App | Chat

Content

• Requirements
• Automatic invitation to your building's chat group
• Creating chats and groups
  • Direct messages with one or more people
  • Creating groups
• Managing groups
  • Adding and removing group admins
  • Adding group members
  • More information about groups
• Chat messages and polls
  • Editing or deleting messages
  • Replying to messages
  • Message reactions
  • Creating polls
• Reporting and blocking messages and people
• Push notifications for chat messages
• Chat search

The resident chat in the Allthings app lets you communicate directly with your neighbourhood – easily and in a data-privacy-compliant way.

Requirements

To use the chat, two conditions must be met:

1. The "My Neighbours" micro-app is available in your app.
2. You have shared your neighbourhood profile.

Important: please note that from the moment you share your profile, it can be seen by everyone in your neighbourhood who has also shared their profile.

Sharing your profile

• Share profile: if you haven't done so yet, you can do this either via the chat bubble in the menu or directly in the "My Neighbours" micro-app.
• Hide profile: open your profile in the "My Neighbours" micro-app and click the three small dots at the top right. Here you can hide your profile.

Automatic invitation to your building's chat group

In some properties, you are automatically added to the private chat group of your building (e.g. "House A") when you move in. You don't have to do anything – the assignment happens in the background as soon as you move into the building. This applies to new as well as existing tenancies.

How to access the invitation:

1. Activate chat: share your neighbourhood profile and activate the chat. Only then will the invitation message and the group be shown to you.
2. See the group: your building's chat group then appears automatically in your chat overview.
3. Get started: you can now exchange messages with your immediate neighbourhood.

If you no longer wish to use a chat group, open the group name and select Leave group.

Creating chats and groups

Once your profile is shared, you have the following options:

Direct messages with one or more people

1. Open the chat by clicking the chat bubble.
2. In the chat window, click the "+" in the bottom right corner.
3. Then select the person(s) you would like to start a private chat with.
4. Click "Next" to review your selection and finally "Create".

Alternatively: open the "My Neighbours" micro-app and select the profile of the relevant person. Then click "Start chat".

Creating groups

1. Open the chat by clicking the chat bubble.
2. Click "New group".
3. Choose whether to create a private or public group.
4. Enter the group information (name and description).
5. Then select the person(s) you would like to add to the group.
6. Click "Next" to review your selection and finally "Create".

Difference between public and private groups

• Public groups: other people in your neighbourhood can join on their own – e.g. for shared interests such as gardening or dog walks.
• Private groups: other people in your neighbourhood can only be added by a group admin – e.g. to discuss private topics.

Managing groups

Adding and removing group admins

In private groups, only group admins can add or remove members.

Initially, the person who created the group is the admin. However, this person can promote other members to admins.

1. Open the chat by clicking the chat bubble.
2. Select the relevant private group.
3. Click the group name to open the group settings and go to the "Members" tab.
4. Find the relevant member and click the three dots.
5. Select "Make admin" or "Remove as admin".

Here you will also find the option to remove the member from the group.

Adding group members

1. Open the chat by clicking the chat bubble.
2. Select the relevant private group.
3. Click the group name to open the group settings and go to the "Add members" tab.
4. Search for the relevant person and select them.
5. Click "Save".

More information about groups

• Create groups without having to invite members straight away.
• If members join a group later, they can still view the previous conversations.
• All members of a public group can invite other people from their neighbourhood to the group.
• Invited people are added immediately and receive a notification.
• A group disappears as soon as the last member leaves it.

Chat messages and polls

You can find your active chats – both private and group – at any time within the chat window. New messages are highlighted by a small number on the chat bubble in the menu.

Editing or deleting messages

To edit or delete messages, click the three small dots next to the message and select the relevant option.

Replying to messages

To make chats clearer, you can reply directly to messages. Your reply is then shown below the message as a comment.

To do this, click the three small dots next to the message and select "Reply".

Message reactions

React to messages or replies with emojis by clicking the three small dots next to the message and selecting "React".

Creating polls

Create a poll directly in a chat (private chat or group).

1. Open the chat by clicking the chat bubble.
2. Select the existing private chat or group in which you would like to create the poll.
3. Define answer options and set options such as multiple choice.
4. Click "Create".

Reporting and blocking messages and people

To ensure positive and respectful communication, the chat provides functions to block people or report inappropriate content.

Blocking people

If you no longer wish to receive messages from a person, you can block them. The blocked person is removed from your chat list and their messages are no longer visible to you.

1. Open the chat with the person you want to block.
2. Click the three dots next to the person's name.
3. Select the "Block person" option.

Important: the blocked person can still send you messages, but they will not be delivered to you while the block is active. As soon as you remove the block, all messages sent in the meantime are restored and delivered.

Reporting messages or people

If you come across messages that violate the community guidelines, or if you find a person's behaviour inappropriate, you can report this.

Reporting a message

1. Click the three small dots next to the relevant message.
2. Select the "Report" option.
3. State the reason for the report and confirm the action.

Reporting a person

1. Open the chat with the relevant person.
2. Click the three dots next to the person's name.
3. Select the "Report person" option.
4. State the reason for the report and confirm the action.

Push notifications for chat messages

Get informed about new messages via push notification with sound and vibration.

Enabling/disabling push notifications

1. Open your profile by tapping the person icon.
2. Select "Notification settings".
3. Select which messages you want to receive a push notification for.

Important: make sure you have granted the necessary permissions in your smartphone settings.

Muting individual chats

1. Open the chat with the relevant person.
2. Click the three dots next to the person's name.
3. Select the "Mute" option.

Chat search

Chat search lets you search content across your individual and group chats.

Narrow your search: refine the search by choosing whether to search for people, groups or messages.