retention never detects arrears itself
3 · An internal relocation request
- Maintenance — major works, extended repairs, layout changes
- Move Out — a property is being closed or returned to its owner
- Council — a regulatory order requires people to move
Why the business pays for this
Every occupant who leaves represents a vacancy, a replacement cost, and a potential external review. That is the whole business case in one sentence. A retention conversation offered at the right moment can turn a move-out into a transfer, a complaint into a resolution, and a frustrated occupant into a loyal one.
Who benefits
CDA Co-Living
- Reduces vacancy
- Saves replacement cost
- Improves portfolio stability
- Keeps dissatisfaction off public review sites
The occupant
- Builds trust
- Ensures comfort
- Their actual need gets met
- They learn options they didn't know existed
Internal teams
- Less turnover to process
- Smoother coordination
- Fewer evictions
Retention's second job: feeding Continuous Improvement
This is the part people miss. Retention sits at the exact point where the company finds out what it got wrong. Beyond keeping occupants, the process gathers occupant feedback as a direct input to the Continuous Improvement area, helping CDA identify process failures and strengthen its service over time.
That is why the classification of why someone left matters as much as whether you saved them. When you record a reason as Controllable - Internal Issues, you are telling the business that a different department caused a paying occupant to leave. That is the single most valuable data point Retention produces.
Retention is judged on two things at once: how many occupants you keep, and how honestly you record why the ones you lost decided to go. Never soften a reason to make a case look better. An honestly recorded loss fixes a process; a softened one hides a problem.
How Retention is measured
| Indicator | What it means | Formula | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupant Contact Rate | Occupants who submit a move-out request and are contacted within 5 days | Contacted_within_5_days / Total_move_out_requests × 100 | ≥ 95% |
| Monthly Retention Rate | Occupants who cancel a move-out or accept a transfer | Successful_retentions / Total_move_out_requests × 100 | 15% |
| Feedback Reporting Compliance | Weekly report with feedback, statistics and contact records delivered on time | Reports_on_time / Required_reports × 100 | 95% |
| Complaint / Suggestion Follow-up | Complaints or suggestions raised in feedback that get followed up | Followed_up / Total_complaints × 100 | ≥ 90% |
15% sounds low if you have never done this job. It is not a pass mark for a conversation — it is the share of all move-out requests that get reversed or converted into a transfer. A large proportion of notices are genuinely uncontrollable: visas expire, people leave the country, work contracts end. The 15% comes almost entirely from the controllable cases, which is why classifying reasons accurately (Module 3) directly determines whether you can hit the target.
PM CI RE 01 Resident Retention Manual §1, §2.1, §2.2 · CA CI RE 01 Characterization (General Objective, Process Indicators) · GU CI RE 1 Introduction to Retention
Scope, Roles and How Much You Can Decide Alone
Two things get new Retention Specialists into trouble: taking on work that belongs to another team, and promising an occupant something they were not authorised to promise. This module draws both lines precisely.
In this module
- Where the process starts and ends
- What is in scope and — importantly — what is not
- Who does what, and each role's authority level
- The exact money limits you can approve without asking anyone
Process boundaries
| Process start | Receipt of a move-out notice from an occupant, an arrears-related task generated by the Finance Team, or a relocation request from an internal area (Maintenance, Move Out, or other). |
|---|---|
| Process end | The case is resolved through renewal, transfer, relocation, confirmed move-out, or closure after non-response or eviction. |
✔ In scope
- All CDA Co-Living properties — CDA, CLS NSW, CLS VIC
- Voluntary move-out notices from occupants
- Arrears cases referred by Finance
- Transfer and relocation requests, occupant- or company-initiated
- Replacement candidate coordination
- Occupant feedback collection and escalation to CI
- Inspections to support transfer decisions, remote and in-person
- Operational relocations requested by Maintenance or Move Out
✘ Out of scope
- Execution of the actual Move In or Move Out process
- Legal eviction proceedings
- Financial recovery actions beyond initial support to Finance
- Marketing or leasing of vacant rooms
- Identifying or monitoring arrears — that is Finance/AR
- Properties not under CDA management — consult the CI Manager first
- Transfers driven by dissatisfaction within the first 2 weeks after lease signing — these belong to Sales as part of their post-sale process
If an occupant signed their lease less than two weeks ago and now wants to transfer because they are unhappy, that is not a Retention case. It is a Sales post-sale case. Check the lease start date before you accept the case. Taking it on anyway distorts Retention's numbers and delays the occupant.
Who does what
| Role | Responsibility in this process | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Continuous Improvement Lead Process Owner | Owns the process end-to-end. Approves exceptions, special offers, discounts above your limit, and compensation packages. Reviews performance monthly. Does not approve rent increase waivers — those go to Sales or the Co-Owner. | Full authority over all process decisions |
| Sales Team / Co-Owner | Approves rent increase waivers. Sales also owns dissatisfaction-driven transfers in the first 2 weeks after lease signing. | Sole authority for rent increase waivers |
| Retention Specialist | Primary handler of move-out notices, arrears support, transfers and relocations. Manages all occupant communication. Coordinates inspections and escalations. | Standard — escalation required for exceptions |
| Executive Assistant CI | Handles move-out or retention cases arising from arrears when assigned. | Standard |
| Finance / Accounts Receivable | Generates arrears reports. Requests Retention support for specific arrears cases. Validates payments and payment plans. Owns the arrears task and archives it. | Standard for financial decisions |
| Maintenance | Initiates relocation requests for operational works. Provides scope and timeline for the works. | Limited — requests submitted to Retention |
| Occupant Transition – Move Out | Processes confirmed move-outs or evictions. Initiates relocation requests when a property leaves the portfolio. Must be notified when an extension or transfer is agreed. | Standard for Move Out execution |
| Occupant Transition – Move In | Manages the Move In process for transferred or relocated occupants. Receives occupant data via the standard Move In form. | Standard for Move In execution |
| Sales specialist | Attends an in-person inspection to show a property — only when the occupant has explicitly asked to view it in person, accompanied on site. Booking one incurs a cost and needs CI Lead approval. They show the space; they do not take over the case. | Limited — Retention owns the transfer throughout |
| Resident Support | Handles disputes between occupants. Engaged by Retention when interpersonal issues contribute to a move-out. | Standard |
The Process Owner — the Continuous Improvement Lead — is accountable for the overall performance and compliance of this process. All exceptions, special offers, compensation approvals and high-impact decisions must be approved by the CI Lead.
Your authority: the exact limits
This is the table to memorise. It comes from the Retention & Negotiation Policy and it tells you precisely what you can offer an occupant on your own, and where you must stop and ask.
| Option | You can approve | Needs higher authority |
|---|---|---|
| Rent discount | Up to $10 or 4% of the weekly rent — whichever is higher | Anything above $10 or 4% of weekly rent → CI Lead |
| Rent increase waiver | Nothing — you cannot approve this at all | Sales Team or Co-Owner — not the CI Lead. See the callout below. |
| Waive transfer fees if less than a week after move-in | If the issue is confirmed as the company's fault — e.g. a maintenance issue | Any other circumstance → CI Lead |
| One-time $80 referral fee | If the referred person has confirmed a signed lease agreement. Either deduct from one week's rent or deposit to their bank account. | Any other circumstance |
| Payment plan for arrears | 30% of the balance, or one week's rent, paid within Day 10–15. Remaining balance within 3 weeks after, lump sum or divided per week — on top of their normal weekly rent. | Any other payment method or structure |
The CI Lead approves almost everything exceptional in this process. Rent increase waivers are the exception. SOP CI RE 01 Step 4A is explicit: "Seek approval from the Sales Team or Co-Owner for a rent increase waiver."
This matters because a rent increase is one of the most common controllable reasons an occupant gives for leaving. The sequence is: identify the rent increase as the root cause → request the waiver from Sales or the Co-Owner → if approved, discuss the approved waiver with the occupant → if they agree, cancel the move-out and archive the Retention task → if they decline, or the waiver is refused, propose a transfer or relocation instead.
Exhaust your own authority first. You must fully utilise your authorised boundaries before escalating a case to a higher authority. Escalating a $8 discount request wastes the CI Lead's time and slows the occupant down.
Never commit before approval. If an occupant asks for something beyond your limit, you do not say yes and then seek approval. You say you will check and come back to them. Approval comes first, always.
If an agreement is made by an internal team member who is not authorised in the retention process, it is their responsibility to promptly report and coordinate with the Retention Team so the agreement can be properly evaluated and processed. If you discover such a promise, do not simply honour it — bring it to the CI Lead.
Data privacy and discretion
All occupant information must be handled in accordance with CDA's data privacy guidelines and applicable Australian privacy legislation. Sensitive case information — arrears, behavioural incidents, safety concerns — must be accessed only by authorised staff.
Managing dissatisfaction privately and professionally is a core principle of this process. The objective is always to resolve concerns internally before they escalate to external channels.
PM CI RE 01 §3 Scope, §4 Team & Roles, §11.3 Data Privacy · Retention & Negotiation Policy v1 (Viable Alternatives matrix, Negotiation Limit & Escalation) · GU CI RE 8 Limitations of Retention
Where Cases Come From, and How to Classify Them
Every retention task begins with a request. Different requests need completely different approaches, so getting the classification right in the first five minutes determines whether the rest of the case goes well.
In this module
- The two intake forms, question by question
- The eleven request types, and how to tell a Finance-origin task from an occupant one
- Transfer vs Relocation vs Replacement — three words people constantly mix up
- The three reason categories, and why one of them is the whole job
- The mandatory checklist for company-initiated relocations
Step one: is the occupant still there?
Before you classify anything, verify whether the occupant is still in the room or has already vacated. If they have already left, there is nothing to retain — endorse immediately to the Occupant Transition – Move Out and update the task. Do not run contact attempts on someone who has moved out.
Step two: did they give enough notice?
This is not just a fee question — it decides which SOP you follow next.
| Notice given | What you do |
|---|---|
| 3–4 weeks or more as required by their lease | Proceed with the contact attempt following SOP CI RE 03 — Communication & Approach. Record ✅ MOVE OUT NOTICE: Compliant in the task notes. |
| Less than 3–4 weeks | Proceed under SOP CI RE 02 — Replacement, Transfer & Relocation, including a discussion of the applicable break fee. Record ❌ MOVE OUT NOTICE: Not compliant plus the amount owing. |
A short notice period is what opens the replacement conversation. The occupant has a financial reason to help you find someone for their room, which makes the replacement path far easier to raise early than late. Do not discover the notice shortfall after you have already run three friendly retention attempts.
The two intake forms
Cases arrive through Asana forms. Which form was used tells you a great deal before you read a single word of the content.
Tenant Move Out Notice — occupant-facing
Filled in by the occupant, or by CDA on their behalf. This is where move-outs and occupant-requested transfers come from.
- Select your suburb
- Full property address
- Please select an option — move out notice / transfer to a different room / transfer to a different house
- Are you still living in the property — Still in the house / Already left
- When does your lease agreement end
- When are you thinking of moving out
- What is the reason why you want to move out (14 options — see below)
- Would you like to explore relocation options with CDA — and if yes, which areas
- Full name · email · best contact number
- Bank account details
- How likely are you to recommend CDA (NPS, scored 1–5)
- Comments / suggestions
- Who completed this form — Tenant / Company on behalf of the tenant
Retention Team form — internal
Filled in by internal teams. A submission through this form always means a relocation request, not a move-out.
