Every property manager understands the importance of jumping into action when a resident calls with an emergency maintenance request. But which maintenance requests are emergencies that truly demand immediate attention, and which can wait a little longer? This is one of the trickiest dilemmas that property owners experience, as some problems, even if they bring about discomfort or inconvenience, are not true emergencies. On the flip side, other maintenance issues are severe enough to be addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability codes. Identifying the distinction between the two can empower you to handle all your renter’s maintenance requests with confidence.
What defines an emergency repair?
One way to know when you have a true emergency on your hands or not is to consider to what degree the maintenance issue could cause injury, severe property damage, or menace your resident’s health and safety. Any situation that suits this description would usually be considered an emergency. Typical emergencies consist of:
- 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
You must be aware of that certain maintenance items may be emergencies in one situation could be just a minor issue in another. For example, a broken air conditioner is not an emergency when the weather is cool. But it truly is during a scorching heatwave where temperatures reach dangerous levels.
Disregarding the need to respond immediately to emergencies like these – especially when they happen in the dead of night – could violate habitability laws and, ultimately, spell serious legal trouble. This is especially true when your failure to act prompts your tenant to take matters into their own hands and handle or make the repairs themselves.
Non-Emergency Maintenance Types
Alternatively, other maintenance issues, although they may be a hassle, are not generally considered emergencies unless there are extenuating circumstances. For example, a malfunctioning appliance, a lack of hot water, or tiny leaks may be troublesome for your residents but generally do not fall under the category of an emergency repair. These maintenance issues must be reported as regular maintenance requests, which you can undertake during business hours.
For rental property owners, seeing what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is a vital aspect of successful property management. If you’re finding it tough to juggle these requests or if your schedule is packed to the brim, it could be the perfect moment to hire a quality property management company servicing the Emmett area and neighboring areas. Contact us online or call 208-960-0660 to discover more about what Real Property Management Nampa delivers for rental property owners like you.
Originally Published on July 2, 2021
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