Shared amenities — function rooms, BBQ areas, rooftop terraces, tennis courts — are some of the most-loved features in a residential building, and some of the most fiddly to manage. The trouble usually comes down to how residents book them.
When residents can pick any start and end time they like, you end up with a messy calendar: a booking from 9:00 to 10:30, another from 11:15 to 12:00, awkward gaps too short to be useful, and the occasional overlap that someone has to sort out by hand. For some amenities, that freedom is fine. For others, it creates more problems than it solves.
ComtyLink now offers a cleaner option: fixed time-block booking. You slice the day into predefined blocks, and residents book exactly one. No slivers, no overlaps, no manual conflict-juggling.
Three Ways to Run an Amenity
When you set up an amenity in ComtyLink, you choose how residents book it. There are three modes, and you pick whichever fits the space:
Single window. The amenity is open during one window each day, and residents book any start and end time inside it. Simple and flexible — good for spaces where free-form timing genuinely works.
Per-day hours. The same free-form booking, but with opening hours that vary by day of the week — open later on weekends, closed on Mondays, whatever suits the space.
Fixed blocks. You define a list of set blocks for each day — say 9:00–12:00, 12:00–3:00, and 3:00–6:00 — and residents book exactly one block. Already-taken blocks show as unavailable. No partial bookings, no overlaps.
You switch between modes with a simple control, and switching back and forth doesn’t lose your configuration — so you can try fixed blocks for a season and revert if it doesn’t suit.
Why Fixed Blocks Solve Real Problems
Fixed time-block mode exists because some amenities are fundamentally “one party at a time” spaces, and free-form timing fights against that.
No awkward slivers. When everyone picks their own times, you get unusable 30- and 45-minute gaps between bookings. Fixed blocks mean the whole slot is taken or free — no fragments.
No overlap disputes. Because a resident books one defined block and taken blocks are disabled, two residents can’t accidentally book overlapping times. The system prevents the conflict before it happens, instead of leaving you to mediate it after.
Fairer access. Defined blocks make it obvious how the amenity is shared. Three clean blocks a day is easy for residents to understand and easy for you to explain — much simpler than “first come, first served on a continuous calendar.”
Less for you to manage. The whole point is that the structure does the work. Once you’ve set the blocks, residents self-serve within the rules, and you’re not fielding “can I swap with the 2pm booking?” messages.
How Residents Book a Block
From the resident’s side, it couldn’t be simpler. They open the amenity, pick a date, and see that day’s blocks. Available blocks are selectable; taken ones are shown disabled. They tap the block they want and confirm. That’s it — one date, one block, done.
There’s no juggling start and end times, no guessing how long they’re “allowed,” and no risk of accidentally booking over someone else. The clarity is good for them and good for you.
Use the Right Mode for Each Space
The best part is that you don’t have to pick one model for the whole building. Each amenity is configured independently:
- The function room might use fixed blocks (morning / afternoon / evening) so each event gets a clean run.
- The gym might use a single open window, since people come and go freely.
- The tennis court might use fixed one-hour blocks across the day.
Match the booking model to how the space is actually used, and the calendar stops being a source of friction.
Try It
Amenity booking should make a building feel premium, not create work for the manager. Fixed time-block mode is one of several ways ComtyLink takes the friction out of shared facilities.
ComtyLink offers a free 3-month trial with full access to every feature. Get in touch to see how amenity booking works for your building.
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