- Retention Team (who it is assigned to)
- Type of Retention Request
- Who Forwarded the Request
- Specify (which person exactly)
- Occupant's Name
- Occupant's WhatsApp Number
- Tenant's Email Address
- Current Property Address
- Target Transfer / Relocation Date
- Transfer / Relocation Reason
Every one of these ten fields maps one-to-one onto an Asana custom field, which is why this form produces the cleanest cases.
The Tenant Move Out Notice form was rewritten. Tasks from 2025 have a different question set — they ask for the occupant's name first, then current address and room from dropdowns. If a task looks structurally odd, check its creation date before assuming something is missing.
The eleven request types, and what each one commits you to
The Asana field Type of Retention Request is the master classifier. Setting it correctly is not admin — it determines which board lane the task belongs in, who initiated it, and whether a fee applies.
| Value | Board lane | What it means and what you do |
|---|---|---|
| Move Out Notice | Move Out | The standard voluntary move-out. Full retention conversation. |
| Move Out - Eviction | For Eviction - Arrears | Finance-driven. Runs on the Module 8 deadlines, not the Module 6 cadence. |
| Transfer - Occupant Request | Transfer | Room to room, same property, occupant asked. Fee applies. Forward to Occupant Transition – Move In. |
| Transfer / Relocation Request | Transfer | Generic occupant-initiated move where you have not yet confirmed whether it is a transfer or a relocation. Confirm, then re-classify. |
| Temporary Relocation - Maintenance | Temporary Relocation | Works make the property unusable for a defined period; the occupant returns afterwards. Company-initiated, no fee, duration must be stated. |
| Permanent Relocation - Maintenance | Transfer | Works mean the occupant cannot return to that property at all. Company-initiated, no fee. |
| Temporary Transfer - Maintenance Team | Temporary Relocation | As above but a different room in the same property — raised by Maintenance rather than the occupant. |
| Permanent Transfer - Maintenance Team | Transfer | Permanent room change within the property, raised by Maintenance. No fee. |
| Council | Council | A council order or complaint forces the move. Same-day, Critical. No fee. |
| Return to Owner | Return to Owner | The property is going back to its landlord. The occupant must move; this is relocation support, not persuasion. No fee. |
| Maintenance Tasks - FYI | Maintenance Issue Monitoring - FYI | No retention action required. You are copied in so you know a maintenance issue exists on a property you may be handling. Monitor; do not contact the occupant about it unless it becomes a move-out risk. |
Transfer = same property. Relocation = different property. Temporary = they come back. Maintenance in the value name = company-initiated, which means no fee to the occupant and compensation may be owed. Read the value with that grammar and all eight of the middle rows decode themselves.
Three sources of a move-out notice
| Source | What it means | What you do differently |
|---|---|---|
| Occupant | The occupant submitted the notice themselves because they want to leave. | Full retention conversation. Use the Move Out Notice template. |
| Occupant Transition – Move Out | The occupant could not fill out the form, has already vacated without notice, or has been evicted. | Check whether retention is even possible. Already vacated or evicted → no contact attempts, endorse onward. |
| Finance Team | Triggered by arrears. Finance raises it as a move-out notice when the occupant reaches the arrears threshold with no payment. | This is an arrears case, not a normal move-out. Use the Arrears template and the Module 8 deadlines. |
An arrears-driven task and a voluntary move-out both show Form Reason: I want to provide my move out notice. They look identical at a glance. Two tells:
1. In the form answers, look for Please select applicable reason below = Move Out - Eviction Notice (lease violation), with Reason for the eviction = Non-payment of the occupancy fee (rent).
2. Check the comments. Finance pastes the full termination notice letter into the task — it cites Residential Tenancies Act 2010 section 88, and contains a table with the termination date, full name, house address, room code, days in arrears and total arrears, signed "Regards, Finance Team".
Misreading this and running a friendly "sorry to see you go, can we help?" conversation on an eviction-track arrears case is one of the most damaging mistakes you can make.
Two Asana screenshots showing (a) the Form Reason field row, and (b) the form-answer block with Move Out - Eviction Notice (lease violation) and Non-payment of the occupancy fee (rent). Both exist in GU CI RE 2 – Type of Retention Requests, slides 5 and 6, along with the full termination-notice comment screenshot.
Transfer, Relocation, Replacement — get these right
| Term | Definition | Who owns it afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer | The occupant moves to another room within the same property, keeping their tenancy active. | Retention keeps the case. No inspection needed — it is the same address. You run the whole thing and notify Occupant Transition – Move In only so they can issue the new lease. |
| Relocation | The occupant moves to another property within the CDA-managed portfolio. | Retention keeps the case and continues assisting through inspection and application. |
| Operational relocation | A company-initiated relocation requested by Maintenance (major works, layout restructuring) or Move Out (property closure / return to owner). | Retention, with the mandatory checklist below. No transfer fee to the occupant. |
| Replacement | A new occupant proposed by the existing one to fill their room because they are terminating early. | Retention screens the candidate, then Move In / Move Out. |
When the form says "I want to transfer", double-check what they actually mean. People routinely select transfer when they mean relocate to a different house. Confirming this in your first message saves you from routing the case to the wrong team.
The three reason categories
Once you know the case type, classify why. This single classification determines whether the case is winnable and whose problem it actually is.
Uncontrollable
- Returning to home country
- Visa expiring or denied
- Work contract ending
- Moving in with family or a partner
- End of lease, moving to another city for work
Nothing CDA could have done. Your job here is a clean, dignified exit and good feedback capture. Offer referrals and leave the door open for a return.
Controllable by Retention
- Looking for cheaper rent → offer more affordable rooms
- Wants to be nearer transport, work or university → share nearby properties
- Rent increase → discount or waiver path
- Retention failed to follow up in time
This is where your 15% comes from. Note that the last item is an admission that Retention itself lost the occupant — record it honestly.
Controllable by Internal Team
- Maintenance issues unresolved despite multiple reports
- Housemate or behavioural conflicts
- Cleanliness issues
- Wrong information given by a sales agent
These occupants should not be leaving. Escalate the underlying issue, keep the occupant informed, and record the category — this is the feedback that fixes the company.
In Asana this is the field Retention Unsuccessful, with exactly three values: Uncontrollable, Controllable - Retention, Controllable - Internal Issues. It is the most analytically important field on the entire board. Never leave it blank on a closed case.
Mandatory checklist: company-initiated relocations
When Maintenance, Move Out or another area asks Retention to move an occupant, that request is incomplete unless it contains all ten items below.
| Required information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Occupant data | Full name, property and room number |
| Reason for relocation | Clear description of why the relocation is needed |
| Type | Temporary or permanent — include estimated duration if temporary |
| Dates | Expected move-out date and ideal move-in date for the new location |
| Urgency level | Low / Medium / High / Critical |
| Occupant preferences | Preferred zones, budget range, room type, restrictions |
| Actions already taken | What has already been communicated or offered to the occupant |
| Occupant's attitude | How the occupant has responded to the relocation news |
| CDA staff first contacted | Name and role of the team member who first spoke with the occupant |
| Availability pre-check | Confirmation that availability in the requested zones has been verified before escalating |
Requests without this information will not be processed. Send it back to the requesting area. Accepting an incomplete relocation request creates delays and a poor experience for the occupant — and you will be the one who owns the delay.
SOP CI RE 01 Step 1 & Step 3 · PM CI RE 01 §5 Glossary, Step 4C mandatory checklist, §9.1 Decision Path · GU CI RE 2 Type of Retention Requests · GU CI RE 3 How to Handle Move Out Notices · GU CI RE 5 Handling Transfer and Relocation Requests · live Asana Retention Team board field values
Asana — Retention's System of Record
Asana is where a retention case lives, where your evidence is stored, and where the company reads your work. If it is not in Asana, it did not happen.
In this module
- Logging in, and what the five parts of the screen are
- The two boards Retention works in, and why one occupant produces one task in both
- The four lanes and all 27 sections of the Retention Team board
- How to read a task: the name convention, the Notes, the compliance verdict
- Exactly which fields you set after each attempt and at closure
- The archiving rule that must never be broken, and the known traps
The current Resident Retention Manual names HubSpot as the company-wide task and CRM platform, stating it replaces Asana. A migration is genuinely underway. However, Asana remains Retention's live system of record: the Retention Team board carries hundreds of open tasks, has sections created within the last few weeks, and is worked daily. Learn Asana now. When the migration completes, the concepts transfer directly — HubSpot's model is a ticket (one problem) containing tasks (sub-items assigned to different teams), with Retention as a category inside the same system rather than a separate pipeline.
Getting in
| URL | https://app.asana.com — or the Asana Desktop app, which sends you to your browser to verify credentials |
|---|---|
| Workspace | CDA's workspace ID is 1201789231542521. You will see this number in every task link and every form URL as &d=1201789231542521. It is the domain, not a project. |
| First screen | Home — your personal dashboard: work that's due, tasks you've assigned, drafts, goal progress |
The five areas of the screen
| Area | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Sidebar | Home, My tasks, Inbox, insights, starred items, teams, projects |
| Header | Actions and views for whatever project or view you are currently in — this is where you switch List / Board |
| Top bar | Search, create, settings, help |
| Main pane | The list or board of tasks |
| Task details pane | Everything about one task — description, custom fields, attachments, comments |
My tasks
Everything assigned to you. Anything assigned to you lands here automatically. Start your day here.
Inbox
Your notification centre. You get a notification when someone adds you to a task or project, @mentions you, or comments on something you follow. Check it before you check WhatsApp.
Project
A workflow. Retention lives in two of them. Views: List, Board, Timeline, Calendar — switch from the header.
The two boards you work in
| Project | Project ID | Who owns it | What Retention does there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retention Team | 1210587789196546 | Retention | Your primary board. All lanes, all retention fields, all your case work. |
| Off boarding team note the trailing space in the real name | 1206596901916034 | Occupant Transition – Move Out | Contains the money and refund fields, plus three Retention-owned sections: Retention - Ongoing / For Follow Up, Retention - Change Move Out Sched, Retention Success (Cancelled Move Out) |
One occupant produces one task that lives in both projects at once. This is called multi-homing; a task can belong to up to 20 projects. The consequence you must internalise: if you complete the task in one project, it is completed in all of them. Marking a move-out task complete from the Retention board also completes it on the Occupant Transition – Move Out board, where the team may still be waiting on a condition report and a bond refund.
The four lanes
The Retention Team board has 27 sections, but the structure is simple once you see it: four parallel lanes, each following the same Submitted → 1st Attempt → 2nd Attempt → 3rd Attempt → In Contact progression, plus a few catch-alls.
