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What Qualifies as an Emergency Maintenance Request?

Rental home resident holding a bucket under a water leak.It is widely recognized among property managers that prompt attention is essential when a resident calls with an emergency maintenance request. But which maintenance requests are emergencies, demanding immediate attention, and which can be addressed at a later time? This presents a rather complex situation for property owners, as certain matters, despite causing worry or inconvenience, are not true emergencies. However, other maintenance issues are sufficiently severe to be addressed immediately or risk violating Landlord/Tenant laws or habitability codes. Knowing the difference between the two can empower you to surely 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 assess what degree the maintenance issue could cause injury, severe property damage, or pose a risk to your resident’s health and safety. Any matter that aligns with this description would generally be considered an emergency. Common 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 comprehend that certain maintenance items may be emergencies in one context while being less critical in another. For illustration, a broken air conditioner is not an emergency during cool conditions. However, it absolutely is amidst a heatwave where temperatures reach dangerous levels.

Failing to respond immediately to emergencies like these – even those that arise during late hours – could violate habitability laws and, ultimately, result in serious legal trouble. This is specifically true if your failure to act prompts your tenant to take matters into their own hands and coordinate or make the repairs themselves.

Non-Emergency Maintenance Types

Contrariwise, other maintenance issues that, while annoying, typically do not rise to the level of emergencies unless there are extenuating circumstances. For illustration, a malfunctioning appliance, no hot water, or minor drips may be troublesome for your residents but usually do not fall under the category of an emergency repair. These maintenance issues must be reported as regular maintenance requests, which you can do during business hours.

For rental property owners, being familiar with what constitutes an emergency maintenance issue and how to respond appropriately is a critical element of good property management. If you cannot meet such needs quickly or have other demands on your time, it might be ideal to hire a quality property management company servicing the Meridian area and adjoining areas. Contact us online or call 208-494-1800 for more details about what Real Property Management Boise offers rental property owners like you.

Originally Published on July 2, 2021

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