Property managers are aware of the requirement to respond quickly when a resident calls with an emergency maintenance request. The argument is, which maintenance requests are emergencies, requiring immediate attention, and which are less urgent? This is one of the trickier questions that property owners face since some matters, despite bringing distress or trouble, are not considered emergencies. On the contrary, other maintenance issues are severe and must addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability codes. Grasping the distinction between the two enables you to excellently 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 think about to what degree the maintenance issue could cause injury, severe property damage, or put your resident’s health and safety in danger. Any issues that would align with this classification would normally be considered an emergency. Common emergencies cover:
- 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 comprehend that certain maintenance items may be emergencies under one set of circumstances but not another. For instance, a broken air conditioner is not an emergency during cool weather. But it undeniably is amidst a heatwave where temperatures reach dangerous levels.
Not responding immediately to emergencies such as these, even if they transpire in the middle of the night, could violate habitability laws and, in the future, generate serious legal trouble. This is specifically relevant if your indecisiveness prompts your tenant to take matters into their own hands and deal with or make the repairs themselves.
Non-Emergency Maintenance Types
On the other hand, other maintenance issues that, even though a bit inconvenient, usually not distinguish as 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 usually excluded into the category of an emergency repair. These maintenance issues should be reported as regular maintenance requests, which you can oversee during business hours.
For rental property owners, identifying what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is an important element of effective property management. If you’re finding it hard to answer to requests promptly or have other obligations, it could be an excellent idea to hire a quality property management company that helps the Berrien Springs area and adjacent areas. Contact us online or call 269-210-3771 to get more details about what Real Property Management Instant Equity (SW Michigan) provides for rental property owners like you.
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