The catch-all sections, and when to use each
| Section | Move a task here when |
|---|---|
| Replacement Provided | The occupant has proposed a replacement candidate and you are screening or processing them. Keeps replacement cases out of the attempt lanes, where they would look stalled. |
| Temporary Relocation | The move is time-limited and the occupant will return to the original room or property. |
| Reach Out in the Future | There is a known future date to act on and nothing to do until then — most often an occupant who is temporarily away and intends to return (see Module 6). Set the date and move it here rather than leaving it in an attempt lane. |
| Transfer Request - Special Relocation concerns | A transfer or relocation with a complication that stops it following the normal path — an accessibility need, a restriction on where they can live, a pet, a court or council condition, or an unusual approval. Flags the case as needing judgement rather than the standard sequence. |
| For Eviction - Arrears | You have issued PROCEED on an arrears case. |
| Maintenance Issue Monitoring - FYI | You are informed of a maintenance issue but no retention action is required yet. |
| Archive - Completed | The Retention effort is concluded and all closure fields are set. Retention tasks only. |
The usage rules for Reach Out in the Future and Transfer Request - Special Relocation concerns are inferred from the board's structure — no SOP defines them. Confirm the intended use with the CI Lead and update this table.
These two lanes were created recently and are still nearly empty. Expect them to fill up. A Return to Owner case is not a retention failure — the property is leaving the portfolio and the occupant must move, so your job is a smooth relocation, not persuasion.
Reading a task
1 — The task name
Names follow an informal but consistent pattern:
<emoji flags> [BRACKET TAG] Room <n>, #<internal room id>, <address>, <Tenant Name>
🔵👍🏼🚻 [SHARED LEASE] Room 2, #1778, 190/2-26 Wattle Cres, Pyrmont, Sota Kanaya
Bracket tags and prefixes you will see: [SHARED LEASE], [WHOLE HOUSE], [Duplicate], KAS -, RBO, EOL, 💰 HOLD -, 📦 Permanent Relocation -, ➡️ PERM Room Transfer -.
2 — The Notes / Description
Asana writes the submitted form answers into the task description verbatim. This is your primary source of truth about what the occupant actually said. Read all of it before you make contact — including the Comments/Suggestions field, which is the occupant's own unfiltered voice.
3 — The compliance verdict you add
Retention appends a notice-compliance verdict to the bottom of the Notes in a consistent house style. Follow it:
✅ MOVE OUT NOTICE: Compliant — ON TIME NOTICE / NO BREAK FEE
❌ MOVE OUT NOTICE: Not compliant — followed by the amount, e.g. $270 (1 week's rent) + rent payable until August 24 to complete the required 4-week notice period
Also used: ✅ TENANT CHARGES, ✅ OCR REVIEWED:
The fields you must set
After every contact attempt
| Field | What you set it to |
|---|---|
| Reach Out Attempt | Which attempt this was and whether you got through: 1st Attempt - Notified (message sent, no reply) vs 1st Attempt - Contacted (they replied). Same pattern for 2nd and 3rd. Other values cover edge cases: Uncontacted, Evicted / Non-Renewal, Urgent Move Out (3 days notice), Already left. |
| Retention Contact Status | The rolled-up contact state: Notified, Notified - 2nd Attempt, Contacted, Notified - No Response, Move Out Cancelled, FYI only, and the various Uncontacted - … reasons. |
| Did you reach out via call? | Yes - answered · Yes - unanswered · Yes - direct to vm · N/A (Responsive via WA) · N/A. This is the field that proves you made the mandatory phone call. |
| A comment | The actual evidence. See below. |
"All actions done, including calls, emails, and messages, must be documented in the Asana task's comment section, with complete details and screenshots of the action, for traceability and accountability."
Practically: after each WhatsApp attempt, screenshot the conversation and paste it straight into the comment box — Asana accepts pasted images from your clipboard. Add one line of context: what you offered, what they said. Same day, every time.
At closure
| Field | What it records |
|---|---|
| Retention Status | The headline: Retention Successful · Retention Unsuccessful · Transfer Request Initiated by Occupant Unsuccessful · Assisted by the Leasing managers · Task issued after the tenant has moved out · Urgent move out (3 days notice) |
| Retention Successful - Reason | The specific outcome — despite its name this field holds both successful and unsuccessful outcomes. It is the de-facto final-outcome field. e.g. Move Out Cancelled, Permanently Relocated, Replacement Provided, Paid Rent Arrears, Retention Unsuccessful - No response from tenant. |
| Retention Unsuccessful - Reason | The detailed loss reason — 43 values, from Rent Increase and Maintenance Issues to Visa Denied / Expired and Already secured room outside CDA. Pick the closest true value; do not default to "No Response" if you know the real reason. |
| Retention Unsuccessful | The controllability classifier. Three values only: Uncontrollable · Controllable - Retention · Controllable - Internal Issues. Never leave blank. |
| Retention - Tenant Feedback | What the occupant actually told you about their experience. This is the field CI reads. |
| Tone of Conversation | Positive · Neutral · Negative · N/A · Uncontacted |
| Returning Chance | Yes · No · Neutral · N/A — would they come back to CDA? |
| Type of Feedback | Positive · Negative · Neutral · N/A · Feedback Not Received |
| Filed a Report regarding the Issue of the Tenant? | Whether a maintenance or drama report was raised — and if not, why not. |
| Retention - Completion Date and Closing date | Dates. Fill both. |
| Retention Comment and Breakdown | Free text. Your narrative of the case. Write it for the person who reads this in six months. |
The archiving rule
A move-out notice can generate two tasks: a Move-Out task and a Retention task. The Retention Specialist archives only the Retention task, once the retention effort is concluded. The Occupant Transition – Move Out remains responsible for the Move-Out task until every step of their process is complete — condition reports, cleaning, charges, bond refund.
For arrears cases: the Finance / AR Team updates the final outcome and archives the task, not you. Your deliverable on an arrears case is the decision, not the closure.
Finding things again
- Full-text search — click the search bar, type a keyword, then press Enter or "View all results" to search across every text field including descriptions and comments. This is how you find an occupant by their email address or phone number, since those live in the Notes.
- Operators — "exact phrase" · | for OR · * prefix wildcard · - to exclude
- Saved searches — clicking the search bar surfaces Tasks I've created, Tasks I've assigned to others, and Recently completed tasks
- Completed tasks are not gone. By default only incomplete tasks show in projects and My tasks. Filter to show completed to find them — they stay in their section.
Known traps on this board
- Who Forwarded the Request (a dropdown) is a different field from Who Forward The Task (a people picker). Two similarly named fields, different purposes.
- Retention Successful - Reason contains unsuccessful values too. Do not assume from the field name.
- NPS is scored 1–5, not 0–10, despite being called NPS. A "3" is not a passive — it is mid-scale.
- Who Forwarded the Request has both Occupant and Occupants as options. Pick one and be consistent.
- The house address dropdown has near-duplicates — 12 White Street, Strathfield vs 12 White St, Strathfield. Choose carefully or the property reporting breaks.
- Related Processes is the only multi-select field. You can and should tick more than one.
- Room Status, Move Out Reason, NPS, Relocation Option and Move out notice live on the Occupant Transition – Move Out board only — you cannot edit them from the Retention board.
The forms, in one place
| Form | Use it for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant Move Out Notice | Occupant-submitted move-out or transfer | Open |
| Retention Team | Internal relocation request | Open |
| Tenant's Maintenance Request | Issue raised by the occupant | Open |
| CDA Team Maintenance Request | Issue noticed by internal staff | Open |
| Tenant's Drama Form | Housemate / behavioural / shared-area issues | Open |
| CDA Occupant Transition – Move Out Internal | Occupant Transition – Move Out internal submissions | Open |
SOP CI RE 01 specifies Tango walkthroughs for Asana that have not yet been built: Filling out the Move-Out Notice Form, Filing a Maintenance Ticket, Filing to the Drama Form, Updating an Asana Task for Contact Attempts, Updating an Asana Task when forwarding to another team, Replacement Case Tracking. When they exist, link them here. Until then, this module is the reference.
Live Asana Retention Team board (project 1210587789196546) and Off boarding team board (1206596901916034), read 29 July 2026 · SOP CI RE 01 §5.2 Step 5 Archiving Rules, §6 Process in Software · PM CI RE 01 §12 Tools & Systems · Asana Help Center (navigating Asana, board view, task comments & attachments, task fields, search)
WhatsApp for Business — Reaching the Occupant
WhatsApp is how Retention actually reaches people. It is fast, occupants read it, and it produces a screenshot you can attach as evidence. But WhatsApp is a channel, not a record — the record is always Asana.
In this module
- CDA's channel hierarchy, and where WhatsApp sits in it
- Lists and Labels: how to organise your occupants, and the real limits
- Quick replies: what you can and cannot do on WhatsApp Web
- Which template goes with which request type
The channel hierarchy
| Channel | Role | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp for Business | Retention's proactive outbound channel | Contact attempts, follow-ups, offers, virtual inspections via video call. Retention uses this because it is simply the most effective way to reach people. |
| Respond.io (WhatsApp API) | The company's primary conversational platform — Retention has access | Occupants are told this is the official channel to write in on. Use it to review an occupant's communication history before you contact them, and to pick up inbound conversations. |
| PropertyMe | Secondary / formal channel | Formal and legal communication: lease notices, arrears notifications, entry notices, bond claims, final billing. Also the email + SMS fallback when an occupant is unresponsive. |
| Phone call | Mandatory escalation step | The follow-up call before you declare a case unsuccessful is not optional. See Module 6. |
| Google Chat | Internal only | Team-to-team coordination. Never occupant-facing. |
Whichever channel you use, every interaction must be recorded against the case. For Retention today that means a comment in the Asana task with the details and a screenshot, on the same day. A perfect WhatsApp conversation that never reaches Asana is, for audit and handover purposes, a conversation that never happened.
Lists and Labels — organising your occupants
Meta is renaming Labels to Lists in the WhatsApp Business app. Depending on your app version you will see one or the other. They are the same feature. Learn both words so you are not lost whichever build you are on.
How to create one
In the mobile Business app:
Settings → Business tools → Labels (or Lists) → Add new label → name it → Save.
Or: open a chat → ⋮ → Label chat → pick an existing label or create a new one.
How to apply one
Tap and hold the chat → Label → select. A chat can carry several labels and they display side by side.
On WhatsApp Web / Desktop you can view, apply and filter chats by label — which is the part that actually saves you time.
The limits
- 20 labels total — 5 defaults plus 15 custom
- Name up to 60 characters
- 20 colours
- At 20 you must delete or consolidate before adding more
You cannot create or edit the label set from WhatsApp Web or Desktop. Creating and editing labels is a mobile Business app action; they then sync to web. If you need a new label, do it on the phone.
A working label scheme for Retention
CDA does not yet have a documented WhatsApp label taxonomy. The classification the team already uses in its attempt tracker maps cleanly onto labels, so start here and get it signed off:
| Suggested label | Apply when | What it lets you do |
|---|---|---|
| Awaiting Response | You have sent an attempt and heard nothing back | Filter this list at the start of each day to find who is due a follow-up |
| Ongoing Conversation | The occupant is actively replying | These are your live saves — never let one go cold |
| Return to Owner | The property is leaving the portfolio | Different conversation entirely — relocation, not persuasion |
| Beyond Retention Control | Confirmed uncontrollable reason | Stop spending effort; capture feedback and close cleanly |
| Arrears | Finance-origin case on a deadline clock | These have hard dates — never treat them as ordinary follow-ups |
This label scheme is a proposal derived from the team's existing status vocabulary, not an approved standard. Confirm the final list with the CI Lead, then update this module. Also still undocumented and worth deciding: which WhatsApp number Retention uses, who has access to it, and how access is granted and revoked.
