Lots of Emmett property managers perceive that you need to respond immediately when a tenant calls with an emergency maintenance request. However, which maintenance requests are emergencies and need instant attention, and which are less urgent? This is one of the most challenging questions that property owners face since some difficulties, even those that inflict hardship or inconvenience, are not true emergencies. On the other side, other maintenance issues are adequately critical to be addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability code. Recognizing the difference between the two will allow you to accomplish all of your tenant’s maintenance requests right away.
Defining Emergency Repairs
One way to identify when you have a true emergency on your hands or not is to evaluate to what degree the maintenance issue could cause injury, serious property damage, or threaten your tenant’s health and safety. Any circumstance that matches this definition is typically considered an emergency. Common emergencies are:
- 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
Is It An Emergency? It Depends.
It is essential to understand that certain maintenance items may be emergencies under one set of conditions but not another. For example, a broken air conditioner is not an emergency during cool weather. However, in a heatwave, where temperatures reach lethal levels, it is very important. Failing to respond immediately to emergencies like these – including those that occur in the middle of the night – could violate habitability laws and, afterward, give rise to serious legal trouble. This is particularly valid if your inaction encourages your tenant to take matters into their own hands and coordinate or make the repairs themselves.
Non-Emergency Maintenance Types
On the contrary, other maintenance issues that, even though annoying, are not normally considered emergencies except if there are extenuating circumstances. As an instance, a malfunctioning appliance, no hot water, or minor leaks may be frustrating for your tenant but usually do not fall under the category of an emergency repair. These types of maintenance issues must be detailed as a regular maintenance request, which you can carry out during business hours.
For rental property owners, knowing what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is a key component of successful property management. If you anticipate that you will be unable to respond to such requests promptly or have other demands on your time, it might be best to hire a quality Emmett property management company to do it for you. To learn more about what Real Property Management Nampa offers rental property owners like you, contact us online.
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