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What Qualifies as an Emergency Maintenance Request?

Rental home resident holding a bucket under a water leak.The majority of property managers are aware they have to answer right away when a resident calls with an emergency maintenance request. Yet, which maintenance requests are emergencies that call for immediate attention, and which are less important? This is one of the most critical questions that property owners deal with, as some problems, even those that bring anxiety or inconvenience, are not true emergencies. On the contrary, other maintenance issues are severe enough to be addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability codes. Comprehending the difference between the two will enable you to confidently 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 expose your resident’s health and safety to risk. Any concern that would fit this category would usually be considered an emergency. Common emergencies incorporate:

  • 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 critical to understand that certain maintenance items may be emergencies under one set of situations but not another. For example, a broken air conditioner is not an emergency during winter season. But it absolutely is amidst a heatwave where temperatures reach dangerous levels.

Refusing to respond immediately to emergencies like these – encompassing those that occur in the middle of the night – could violate habitability laws and, in due course, produce serious legal trouble. This is specifically relevant if your delay prompts your tenant to take matters into their own hands and operate or make the repairs themselves.

Non-Emergency Maintenance Types

In contrast, other maintenance issues that, although annoying, are not commonly regarded emergencies unless there are extenuating circumstances. For illustration, a malfunctioning appliance, lack of hot water, or tiny leaks may be troublesome for your residents but normally do not fit in the category of an emergency repair. These maintenance issues should be reported as regular maintenance requests, which you can look after during business hours.

For rental property owners, distinguishing what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is crucial for efficient property management. If you cannot reply to such calls immediately or have other commitments on your time, it might be a perfect opportunity to hire a quality property management company servicing the Matthews area and neighboring area. Contact us online or call 704-220-0110 to discover more about what Real Property Management Expertsdeliver to rental property owners like you.

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