Quick replies
A quick reply is a saved message you fire with a keyboard shortcut. They exist so you never retype the same explanation twice — and so the whole team says the same thing.
How to use one
Type / in the message box, then the shortcut name — e.g. /RentArrears. The saved message appears. Review it, personalise it, then send.
This works on WhatsApp Web. Press / and the saved-replies list pops up.
How to create one
Mobile Business app only: ⋮ → Business tools → Quick replies → + → enter the message text → set the shortcut → Save.
You cannot create or edit quick replies from WhatsApp Web, and you cannot attach media to one from Web.
The limits
- Maximum 50 quick replies
- Shortcut up to 25 characters, and no spaces — /openinghours works, /opening hours does not
- Message up to 500 characters
Several of the approved retention templates are longer than 500 characters. Those cannot live as a quick reply — keep them in the Message Templates sheet and paste them. Use quick replies for the short, high-frequency answers.
The quick replies currently configured
Four have documented text. Ten more exist in the app but their text has never been written down anywhere — capture them and complete this table.
| Shortcut | Purpose | Text |
|---|---|---|
| /RentArrears | 1st arrears attempt | ✅ Documented — see Module 8 |
| /10RentArrears | Day-10 arrears follow-up | ✅ Documented — see Module 8 |
| /SSRentArrears | Request a payment screenshot | ✅ Documented — see Module 8 |
| /review | Ask for a positive review | ✅ Documented — see Module 6 |
| /Maintenance | Maintenance issue acknowledgement | ⏳ Pending capture from the app |
| /Bond | Security deposit refund timeframe | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /RentRoom | Enquiry from someone looking for a room | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /RequestCloser | Thank-you / closing a request | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /BondTransfer | Bond is safe when relocating within CDA | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /MoveOutNoWantRelocation | Move-out where they decline relocation | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /CleaningComplaint | Cleaning complaint — priority clean raised | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /SoFar | Alternatives available so far | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /1RelocMainte | 1st maintenance-driven relocation contact | ⏳ Pending capture |
| /2RelocMaintePerma | Follow-up where they prefer a permanent move | ⏳ Pending capture |
Quick replies support {{first_name}}. Use it — but always read the message back before sending. Several templates in the Message Templates sheet have broken placeholders that render as "Hello, !" with no name. That single missing name undoes the whole point of a personalised approach.
Which template for which request
| Request type | Template family | Covered in |
|---|---|---|
| Move-out notice from an occupant | Move Out Notice template — 1st, 2nd, 3rd attempt | Module 6 |
| Transfer or relocation request | Relocation template | Module 6 |
| Arrears case from Finance | Arrears template | Module 8 |
| Property returning to its owner | Return to Owner template | Module 6 |
"Always ensure that the message you send to the occupant is aligned with their request, or as closely connected as possible. Always personalize your message whenever possible. A tailored and empathetic response greatly increases retention success."
And critically: check the Asana comments first. If the occupant has already been contacted about this same case, do not resend the same template. Write an impromptu follow-up that continues the conversation naturally. Nothing signals "you are a ticket, not a person" faster than receiving the same form message twice.
Three WhatsApp screenshots already exist in GU CI RE 3 – How to Handle Move Out Notices, slide 8: (a) the Settings → Messaging → Quick replies row with the lightning-bolt icon, and (b, c) two panels of the Quick replies list showing all shortcut names with their message previews. Add a fourth showing the Labels / Lists screen once the taxonomy is approved.
PR CI MS 03 Communication Management §6 Official Communication Channels, Backup & Traceability Rule · SOP CI RE 03 Step 1 & Step 2 · GU CI RE 3 slides 7–8 · Message Templates sheet (Code in WA column) · WhatsApp Business Help Center and Meta's "Staying organized as a small business using Lists and quick replies" · limits corroborated across multiple 2026 sources — confirm the label cap and menu path on the build CDA actually runs before publishing
The Retention Conversation
This is the craft of the job. Everything else is process; this is the part where an occupant either feels heard and stays, or feels processed and leaves.
In this module
- Preparing before you type a single word
- The contact timetable — and the exceptions people forget
- Root cause to remedy: the four mappings
- Tone: what to say, and the phrases that are forbidden
- Every approved script, verbatim
- The answers to the questions occupants always ask
Step 1 — Prepare, then contact
Before you initiate contact, retrieve the case in Asana and review:
- Payment history and arrears — is there money in the background you need to know about?
- Maintenance issues or complaints — has this person been let down already?
- Communication history in Respond.io or elsewhere — what have they already been told?
- Length of stay and rental rate — a three-year occupant on an old rate is a different conversation from a three-month occupant
Then analyse for patterns — repeated maintenance delays, roommate conflicts — and prepare your solutions, negotiation options and talking points before you make contact.
"Every occupant's situation is unique and must be evaluated individually. Each case should be approached with a personalized strategy, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution."
The contact timetable
1. The first attempt is made the same day the move-out notice is received. Subsequent attempts follow after a one-working-day interval, each with its own call.
2. If the task arrives within one hour before the end of your shift, make the first attempt the following business day.
3. If it arrives within one hour before the end of shift on a Friday, the first attempt is on Monday.
And the rule that changes everything: a message on its own is not an attempt. See below.
Each of the three attempts is a WhatsApp message and a phone call. You do not send three messages and call once at the end — you call on attempt one, attempt two and attempt three.
If the occupant does not answer, call a second time before you close that attempt out.
This exists because it works. A message is easy to ignore and easy to postpone; a voice conversation is where you actually find out why someone is leaving and what would make them stay. Three unanswered messages with no call is not three attempts — it is zero.
Record the call every time in the Asana field Did you reach out via call?, and log the outcome in the task comments.
The minimum contact set
Across the whole case, not just the WhatsApp thread:
3 messages, one per attempt, sent on different days and — where possible — at different times of day. Someone who never answers at 10am may answer at 7pm.
Phone — one per attempt
A call on every attempt, so at least 3 across the case. If they do not answer, call twice before closing that attempt. This is the single change most likely to save a case.
1 email summarising the situation, the outstanding amount if applicable, and the next steps.
Root cause → remedy
| Reason for moving out | What you offer |
|---|---|
| Financial concerns general affordability | More affordable room options, or flexible payment terms. Within your authority: a discount up to $10 or 4% of weekly rent, whichever is higher. Above that → CI Lead. |
| A rent increase specifically | Request a rent increase waiver from the Sales Team or the Co-Owner — not the CI Lead. If approved, discuss the approved waiver with the occupant; if they agree, cancel the move-out. If refused or declined, propose a transfer or relocation instead. |
| Maintenance issues | Coordinate with Maintenance to expedite the repair, or propose a transfer / relocation to a better-maintained room. Do not just promise the repair — offer both paths. |
| Relocation / location | Explore available properties closer to their workplace or preferred amenities. Many occupants have no idea how large the portfolio is. |
| Personal or roommate conflict | A room transfer within the same property if they are in a shared room, or relocation to a different location for improved living conditions. Engage Resident Support for the dispute itself. |
Four things to get right when you present options
- Occupant profile — identify whether they prioritise affordability, comfort, privacy or convenience, and lead with that.
- Availability and feasibility — confirm the room is actually available and ready before you offer it. Offering a room that turns out to be gone destroys trust faster than having nothing to offer.
- Pricing and value — "Highlight the overall value for money, not just the lower cost. Emphasize benefits such as safety, cleanliness, and convenient location. Use positive, benefit-focused language." The tone guideline is blunt about this: avoid immediate discounts; position value first.
- Present two or more realistic options — a single take-it-or-leave-it offer feels like an ultimatum. Two options give a sense of flexibility and choice.
"Always confirm the occupant's interest before proceeding with formal offers." Do not submit an application, book an inspection or reserve a room on an assumption.
Tone
| Context | Tone | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Informational communication | Clear, neutral, structured | Facts, steps, timelines |
| Concern or complaint handling | Calm, empathetic, solution-oriented | Acknowledgment, resolution, reassurance |
| Negotiation or sensitive discussions | Firm but respectful | Transparency, boundaries, options |
| Internal communication | Professional yet collaborative | Alignment, clarity, accountability |
✓ Use these
- "We will coordinate and update you by [date]."
- "Thank you for raising this concern."
- "Here are the available options for your consideration."
- "We understand your concern and are working on a resolution."
- "The next step is [action] and the responsible person is [name]."
✕ Never say these
- "That's not our responsibility."
- "You should have read your agreement."
- "We cannot do anything about this."
- Vague commitments like "someone will look into it" with no name and no timeframe
- Slang or overly casual language in formal communication
GU CI RE 01 lists under Practices to Avoid: "use of slang, informal abbreviations, or overly casual language in formal communication". Asana comments and email are formal communication; WhatsApp is not, but it is still professional.
The three rules below are how the team works and they are good advice, but they are not written in GU CI RE 01 or PR CI MS 03. Treat them as recommended practice pending the CI Lead confirming them in the guideline:
Emoji — keep them out of email, Asana comments and PropertyMe notes. On WhatsApp they are fine, and the approved templates use them.
Never respond when frustrated — draft, review, then send.
Never contradict a colleague's communication without escalating first — go to the colleague or the CI Lead before correcting them in front of the occupant.
Bond deduction dispute — "high-risk scenario, avoid defensive tone." Acknowledge, review the evidence, explain the deductions clearly, allow clarification.
Early move-out / break fee — "introduce alternatives early." Do not lead with the fee; lead with the replacement-tenant option and then explain the fee.
Arrears — "balance firmness with support." Payment reminders — "keep tone non-threatening."
The approved scripts
The originals in the Message Templates sheet are hard-coded with one specialist's name. They are reproduced here with [Your Name] so the whole team can use them. Substitute your own name, and fill every bracket before sending.
The mandatory email
The minimum contact set includes one email, and it is the contact new starters most often skip because no template exists for it. Send it from your CDA email address, or via PropertyMe where the matter is formal. It must contain three things:
CDA has no approved email template for this contact — the one above is drafted from the three elements SOP CI RE 01 requires. Have the CI Lead approve a standard version, and confirm whether it should go out from your CDA address or from PropertyMe.
When an occupant is only leaving temporarily
Not every departure is a move-out. When an occupant tells you they are leaving for a while — a holiday, a trip home, a work placement — and intend to return, this is its own sub-process, and it is one of the easiest saves available to you.
| # | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm their intention to return and the expected return date. |
| 2 | Create a reminder task in Asana for that return date. This is what the Reach Out in the Future board section is for — move the task there so it does not sit in an attempt lane looking abandoned. |
| 3 | On the return date, contact the occupant via WhatsApp to confirm their plans. |
| 4 | Use that call to offer support, address any concerns, and confirm whether they intend to stay, transfer, or move out. |
| 5 | Update Asana with the occupant's confirmed intention. |
An occupant who liked living at CDA and left for three months is a warm lead, not a lost one. The only thing that loses them is nobody making the call on the return date. Note that Going on a vacation and Will go on a vacation are real values in the Asana loss-reason fields — meaning CDA has recorded people as lost who were only ever going away temporarily.
