Assigning a defect and keeping the resident informed

Assigning sends a defect to the right person to fix, and the resident controls keep the homeowner informed without exposing internal notes.

How to use it

1. Open the defect (Quality → an inspection → a defect card). You're on Defect Details.
2. Use the action bar at the top of the defect:
   • Assign — choose the team member or stakeholder (contractor) who will resolve it. The Unassigned badge updates to show the owner.
   • Update Resident — send a message to the homeowner about progress.
   • Visible To Resident — tick this to let the resident see the defect on their home page. Leave it off to keep the defect internal (it shows Hidden from resident).
   • Edit — change any of the defect fields.
3. As work progresses, move the status toward closed. Each status change notifies the resident if the defect is visible to them.

What happens next

The assignee can see defects assigned to them. The resident receives updates on visible defects, so they're never left guessing.

Common questions

What's the difference between Assign and New Task?Assign sets the owner of the whole defect. New Task breaks the defect into one or more pieces of work you can track and assign separately — see Creating and tracking defect tasks.

Can I assign a defect to an external contractor?Yes — stakeholders (contractors) can be assigned and will see the defects and tasks routed to them.