I recently wrote a post about setting tenant expectations. In this post I want to go into a bit of detail regarding one of those expectations, defining the difference between an emergency and a repair. Which situations require your immediate attention and which ones do not?
You might think common sense would dictate to everyone the difference between an emergency situation and a repair. Honestly, in most cases it does. But like I said in my last post, you cannot assume anything. You cannot assume that your tenant has any common sense, that they will use it at the right time or that they actually know what a true emergency is. To some tenants, everything and anything is an emergency.
This is why it is a best practice for landlords to set expectations and a) define what an emergency is, b) define what a repair is, c) discuss how both should be treated by the tenant, d) discuss your response to emergencies and repairs. By doing this, you can save yourself much confusion, angry phone calls and perhaps even your property.
What Is An Emergency
An emergency is a situation that is life threatening and/or requires immediate attention to prevent massive property damage. Fire requires immediate attention. A strong smell of natural gas requires immediate attention. Sparks shooting out of an outlet requires immediate attention. Gushing (not dripping) water requires immediate attention.
Emergencies should be dealt with immediately and you need to inform your tenant of what they need to do, including calling 911, in case one occurs. Yes, you need to tell them to call 911 first and not you in case of a fire. If a tenant smells gas, you or your staff needs to find out the problem immediately. It is the same with sparks and gushing water. These items can lead to serious injury or property damage quickly. They need your attention. Immediately!
What About Repairs?
Almost everything else is not an emergency situation. Rather, it is a repair. Repairs require attention, but not immediate attention. Repairs need to be fixed, but they can be fixed in due time. The heat or air conditioning going out may seem and feel like an emergency, but the tenant will likely survive for 24 hours while calls are made and crews are scheduled to address the problem. That dripping water may seem like an emergency, but a bucket will catch it and the plumber will get over tomorrow.
Repairs get triaged. That means they get ranked in order of either severity or when the call came in. You need to make it clear to your tenants that repairs will be handled as quickly as is possible, but not on an immediate basis. Communicate with them how repairs will be handled. Tell them that heating and air will usually be looked at with in 24 hours, but that loose cabinet door may take a couple of days. Tenants can also help you with some repairs. We show our tenants how to turn off water valves and breakers. Many tenants have done their part to prevent further property damage by simply knowing how to turn off a valve or shut off a breaker.
From Day One
Be sure to set this expectation with your tenants on day one. Do not let them hold on to the erroneous belief that every little repair is an emergency that will be handled immediately. Explain how repairs will be repaired. Let them know the timeline and then do your best to keep to it. Tenants also often have the weird idea in their heads that they should call you first no matter what is going on. I do not know why as there is little I can do about a fire. So be sure to inform them what to do and who to call if a true emergency arises.
By setting this expectation on emergencies and repairs you will go a long ways towards making the landlord/tenant relationship a good one. Plus, you might just save a life and your property.