The questions occupants always ask
Answer these consistently. Inconsistent answers between team members are a major source of disputes.
The move-out process
| They ask | You say |
|---|---|
| How much notice do I need to give? | "Under the lease terms, a 3–4 week notice is generally required. This allows us enough time to schedule inspections, coordinate replacements, and finalize your account." |
| Is my message enough, or do I need written notice? | "To make sure everything is properly recorded, please send a written notice through Respond.IO or email — this helps us document your request accurately." |
| What happens if I move out earlier than the notice period? | "If you move out earlier, a break fee may apply, as specified in your lease. Let's review your contract together so we can explain the exact details." |
| Do I still pay rent during my notice period? | "Yes, rent continues until your official move-out date. This ensures your tenancy remains active and your notice period is fully honored." |
Money
| They ask | You say |
|---|---|
| When will I get my bond / security deposit back? | "Your [bond / security deposit] is processed after the final inspection and once all outstanding amounts (if any) are cleared. You'll receive confirmation once the refund request has been submitted." Say bond for a residential tenancy agreement, security deposit for an occupancy agreement. |
| Will there be deductions for cleaning or maintenance? | "Deductions apply only if there's damage or cleaning needed beyond normal wear and tear. We'll share the inspection report and inform you before any deductions are made." |
| How is the break fee calculated? | "The break fee is a set amount stated in your lease for early termination. We'll review your lease and confirm the exact calculation to ensure transparency." |
Staying with CDA
| They ask | You say |
|---|---|
| Can I move to another CDA property instead? | "Absolutely — we'd be happy to explore relocation options within CDA. We'll check availability and find a property that fits your needs and budget." |
| Will my rent or deposit transfer if I relocate? | "If you relocate within CDA, your advance rent and your [bond / security deposit] may be transferable upon approval. We'll confirm this once your new application is processed." |
| Can I find someone to take over my room? | "Yes, you can suggest a replacement occupant. Once you provide their details, our team will verify their eligibility and guide them through the application process." |
| What if my replacement backs out — do I still pay the break fee? | "If the replacement doesn't proceed, the lease terms remain active until a new occupant is confirmed. We'll work closely with you to minimize any impact or fees." |
| I've changed my mind and want to stay. | "That's wonderful to hear! Please let us know as soon as possible so the Retention Team can review your case and discuss available stay options." |
If an occupant raises a payment or account matter with you and it belongs to Finance: "I'll refer this to our Finance Team who can check your account and contact you directly." Avoid discussing account details outside Finance.
On break fees, be direct rather than evasive: "A break fee applies if you end your lease early. Let me explain how it works."
SOP CI RE 03 Steps 1–6 and cadence rules · SOP CI RE 01 Step 2 minimum contact attempts · GU CI RE 01 Tone and Language Guidelines (core principles, tone standards, recommended and forbidden phrases, response guide matrix) · GU CI RE 0X Common Occupant Questions · Message Templates sheet, Retention tabs
Transfers, Relocations, Replacements and Inspections
This is Retention's most powerful tool. An occupant who was going to leave CDA entirely instead moves to a different room or house and stays a paying occupant. Get the fees and the handover right and everybody wins.
In this module
- Who owns the case after a transfer vs a relocation
- Screening a replacement candidate — New, Previous, Current
- Remote vs in-person inspections, and the rules for each
- The fee — and the two situations where it is waived
- Submitting the application and handing over cleanly
Routing: who keeps the case
Retention previously forwarded transfers to Onboarding once the occupant confirmed. That no longer happens. Retention now owns transfers and relocations end to end: the search, the inspection, the fee, the application and the coordination of the move.
The one thing you do not do is issue the lease. Occupant Transition – Move In issues the new lease and registers the occupant in the new room. You notify them so they can do that — but the case, and the occupant, stay with you.
You remain the occupant's single point of contact from first message to move-in day. If the occupant is asking someone else for updates, something has gone wrong.
Screening a replacement candidate
When an occupant terminating early proposes someone to take their room, you must determine the candidate's status before you communicate with them.
| Status | What you check | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| NEW never been a CDA occupant | Standard screening only | Proceed with the contact attempt. |
| PREVIOUS has stayed with CDA before | Check their history against the Blacklisted Tenants list | Not blacklisted → proceed. Blacklisted → ask the occupant for a different candidate. If they provide one, repeat the whole New / Previous / Current check. If they cannot, ensure they understand the break fee in their signed lease agreement. |
| CURRENT already a CDA occupant elsewhere | Review their occupancy history | Satisfactory record → this is no longer a replacement, it becomes a Transfer or Relocation depending on the room involved. Unsatisfactory → ask for another candidate and repeat the check; if none, explain the break fee. |
If contact with a replacement is unsuccessful, you may either request another replacement or proceed with the move-out — "particularly if the case has already taken considerable time or involves a second or subsequent replacement attempt." You are not obliged to screen an endless stream of candidates. If you stop, make sure the occupant fully understands the break fee stated in their signed lease agreement.
Inspections
Remote inspection — the default
The occupant visits the property alone while you guide them by video call. Offer this first, always.
- You generate a temporary access code, valid only for the inspection window
- The occupant arrives and enters using the code
- A video call must be active at all times during the visit
- They may view the common areas and the available room
- The call ends only once they have left and the door is closed
- The access code is cancelled automatically at the end of the window
- The occupant must not remove, damage or take any items
Send them the Remote Inspection Guide before the visit.
In-person inspection
Only when the occupant explicitly asks to view the property in person, accompanied on site. A Sales specialist attends to show the space.
- Check the Sales team's inspection calendar for Sydney
- Book following the Sales team's inspection process
- Add the occupant to the Inspection Schedule in IRE (Inspect Real Estate)
- Send the Leasing Manager: tenant name, contact number, room details, inspection date and time
- State clearly that this is a transfer/relocation case, not a new sale
- The case never leaves Retention — the specialist only attends to show the room
Do not offer an accompanied visit as your default. The standard option is the remote inspection, which you run yourself.
You involve a Sales specialist only when the occupant explicitly asks to see the property in person, with someone there on site. If they simply want to see the room, offer the remote inspection first — it is faster for them and it costs CDA nothing.
Even then, the specialist is only there to open the door and show the space. They do not take over the case.
If there is no existing or upcoming inspection you can attach the occupant to, you must consult the CI Lead for approval to book a Leasing Manager, because it incurs a cost. If approved, create the schedule in IRE and coordinate the details. If declined, the CI Lead makes the final decision on how to proceed. Do not book one on your own initiative.
What to prepare before a remote inspection
- Empty rooms, bathrooms, laundry area, kitchen — have all four ready to show. These are the four things occupants judge a share house on.
- Prices for every room you show. "Always ensure that the prices of each room that you show are available." Showing a room you cannot price wastes the inspection.
- Floorplan photos and room / common-area photos
- Current data from the NEW CDA Rental Portfolio Rep spreadsheet — advertising rent, available rooms, access codes
Offer available rooms first, especially if the occupant needs to move immediately. Offer upcoming rooms only if the timing is not urgent. Align expectations with actual availability before proposing anything — this is the single most common source of a failed relocation.
The fee, and when it is waived
| Situation | What the occupant pays |
|---|---|
| Occupant requests the transfer or relocation themselves | 1 week's advance rent for the new room + $150 transfer fee |
| Company-initiated — Maintenance works, property closure, return to owner, council order | No transfer fee. Compensation for the inconvenience must be proposed and approved by the CI Lead. |
| Issue confirmed as the company's fault, less than a week after move-in | $150 fee waived — this is the one waiver within your own authority |
| Retention-driven — the occupant was going to move out and you converted them Urgent or maintenance-related — raised by internal teams | Training decks (GU CI RE 5) state the fee is waived in both cases. The Retention & Negotiation Policy does not contain either waiver. Treat these as requiring CI Lead approval until the Policy is updated — see the callout below. |
GU CI RE 5 teaches that the fee is waived when the transfer is initiated to retain an occupant who was planning to move out, or when the move stems from urgent or maintenance-related concerns raised internally. This is almost certainly how the team operates in practice.
However, the Retention & Negotiation Policy contains exactly one transfer-fee waiver — company's fault, within a week of move-in — and SOP CI RE 02 simply says to "refer to the Retention and Negotiation Policy to determine if the waiver of the transfer fee is applicable". So there is no documented authority for the retention-driven waiver, and no named approver.
Until this is reconciled: do not tell an occupant the fee is waived on retention grounds without CI Lead approval. Note also that a waiver applies to the $150 fee, not to the week's advance rent for the new room — advance rent is not a fee.
"This ensures we can cover any remaining charges left in their previous room through the transfer fee — so deductions from their bond can be avoided." The fee is not a penalty. It protects the occupant's bond. Framed that way, most occupants accept it.
If an occupant asks whether their bond transfers: "your advance rent and bond may be transferable upon approval. We'll confirm this once your new application is processed." Do not promise it outright — it needs approval.
Submitting the application
When to submit
- The occupant has confirmed the transfer or relocation
- Fees are approved or the waiver is confirmed
- The new property and room are confirmed
- No pending arrears or unresolved issues — check before you submit
The eight things every application must contain
- Tenant full name
- Current property address
- New property and room number
- Move-out and move-in dates
- Transfer / relocation reason
- Payment details — 1 week advance + transfer fee, if applicable
- Confirmation of waiver, if approved
- Supporting evidence — screenshots, chat confirmation, photos
Handing over
| Who | What you must do |
|---|---|
| Occupant Transition – Move In | Submit the Move In form with all occupant details. Tag or message them in Asana after submission. Provide complete details and attachments to avoid back-and-forth. If it is a relocation, highlight that clearly in the comments. For urgent moves, also message them on WhatsApp. |
| Occupant Transition – Move Out | Tag the responsible person in the occupant's Move Out task in Asana so they can ensure the ICR and OCR are completed for all rooms involved — the room being left and the room being taken. |
| If a contract extension is agreed instead | Notify Move Out the same day by tagging the responsible person in the Move Out task. |
Ensure a smooth handover to Occupant Transition – Move In. Incomplete applications generate back-and-forth that the occupant experiences as delay — and the occupant blames you, not Occupant Transition – Move In, because you are their point of contact.
A Tango walkthrough exists for this step: "How to Submit a Transfer or Relocation to Occupant Transition – Move In" — app.tango.us/app/workflow/How-to-Submit-a-Transfer-or-Relocation-to-Occupant Transition – Move In-105bd8938d5a4347a7f4ccec1904bb28. It is the official click-by-click reference. Verify the link is still live before relying on it.
SOP CI RE 02 Steps 1–6 (Replacement Handling, Transfer/Relocation Handling, Inspection, Application, Completion) · PM CI RE 01 Step 4C and Inspection Types · GU CI RE 5 Handling Transfer and Relocation Requests · GU CI RE 6 Submitting Applications · Retention & Negotiation Policy (transfer fee waiver authority) · CDA Remote Inspection Guide
Rent Arrears
Arrears cases are the highest-stakes work Retention does. A person's home is at risk, the deadlines are hard, and the decision to proceed to eviction is Retention's to make. There is no room for improvisation here.
