Most property managers comprehend that when a resident calls with an emergency maintenance request, they must answer immediately. But which maintenance requests are emergencies that call for immediate attention, and which are less urgent? This is one of the most challenging concerns that property owners must deal with because certain problems, even those that bring annoyance or difficulties, are not actual emergencies. On the flip side, other maintenance issues are critical enough to be addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability codes. Recognizing the dissimilarity between the two allows you to effectively 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 look at to what degree the maintenance issue could cause injury, severe property damage, or harm your resident’s health and safety. Any issue that meets this standard is often considered an emergency. Typical emergencies involve:
- 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 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 in the wintertime. However, it unquestionably is in the midst of a heatwave, where temperatures reach dangerous levels.
Failure to respond immediately to emergencies such as these – even those that occur during sleeping time – could violate habitability laws and, in due course, give rise to serious legal trouble. This is especially the case if your inactivity prompts your tenant to take matters into their own hands and control or make the repairs themselves.
Non-Emergency Maintenance Types
On the contrary, other maintenance issues that, even though unpleasant, are not often categorized as emergencies unless there are extenuating circumstances. For instance, a malfunctioning appliance, no hot water, or tiny leakages may be troublesome for your residents but usually do not incorporate in the category of an emergency repair. These maintenance issues must be reported as regular maintenance requests, which you can attend to during business hours.
For rental property owners, figuring out what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is a vital aspect of exceptional property management. If you are unable to answer quickly to such demands or have other time limitations, it may be advisable to hire a quality property management company servicing the Green Cove Springs area and nearby areas. Contact us online or call 904-425-8388 to hear about more what Real Property Management First Coastdelivers tp rental property owners like you.
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