Numerous property managers know the importance of responding punctually when a resident calls with an emergency maintenance request. But which maintenance requests are emergencies that call for immediate attention, and which are not as urgent? This is one of the more difficult dilemmas that property owners face, as certain matters, even if they lead to trouble or inconvenience, are not real emergencies. On the contrary, other maintenance issues are sufficiently dangerous to be addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability codes. Knowing about the distinction between the two will permit you to greatly handle all your renter’s maintenance requests.
What defines an emergency repair?
One way to know when you have a true emergency on your hands or not is to contemplate to what degree the maintenance issue could cause injury, severe property damage, or compromise your resident’s health and safety. Any issue that fits this category would usually be considered an emergency. Typical emergencies include:
- Gas Leak
- Frozen or Broken Water Lines
- Flooding or Water Emergencies
- Fire
- Carbon Monoxide Detection
- Sewer Back-up
- No Heat in Cold Weather
- No Air Conditioning in Extremely Hot Temperatures
- Extended Power Outage
- Intruder Break-In
Determining an Emergency from Non-Emergency
It is vital to understand that certain maintenance items may be emergencies under one scenario but not another. For instance, a broken air conditioner is not an emergency when the weather is cold. However, it definitely is during a heatwave when temperatures reach dangerous levels.
Failure to respond immediately to emergencies like these – even those that transpire during the night – could violate habitability laws and potentially give rise to serious legal trouble. This is particularly true when your lack of action prompts your tenant to take matters into their own hands and organize or make the repairs themselves.
Non-Emergency Maintenance Types
On the other hand, other maintenance issues that, although inconvenient, do not generally qualify as emergencies unless there are extenuating circumstances. For example, a malfunctioning appliance, lack of hot water, or tiny leakages may be troublesome for your residents but typically do not fall under the category of an emergency repair. These maintenance issues need to be reported as regular maintenance requests, which can be managed during business hours.
For rental property owners, identifying what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is imperative to effective property management. Suppose you’re finding it difficult to respond to such requests right away or have other obligations taking up your time. In that case, it might be perfect to hire a quality property management company that operates the Queen Village area and adjacent regions. Contact us online or call 610-497-2700 to discover more about what Real Property Management Tri-State Area offers rental property owners like you.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