In this module
- When Retention may get involved — and what is not your job
- The whole arrears clock, from rent due day to collections agency
- The two occupant classes, and why every deadline forks
- Internal error vs valid arrears
- Payment plans: the exact structure you may offer
- The HOLD / PROCEED signal
Retention does NOT identify or monitor arrears. Arrears cases are exclusively detected and initiated by the Finance / Accounts Receivable Team.
Endorsement to Retention happens only after AR has completed all standard collection activities and the occupant is either unresponsive, or responding but unwilling to settle. If you find yourself chasing an occupant about money before AR has asked you to, you are outside the process.
Explicitly not Retention's job
- Reviewing or explaining payment histories, past transactions, or payment patterns — that is AR
- Handling direct occupant replies to AR's arrears communications — those go back to AR
- Detecting or monitoring arrears
- Monitoring payment compliance once a plan is agreed — you hand that to AR
The whole arrears clock
You only ever see a case at Day 11 or Day 13. Knowing the full timeline tells you what the occupant has already been through before you message them — by the time you make contact, they have had a final reminder, an arrears notice, a final warning and a termination notice.
| Day | What happens | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Rent due date. AR monitors postings in PropertyMe. | AR |
| Day 1–3 | Grace period — no formal arrears action | AR |
| Day 2 | Final Reminder auto-issued via PropertyMe | System |
| Day 4 | Arrears Notice via PropertyMe with outstanding amount and late fees. First manual follow-up by phone or WhatsApp. Payment verification cross-checked against PropertyMe, Xero and bank feeds. | AR |
| Day 6 (new room) Day 7 (existing room, all residential) | Final Warning. For rooms this must include next week's rent, i.e. two weeks' charges. | AR |
| Day 7 (new room) Day 10 (existing room, all residential) | Termination Notice issued by the AR Team Leader. An Asana task is created notifying both Retention and Occupant Transition – Move Out. AR does not offer instalment plans; promise-to-pay arrangements are accepted only up to the eviction date. | AR Team Leader |
| Day 11 (new room) Day 13 (existing room, all residential) | Endorsement to Retention via Asana, with the rental ledger, payment history, communication logs and behavioural notes attached. Your clock starts here. | AR → Retention |
| Day 12 (new room) Day 15 (existing room, all residential) | Retention reviews the case — validating AR's communication history, follow-up actions, payment verification and escalation compliance — then issues HOLD or PROCEED, documented in Asana. | Retention |
| Day 14 (new room) Day 17 (existing room) Day 24 (residential) | Eviction executed | Occupant Transition – Move Out + Operations |
| Day 28 | Unpaid post-eviction accounts endorsed to the Third-Party Collecting Agency (TPCA), which reports back weekly. Governed by SOP FI AR 03 — TPCA Management & Write-Off. | AR Team Leader |
Three tracks, not two — check the tenancy type first
The first question is is this a room, or a residential / whole-house tenancy? Only then does it matter whether the occupant is new or existing. Getting this order wrong is the most dangerous mistake in this module: a new residential occupant looks like a 2-week-deposit case and would appear to be one day from eviction, when in fact they are on the Day 13 → Day 15 → Day 24 track and you have eleven days more than you thought.
| Milestone | New occupant ROOM2-week deposit | Existing occupant ROOM3-week deposit | New or existing RESIDENTIALwhole house / apartment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsed to Retention — your clock starts | Day 11 | Day 13 | Day 13 |
| Retention contact window | Day 11 – 12 | Day 13 – 15 | Day 13 – 15 |
| Promise to Pay window | Day 11 – 12 | Day 13 – 15 | Day 13 – 15 |
| Deadline to demand full settlement | before Day 12 | before Day 15 | before Day 15 |
| Final phone call if no response | on Day 12 | on Day 15 | on Day 15 |
| HOLD / PROCEED decision due | Day 12 | Day 15 | Day 15 |
| Eviction executed if PROCEED | Day 14 | Day 17 | Day 24 |
Some training decks quote "Day 10, contact before Day 15" as a single universal window. That is a simplification and it is wrong for two of the three tracks. The deadlines above — from SOP CI RE 04 and SOP FI AR 01 — are authoritative. Treating every arrears case the same means you either act too late, or you escalate someone toward eviction before their deadline has arrived.
Contact cadence for arrears
- First attempt: the same day the task is assigned to Retention. Same shift-end and Friday exceptions as Module 6.
- Subsequent attempts fall inside your track's contact window — Day 11–12, or Day 13–15.
- Minimum two attempts, maximum three, depending on the case.
- If no response by the end of your window: make a follow-up phone call before deciding on eviction.
A Day 11–12 window is two calendar days. If the task reaches you late on a Friday, the shift-end exception pushes your first attempt to Monday — by which point the window has closed. Follow the rule, but escalate the timing conflict to the CI Lead the same day rather than letting an occupant reach a PROCEED decision without a single retention contact.
A move-out case is 3 attempts at one-working-day intervals, and the timeline flexes. An arrears case is 2–3 attempts compressed into a fixed 2–3 day calendar window that ends in eviction. The pace and the stakes are different. Do not run an arrears case on move-out rhythm.
First-time or repeat?
When the arrears report arrives in Asana, verify the details — days overdue, occupant name, contact details, prior notes — and determine whether this is a first-time or a repeat occurrence. This determines the tone and template you use.
First time
Use the preset initial-message template. Assume it may genuinely be an oversight.
Repeat occurrence
Prepare a personalised message. Reference the previous arrangement. Sending the same generic template to someone in arrears for the third time signals that nobody is really watching.
Two branches: internal error, or valid arrears
Branch 1 — Internal error suspected
Coordinate with AR to cross-check all relevant records: payment receipts, bank statements, and any proof of payment the occupant provided.
If it is confirmed as CDA's error:
- Correct the data immediately
- Inform the occupant politely — but never disclose the reason
- Update the Asana task with the correction and attach the supporting evidence
- Mark the case Closed in Asana
Branch 2 — Valid arrears
- Verify the unpaid balance reflects actual rent due
- Ask the occupant for clarification about the missed payment
- Request proof of payment if they claim they have already settled
- If it resolves immediately — payment verified or made — record it in Asana, confirm with AR, close the case
- If unresolved, move to negotiation
Negotiation: what you may offer
Which word you use depends on the occupant's contract type. Getting it wrong in writing creates a dispute you will have to unpick later.
Bond — applies to residential tenancy agreements only.
Security deposit — applies to occupancy agreements.
Check the contract type before you write either word. The rule about arrears is identical for both: neither can be used to cover unpaid rent during the tenancy. Both are held as security and assessed only at the end of the stay, against damage, unpaid utilities or the final rent balance.
"Request the occupant to settle full payment of arrears before" the end of your track's window — Day 12 for a new room occupant, Day 15 for an existing room occupant or any residential occupant. A payment plan is the fallback, only offered if the occupant cannot commit to paying in full by that date. Do not lead with the plan.
The payment plan structure
| Element | What you may agree without further approval |
|---|---|
| Initial payment | 30% of the balance, or one week's rent, paid within Day 10–15 |
| Remaining balance | Within 3 weeks after the initial payment — lump sum, or divided per week |
| Critical condition | The instalments are paid on top of their normal weekly rent, not instead of it. Say this explicitly or the occupant will fall straight back into arrears. |
| Anything else | Any other payment method or structure requires higher authority |
The Retention & Negotiation Policy specifies a 30% or one week's rent initial payment. One WhatsApp template in production says 35%. Follow the Policy figure of 30% or one week's rent unless the CI Lead tells you otherwise, and flag the template for correction.
"Once the occupant agrees to the payment plan, it is considered a formal agreement." Document it in Asana with comments and screenshots, specifying payment amounts, due dates, consequences for non-compliance, and any other necessary detail. A vaguely worded plan is unenforceable and you will be the one who has to revisit it.
The arrears scripts
Eviction: the three triggers, and the signal
1. The payment plan is not accepted.
2. There is a breach of the Promise to Pay agreement.
3. Your track's deadline has arrived — Day 12 (new room) or Day 15 (existing room, or any residential) — and there has been no response from the occupant.
In all three cases, the follow-up phone call must happen first.
On an arrears case, Retention's formal output is a decision, not a saved occupant. You review AR's case — communication history, follow-up actions, payment verification, escalation compliance — and then issue:
HOLD — pause enforcement because payment negotiations are genuinely live.
PROCEED — authorise the eviction.
The Retention Team is responsible for giving the go signal. Occupant Transition – Move Out does not decide, and AR does not decide alone. Document the decision in Asana.
SOP FI AR 01 places the go signal with Retention. SOP CI RE 01 says something slightly different: "Any final decision to proceed with eviction due to arrears is taken jointly by Finance/AR and Retention", and elsewhere that eviction decisions require "final sign-off from the CI Lead where required".
In practice, do not issue PROCEED as a solo act. Confirm the decision with AR, and involve the CI Lead where the case carries financial or reputational risk. You own the signal; you do not own it in isolation. If in doubt on a specific case, ask the CI Lead which route applies — this is a known inconsistency between two current documents and worth raising for reconciliation.
Who closes what
| Outcome | Closure |
|---|---|
| Valid arrears, plan agreed | Asana task updated with the approved payment plan and endorsed to the AR Team for monitoring. AR owns compliance from here. |
| Internal error | Corrected, documented, marked Closed in Asana. |
| Eviction | Retention gives the go signal. The AR Team moves the task to Archives and endorses it to Occupant Transition – Move Out to run the move-out. You do not archive it. |
SOP CI RE 04 Steps 1–6, scope and exclusions, contact cadence, the deposit-class deadline table · SOP FI AR 01 Managing Arrears (upstream timeline, HOLD/PROCEED, TPCA) · Retention & Negotiation Policy (payment plan authority) · SOP CI RE 01 Step 4C and Step 5 archiving rules · GU CI RE 7 Handling Rent Arrears · Message Templates sheet, arrears tab
Maintenance Reports and Property Issues
Unresolved maintenance is one of the largest controllable causes of move-outs. Your job is not to fix anything — it is to make sure the issue is reported properly, escalated to the right team, and followed up until it is done.
In this module
- Which of the three forms to use
- When a report is required
- The eight fields every report must contain
- What happens after submission, and your 48–72 hour obligation
"Our role is not to fix issues, but to ensure proper reporting and escalation." Quick action means higher occupant satisfaction, which means higher retention. Handled well, a maintenance issue becomes a reason to stay — demonstrating responsiveness reduces the occupant's motivation to leave.
The three forms
| Form | Use it when | Example | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenant's Maintenance Request | The issue is raised directly by the occupant about their room or property | "Water leak in the kitchen", "Broken AC" | Open |
| CDA Team Maintenance Request | An internal team noticed the issue during an inspection, or another department forwarded it | A Tenant Coordinator sees a damaged wall during an inspection and submits on the occupant's behalf | Open |
| Tenant's Drama Form | Housemate problems, shared-area concerns, or behavioural issues involving housemates | Persistent noise, cleanliness disputes, conflict between occupants | Open |
A housemate conflict is not a maintenance issue and does not go to the Maintenance Team. The Drama Form routes to Resident Support, who own disputes between occupants. Putting a housemate conflict on a maintenance form sends it to a team that cannot act on it, and the occupant waits for nothing.
