How can I update my contact/log in details?

You can update your contact details and security settings directly from within the Homeowner Portal. Simply go to Settings which will take you to your Profile.

Note, these settings cannot be edited by anyone but you so unfortunately your Local Team and the Hometime Support Team are unable to make changes on your behalf. This is a security precaution to keep your account safe.

Contact Details within Personal Information

In the Personal Information section, you can update your contact details, such as your email address and contact number.

After making your changes, be sure to click on "Save Changes" to apply them. You will see a green "toast" message in the top right corner of your screen confirming the changes have been saved.

If you have changed your email address, you will need to verify it. To do this, please check your inbox for an email from Hometime and follow the instructions to confirm it. You'll then be prompted to enter your password to log in to the Portal and the new email address will be updated.

Password and 2FA Methods within Security

In the Security section, you can update your password and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) options.

Hometime's recommendation is to enable both Authenticator App and Text Message (SMS). Not only does this increase the security of your account but also provides you with options should one of those prove problematic at some point in the future. The platform will require you to have at least one 2FA method enabled.

How to Set up Authenticator App

Download the free Google Authenticator app to your mobile device (App Store, Google Play Store).
Return to the Hometime website. Since you are logged in, the platform will ask you to re-enter your password first. This is a security precaution to prevent a bad actor breaking into your account without your password and changing your 2FA settings from within.
Once successfully verified, you’ll see a QR code displayed on the screen. Use your mobile phone’s camera or the feature within the Google Auth App to scan the QR code displayed. If you’re having trouble scanning the QR code, click the link underneath it to access a setup key you can use to Add Account directly in the Google Authenticator App.

⚠️ If you are using an Apple device such as an iPhone and you simply use your camera to take a picture of the QR code then it may automatically launch the Apple Passwords app and try to use that instead of the Google Authenticator app. This means it will trigger codes but those codes won't be recognised by the Hometime platform because we've integrated Google Auth specifically, not Apple's Passwords app. To avoid this, download the free Google Authenticator app, open it and then use it's camera feature to take a picture of the QR code.
Enter the 6-digit verification code presented in the Google Authenticator app into Hometime and click “Verify”.
Once verified, click “Setup my backup key”.
Download and/or copy the backup key. This is required and we recommend saving it in a safe place as you will need it if you ever lose access to your phone.
Once you’ve taken one of the actions above, the “Start using Hometime” button will be enabled. Upon click, you’ll be navigated into the Hometime Homeowner Portal.

How to Regenerate the Backup Key Associated with Your Google Authenticator account

Click on the hyperlink "Regenerate backup key" under the relevant 2FA method.
Open the Google Authenticator app to get the latest verification code and enter it into the fields provided.
Since you are logged in, the platform will ask you to re-enter your password in order to continue. This is a security precaution to prevent a bad actor breaking into your account without your password and changing your 2FA settings from within.
After entering a valid verification code and password, click "Confirm". You will see a new backup displayed on the screen.
Download and copy this code to save it in a safe place.
Click "Done". This new backup code will now be used for future two-factor authentication via Authenticator App.

Alternatively, this can be done via the Google Auth app. To do this, go to your Google Account security settings, select "2-Step Verification," find the section for "Backup codes," and click "Get new codes" to generate a fresh set.

How to Set Up Text Message (SMS)

Enter your mobile number and click "Send code".
You will receive a text message with a 6-digit code on the mobile number you entered. Note, this code is only valid for 3 minutes.
Return to the Hometime website and enter the 6-digit verification code into the fields provided then click "Verify".
If the code is correct and entered within the 3-minute validity window, you'll see a confirmation message and a button to "Start using Hometime". Upon click, you’ll be navigated into the Hometime Homeowner Portal.

How to Update the Number Associated with Text Message (SMS) 2FA

Click on the hyperlink "Update mobile number" under the relevant 2FA method.
Enter the new mobile number you would like to use in the field provided.
Since you are logged in, the platform will ask you to re-enter your password in order to continue. This is a security precaution to prevent a bad actor breaking into your account without your password and changing your 2FA settings from within.
After entering your new number and password, click "Update number". You will receive a 6-digit verification code on the new mobile number. This message may come from one of the following senders, depending on your mobile carrier: AuthMSG, TWVerify, or VerifyTWL. Example message: Your Hometime Platform verification code is: 123456
To verify your new mobile number, enter the verification code into the fields provided.
Once verified, your new number will be saved, and you will receive a confirmation email. This number will now be used for future two-factor authentication via Text Message (SMS).

Troubleshooting & Support

Correct codes are not working

The Google Authenticator app generates 6-digit codes that are valid for 30 seconds and refresh every 30 seconds. These codes are based on the current time and a shared secret key. They are designed to be a time-based one-time password (TOTP) to add a layer of security to logins.

The Hometime Platform is designed to allow an additional 30-second buffer. This should mean if you enter a valid code, it will successfully authenticate.

However, here are three reasons why it might not:

It took longer than the ~60-seconds allotted to enter the valid code before it expired.
One way to avoid this scenario is to wait until a new code is generated within the Google Auth app then enter it immediately so you have the full ~60 seconds to process it as opposed to opening the app and trying to enter the current code which has less than 30 seconds before it expires.
Your device is not synced to the universal time and therefore the code being generated does not match what the Hometime platform expects.
1. Why does your phone need the correct time for the Authenticator app to work? The codes in your Authenticator app are based on the current time. If your phone’s time isn’t synced to the universal time, the codes won’t match what our system expects — and you won’t be able to log in.
2. To fix this: Make sure your phone’s date and time are set automatically. This is typically found within Date & Time settings where you can enable your device to adjust the date and time automatically following time zone and daylight saving time changes.
Your device has automatically redirected you to the wrong authenticator app.
If you are using an Apple device such as an iPhone and you simply use your camera to take a picture of the QR code then it may automatically launch the Apple Passwords app and try to use that instead of the Google Authenticator app. This means it will trigger codes but those codes won't be recognised by the Hometime platform because we've integrated Google Auth specifically, not Apple's Passwords app. To avoid this, download the free Google Authenticator app, open it and then use it's camera feature to take a picture of the QR code.

Temporary Lock & Lock Out

In order to protect against hackers, the Hometime Platform will only allow a select number of incorrect attempts before temporarily locking the account. If this initial threshold is reached, and there are continued failed attempts then the account will be locked until a Hometime team member can verify the person attempting to access the account is the owner of that account.

Avoid being locked out but setting up both Authenticator App and SMS as 2FA methods so you have the option to switch if one is problematic.

If you do experience a lock out, wait for 1 hour before trying to access your account again. If you've gone past the initial threshold, contact support@hometime.io to assist in restoring your access.

Lost my device

If you've lost the device with Google Authenticator, you'll need to use an alternative method to access your Google account or the accounts linked to the authenticator. This could involve using backup codes, a recovery email, a secondary phone number, or contacting customer support of the specific site. Once you've regained access, you can add Google Authenticator to a new device and re-link it to your accounts.

Lost my backup key

The Hometime Platform will offer users the opportunity to regenerate their backup key from within their account. Refer to the steps above.

Using a Password Manager

When you do set up Google Authenticator, we recommend downloading it to save in a secure place and saving your backup key to your preferred Password Manager.

Power User Tip: Your Password Manager may allow you to save your one-time password with your login details. For example, if you're using 1Password for your Password Manager, you can save your one-time password to your 1Password entry by selecting that login item in 1Password, clicking the ellipsis and choosing Scan QR code. Here are more detailed instructions.