When to submit a report
- The occupant mentions an ongoing or unresolved maintenance issue
- The issue was reported multiple times but not fixed
- The issue is affecting their decision to stay or move out
- The occupant requests a relocation or move-out because of maintenance
The eight required fields
An incomplete report is a delayed repair. Include all eight, every time.
- 🏠 Tenant name
- 📍 Full property address
- 🚪 Room number (if applicable)
- 🧾 Detailed description of the issue or concern
- 📅 Date the issue was reported
- 📷 Evidence — photos or videos
- 🏷️ Location of issue — Room / Common Area / Entire Property
- 👤 Person reporting — Tenant / Retention / Internal Team
"The more complete your report, the faster it can be resolved." The date the issue was first reported matters more than people realise — it is what proves an issue is recurring rather than new, and a recurring issue justifies a relocation.
What happens after you submit
| # | Who | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maintenance Team | Reviews the report and schedules an inspection or repair |
| 2 | Tenant Coordinator | Updates the occupant on progress |
| 3 | Retention (you) | Monitors and follows up after 48–72 hours. This is your obligation, not Maintenance's. Keep the occupant informed of progress throughout. |
| 4 | Retention (you) | Once resolved, send a follow-up message to confirm the occupant is satisfied |
Submitting the form and moving on is what created the problem in the first place — occupants who leave because "it was reported three times and nothing happened" were failed at the follow-up stage, not the reporting stage. Set yourself a reminder for 48–72 hours. Document each update in the Asana task.
Log the issue in Asana, forward it to the correct team, monitor until the responsible team provides an update or resolution, keep the occupant informed throughout, and document all updates and the final resolution. Then set the Asana field Filed a Report regarding the Issue of the Tenant? so it is visible that this was handled.
GU CI RE 4 Submitting Maintenance Reports · PM CI RE 01 Step 4E Coordinate Occupant-Identified Property Issues · SOP CI RE 01 Step 3C and Step 5 completion criteria · PM MF MA 01 Maintenance Process Manual
The Limits of Retention, and How to Escalate
Knowing what is not yours to decide is as much a professional skill as knowing what is. Overstepping creates commitments the company cannot honour; escalating too readily makes you slow and ineffective.
In this module
- The scope of your role, stated plainly
- The boundary with each neighbouring team
- When to escalate, and through which channel
The scope of your role
- Retention's role is to save occupants by offering solutions, alternatives or assistance.
- The focus is on communication and coordination, not financial decisions.
- Retention can only negotiate within approved limits — transfers, payment arrangements.
- Decisions made by the Retention Manager / CI Lead are final within Retention's scope.
- Any decision requiring additional approval — discounts beyond your limit, policy exceptions, special agreements — is beyond Retention's scope and must be escalated to the appropriate head of the concerned team.
Retention focuses on saving occupants, not on enforcing payments. If you find yourself acting as a debt collector, an inspector, or a repairer, you have drifted outside the role.
Boundaries with each team
| Team | What they own | What Retention may do |
|---|---|---|
| Finance / AR | Rent payments and arrears follow-ups via email. Payment histories and account explanations. Monitoring plan compliance. | Re-establish contact when asked. Negotiate within the Policy. Issue the HOLD/PROCEED signal. Hand agreements back to AR. |
| Occupant Transition – Move Out | The eviction process and all move-out coordination. Condition reports, charges, bond refunds. The Move-Out task. | Endorse cases to them. Tag them for ICR/OCR and contract extensions. Never archive their task. |
| Tenant Coordinators | Ongoing occupant concerns and complaints. Progress updates to occupants. | Forward issues to them. Follow up. |
| Maintenance | Fixing property issues. | Follow up or escalate only. Retention does not schedule, quote or perform repairs. |
| Occupant Transition – Move In | Issuing the new lease and registering the occupant in the new room. | Retention owns the transfer end to end. You notify them to issue the lease; you keep the case and the occupant. |
| Sales specialist | Showing a property in person. | Request one only when the occupant explicitly asks for an accompanied on-site viewing, with CI Lead approval. |
| Resident Support | Disputes between occupants, behavioural issues. | Raise the Drama Form and coordinate. |
| Sales | Post-sale dissatisfaction within the first 2 weeks of lease signing. | Hand the case over. It is not yours. |
When to escalate
| Situation | Action required |
|---|---|
| Occupant requests compensation or adjustments beyond your standard authority | Escalate to CI Lead for approval before making any commitment |
| The case represents a financial or reputational risk to the company | Escalate to CI Lead and the relevant department head |
| Arrears remain unresolved despite repeated contact | Escalate to CI Lead and Finance jointly |
| Safety concern, serious behavioural incident, or persistent conflict | Escalate to Resident Support; involve the CI Lead if the risk is significant |
| Repeated missed response timeframes, or a process breakdown | Raise as an Issue-Based Escalation; assess for a Non-Conformity Report (NCR) |
| Feedback representing a reputational or legal risk | Same day — escalate to the CI Lead immediately |
| Contract extension agreed with the occupant | Notify Move Out by tagging the responsible person in the Move Out task, same day |
| Transfer or relocation confirmed | Retention keeps the case. Notify Occupant Transition – Move In so they can issue the new lease; tag Move Out to ensure ICR/OCR completion |
| Legal matters, harassment, or large arrears | Immediate escalation to senior management or legal |
| All other inter-area coordination | Use the Google Chat channel designated for that area |
Escalation routing
| From → To | Channel / method |
|---|---|
| Retention Specialist → CI Lead | Google Chat or an Asana task — for approvals and high-impact decisions |
| Retention Specialist → Finance / AR | Asana task + Google Chat — arrears and payment decisions |
| Retention Specialist → Resident Support | Asana task (Drama Form) — behavioural issues, conflicts |
| Retention Specialist → Maintenance | Asana task + Google Chat — urgent or unresolved property issues |
| Retention Specialist → Occupant Transition – Move In | Move In form submission — confirmed transfers and relocations |
| Retention Specialist → Occupant Transition – Move Out | Tag in the occupant's Move Out task — contract extensions, ICR/OCR confirmation |
| Retention Specialist → Sales specialist | Google Chat — only to book an accompanied in-person inspection the occupant has explicitly requested, after CI Lead approval |
Collaboration is routine coordination within your standard authority. Escalation is formal routing for a decision, a transfer of ownership, or an urgent issue beyond your authority. Decide which one you need before you send the message — labelling a routine handover as an escalation devalues real escalations.
Log the escalation or coordination action in Asana and monitor it until the receiving team acknowledges and resolves it. Escalating is not the same as being finished — the case is still yours until someone else formally takes it.
GU CI RE 8 Limitations of Retention (Scope of Retention's Role, Boundaries between Teams) · PM CI RE 01 §9 Step 5 Escalation & Interdepartmental Coordination, §10 Interdepartmental Interactions · CA CI RE 01 Risk Assessment & Escalation Rules · Retention & Negotiation Policy
Timeframes, Documentation and Closing a Case
Retention is judged as much on speed and traceability as on outcomes. This module is the timetable you work to, and the standard for closing a case so nobody has to guess what happened.
In this module
- Every service-level standard, by urgency
- The end-of-day report in Notion
- When to stop chasing a non-responsive occupant
- How to close a case properly
- The completion criteria for each possible outcome
Service level standards
These apply to working hours only. Non-working days are excluded. Business days are Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. During the annual shutdown period (mid-December to mid-January) capacity is limited and SLAs are temporarily extended — urgent matters go via the urgent phone line.
| Task | Timeframe | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer requested by council order | Same day | Critical |
| Relocation due to urgent maintenance conditions | Same day | Critical |
| Feedback representing a reputational or legal risk | Same day — escalate to CI Lead immediately | Critical |
| Arrears case more than 2 weeks overdue | Within 48 hours | Critical |
| First response to a move-out notice or transfer request | Within 24 hours | High |
| First contact with the occupant after notification | Within 24 hours | High |
| Follow-up on an arrears case assigned, under 2 weeks | Within 24 hours | High |
| Remote inspection coordination and confirmation | Within 24 hours of occupant acceptance | High |
| Proposal of transfer or relocation options to the occupant | Within 48 hours of first contact | High |
| Notification to Move Out when an extension is agreed | Same day as the agreement | High |
| Move In form submission when a transfer is confirmed | Same day as confirmation | High |
| In-person inspection coordination with Sales | Within 48 hours of occupant acceptance | Standard |
| Arrears case resolution or escalation, under 2 weeks | Within 5 business days | Standard |
| Follow-up if the occupant does not respond | Every 3 business days, max 3 attempts | Standard |
| Case closure due to non-response | After 3 attempts over 9 business days | Standard |
| Documentation of all communications and actions | Same day | Standard |
| Resolution of property issues reported by the occupant | Depends on Maintenance response time | Standard |
| Contract update and move-in instructions after transfer | Depends on Occupant Transition – Move In | Low |
First contact is within 24 hours of the notification. That is the SLA in the manual, and SOP CI RE 03 tightens it further to the same day, with the shift-end exceptions.
Follow-ups after no response are every 3 business days, up to 3 attempts, giving closure after 9 business days. SOP CI RE 03 describes a tighter one-working-day interval between attempts. Work to the tighter figure — same-day first contact, then next-working-day follow-ups. You are never penalised for being faster than the SLA.
The documentation standard
- All actions taken must be documented in Asana on the same day they occur.
- Every Retention Specialist posts an end-of-day report in Notion — contacts, successful, unsuccessful, and anything worth highlighting.
- Every case must have a clearly assigned responsible Retention Specialist at all times.
- Communication with occupants must be professional, empathetic and solution-oriented.
- Exceptions require CI Lead approval before implementation.
- No transfer fee is charged for company-initiated relocations.
- Feedback collected from occupants must be forwarded to CI for analysis.
- All negotiations and agreements must be documented by capturing screenshots and pasting them into the Asana task comment section.
The end-of-day report
At the end of every shift, each Retention Specialist posts a short report in Notion. It takes five minutes and it is not optional.
| What you report | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contacts made | How many occupants you contacted today, and across which channels. Count an attempt only if it included the call. |
| Successful | Cases retained today — move-outs cancelled, transfers or relocations agreed, replacements accepted, arrears resolved. Name the case and what worked. |
| Unsuccessful | Cases lost today, with the reason and the controllability classification. Be specific: "lost on maintenance — leak reported 4 times" is useful, "no response" usually is not. |
| Worth highlighting | Anything the team or the CI Lead needs to know: a recurring complaint about one property, a blocked case waiting on another team, a script that is not landing, an occupant at risk of going to a public review. |
Asana holds the detail of each individual case, but nobody reads 40 tasks a day. The Notion report is the daily signal: it is how the CI Lead sees a pattern forming in week one instead of month three, and how a blocked case gets unblocked tomorrow instead of next week.
It also feeds the weekly report and the monthly theme analysis in Module 12, so what you write here is what the business eventually acts on.
The Notion report is a summary for the team. The case record is still Asana — comments, screenshots and fields, same day, as set out above. Writing it up in Notion and not in Asana leaves the case undocumented.
The Notion database or page to post in, the exact template, and the cut-off time have not been finalised. Confirm all three with the CI Lead and update this section.
Closing a case
Once a case concludes — through renewal, transfer, relocation, move-out or eviction:
- Add a final comment to the Asana task stating the outcome and that the Retention process is complete.
- Set every closure field from Module 4 — status, outcome reason, controllability, feedback, tone, returning chance, completion date.
- Ensure all supporting evidence — communications, agreements, approvals — is attached to the task before closing.
- Close and archive the Retention task only, in accordance with CDA documentation standards.
- If feedback was collected, ensure it is forwarded to the CI area for analysis.
Completion criteria by outcome
| Outcome | What "complete" means |
|---|---|
| Transfer / relocation | Asana task updated with agreement details and forwarded to the Occupant Transition – Move In |
| Arrears — payment plan | Asana task updated with the payment plan details and forwarded to the AR Team |
| Confirmed move-out | Retention task archived and the Occupant Transition – Move Out notified |
| Inter-occupant dispute | Drama Form submitted and the task endorsed to Resident Support |
| Maintenance issue | Maintenance ticket submitted and the task endorsed to the Maintenance Team |
| Already vacated | Asana field updated, moved to Archives, move-out process initiated by Occupant Transition – Move Out |
| Eviction (arrears) | Retention issues PROCEED at the track deadline (Day 12 new room / Day 15 existing room or residential); AR moves it to Archives; Move Out initiates the move-out |
| Move-out cancelled (a save) | Move-out cancelled, Asana task updated and archived, Move Out notified same day |
1. Archiving the main Move-Out task. Never.
2. Closing without setting the controllability field, which erases the most valuable data the case produced.
3. Closing with the evidence still sitting in your WhatsApp instead of attached to the task. If a colleague picks this case up in six months, everything they need must be in Asana.
PM CI RE 01 §11.1 General Operating Principles, §11.2 Service Level Standards, §9 Step 6 Finalise and Document Outcome · SOP CI RE 01 Step 5 and Completion Criteria table · SOP CI RE 03 cadence rules · PR CI MS 03 (business days, annual shutdown) · Retention & Negotiation Policy (documentation)
Performance, Feedback and Continuous Improvement
Retention is part of the Continuous Improvement department for a reason. The data you generate is the company's clearest signal about where its service is failing.
In this module
- What is monitored, how often, and by whom
- The review cycle
- The feedback loop, and when an issue becomes an NCR
- Recognising a save
What is monitored
| What | How and how often |
|---|---|
| Reasons why occupants are moving out | Logged per case in Asana; reviewed monthly by the CI Lead to identify recurring themes and implement preventive actions |
| Response and follow-up times | Reviewed randomly and during scheduled follow-up meetings, against the SLA timeframes in Module 11 |
| Retention strategies and intervention effectiveness | Reviewed monthly; improvement opportunities escalated to the CI Lead |
| Escalation compliance | Reviewed to ensure all escalations are classified, routed and resolved correctly |
| Occupant feedback | Collected at case closure and forwarded to CI for trend analysis |
| Success / failure rates | Weekly review of automated Asana reports by the CI Lead |
| Payment agreement compliance | Weekly follow-up by the CI Lead with the Finance team leader, verifying agreements are fulfilled and that occupant communications are consistent and documented |
The review cycle
Weekly
- Success / failure indicators from automated Asana reports
- Weekly report on retention performance and consolidated feedback to Management and Business Excellence
- Follow-up meeting: CI Lead, Specialist and Assistant analyse results, discuss non-conformities, define improvements
Monthly
- CI Lead reviews KPIs, retention rates, case outcomes and SLA compliance
- KPI Dashboard updated
- Recurring issues and NCRs reviewed for root cause and corrective action
Quarterly & annual
- Quarterly: CI Lead and leadership review process performance and approve improvement initiatives
- Annual: full process audit under the CDA's internal audit schedule
The feedback loop
A Non-Conformity Report is raised when an issue indicates a potential process failure — not simply a bad outcome. Repeated missed response timeframes, or a breakdown in how a case was routed, are assessed for NCR under CDA's Escalation & NCR Guidelines. Raising one is not blame; it is how the process gets fixed.
Recognising a save
When an occupant agrees to stay, small gestures matter — thank-you notes and loyalty perks such as discount cards, vouchers or referral commission. This is a documented step in the process, not an afterthought, and it boosts long-term goodwill.
And where the outcome was genuinely good, ask for the review — the /review template in Module 6. Retention is one of the few functions positioned to convert a near-loss into a public endorsement.
The reasons you record become the monthly theme analysis. The controllability field becomes the argument for fixing Maintenance response times or retraining a sales agent. Your Asana comments become the evidence in an internal process audit. This is why the documentation discipline in Module 11 is not bureaucracy — it is the product.
PM CI RE 01 §13 Monitoring & Performance, §7 Risks & Opportunities · CA CI RE 01 Characterization: CHECK and ACT blocks, Process Indicators, Occupant Appreciation Action · Escalation & NCR Guidelines
Supporting Documents Library
Every document referenced in this course, plus the adjacent manuals you will need when a case crosses into another team's territory. Bookmark this module.
Several of these documents exist in multiple versions across Drive. Where an archived duplicate exists it is noted. If a document code has changed — for example MA CI RE 01 became PM CI RE 01, and PM RM IN 01 became PM OT OTI 01 — always use the newer code.
Retention — your own documents
| Code | Document | Link |
|---|---|---|
| PM CI RE 01 | Resident Retention Manual — the process manual this course is built on | Open |
| PM CI RE 01 | Resident Retention Manual — Google Site version, easier to read on mobile (published; copy the web address from Sites → Publish) | Open |
| SOP CI RE 01 | Move-Out Notice and Retention Review | Open |
| SOP CI RE 02 | Replacement, Transfer & Relocation | Open |
| SOP CI RE 03 | Communication & Approach with the Occupant — Retention | Open |
| SOP CI RE 04 | Communication with the Occupant for Collection — Arrears | Open |
| CA CI RE 01 | Characterization — Retention Process (SIPOC, indicators, targets) | Open |
| — | Retention & Negotiation Policy — your authority limits and payment plan rules (filed as "Retention & Negotation Policy") | Open |
| GU CI RE 01 | Tone and Language Guidelines | Open |
| GU CI RE 0X | Common Occupant Questions (Move-Out Process) | Open |
| — | Message Templates — the live script sheet (contains occupant PII; do not share externally) | Open |
| — | Retention process flowchart (Miro) | Open |
| GU CI RE 1–8 | The eight retention training decks | Open |
Occupant-facing guides
| Guide | Send it when | Link |
|---|---|---|
| CDA Remote Inspection Guide | Before every remote inspection — this is mandatory | Open |
| Move In Guide | A transfer or relocation is confirmed | Open |
| Move Out Guide | Retention is unsuccessful and the occupant is leaving | Open |
| Tenant Reference Guide ON-03 | General occupant questions about living at CDA | Open |
Agreements
| Document | Notes | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Occupancy Agreement — original editable, as of 3 July 2026 | The current master template. This is the agreement whose notice period and break fee you quote to occupants. | Open |
| CDA in NSW — Standard Occupancy Agreement | Per-entity signed version | Open |
| CLS NSW — Standard Occupancy Agreement | Per-entity signed version | Open |
| CLS VIC — Standard Occupancy Agreement | Per-entity signed version | Open |
Files named Residential Tenancy Agreement are head leases — CDA as the tenant renting from a landlord. They are not the occupant's agreement. When an occupant asks about their notice period or break fee, the document you want is the Standard Occupancy Agreement.
Adjacent team manuals
| Code | Document | Read it when | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM OT OTI 01 | Occupancy Transitions — Move In Manual (current; supersedes PM RM IN 01) | You are handing a transfer or relocation to Occupant Transition – Move In | Open |
| CA RM OUT 01 | Characterization — Occupant Transition – Move Out Process (no Move Out process manual exists yet) | You need to understand what happens after you endorse a move-out | Open |
| PM MF MA 01 | Maintenance Process Manual | A maintenance case is stuck and you need to know whose step it is on | Open |
| PM FI AR 01 | Accounts Receivable Manual | Any arrears case | Open |
| SOP FI AR 01 | Managing Arrears — the upstream timeline in Module 8 | You need the full arrears clock, the three tracks, or the HOLD/PROCEED definition | Open |
| SOP FI AR 02 | Payment Monitoring | AR is monitoring a payment plan you agreed | Open |
| SOP FI AR 03 | TPCA Management & Write-Off | An account has gone to the Third-Party Collecting Agency at Day 28 | — |
| PR CI MS 03 | Communication Management — channel hierarchy, SLAs, business days | You are unsure which channel is appropriate | Open |
| SOP CI MS 01 | Communication with Google Chat | Internal coordination | Open |
Operational tools
| Tool | What you use it for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Asana — Retention Team board | Your primary board | Open |
| Asana — Off boarding team board | The same tasks, plus the money and refund fields | Open |
| NEW CDA Rental Portfolio Rep | Available and upcoming rooms, advertising rent, access codes. Update it when a transfer is made. | Open |
| Blacklisted Tenants | Screening a previous occupant proposed as a replacement | Open |
| PropertyMe | Lease data, tenancy records, formal and legal notices | — |
| Respond.io | Reviewing occupant communication history; inbound conversations | — |
| IRE — Inspect Real Estate | Booking in-person inspections with a Leasing Manager | — |
| Notion | Your end-of-day report — contacts, successful, unsuccessful, highlights | — |
| Google Chat | Internal coordination between departments | — |
Regulatory framework
| Reference | Applies to |
|---|---|
| CDA Quality Management System | The internal quality framework behind every CDA process — documented information, process approach, continual improvement. CDA is not currently ISO 9001 certified; the manuals are structured to those principles as preparation, but no certification may be claimed. |
| NSW Fair Trading / Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) | All NSW properties. Section 88 is the provision Finance cites in arrears termination notices. |
| Boarding Houses Act 2012 (NSW) | CDA properties operating as registrable boarding houses — occupancy agreements, occupancy principles, resident rights |
| Residential Tenancy Act 1997 (TAS), Part 4A | Boarding premises in Tasmania — e.g. the Launceston properties |
| Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (QLD) | Rooming accommodation in Queensland; amended in 2024 with further changes from 2025 |
| CDA Company Policy | Occupant communications, data privacy, compensation limits, escalation |
All actions must comply with the legislation applicable to the state where the property is located. CDA operates in NSW, VIC, TAS and QLD, and notice periods and agreement terms differ. Identify the relevant jurisdiction for each case, and when in doubt consult the CI Lead or the relevant area manager before proceeding.
These are cited in the manual and SOPs but do not yet exist as documents. If you need one, ask the CI Lead rather than assuming a rule: Risk & Opportunities Matrix (Retention) · Escalation & NCR Guidelines · Corporate KPI Dashboard · SLA & Escalation Framework · SOP RM OUT 03 Eviction Process · a Move Out process manual · the Asana Tango walkthroughs listed in Module 4.
Final Assessment
Fourteen questions drawn from across the whole course, weighted towards the situations that cause real damage when handled wrongly. All fourteen must be correct. Retry as often as you need.
These questions are scenario-based rather than definitional. If you find yourself guessing, go back to the module rather than working through the options by elimination — the point is that you can do this on a live case at 4pm on a Friday.
SOP REF: CI RE 01–04
ISSUED: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
CERTIFICATE
Operational Excellence