Emergency maintenance: what counts as an emergency, and an after-hours plan
An emergency is anything that threatens people's safety, risks serious damage to the building, or leaves a unit without an essential service such as heat in cold weather, water or a working lock. Everything else can wait for business hours. An after-hours plan is one phone number tenants call, a written list of what qualifies, a vendor on call for each trade, and shutoff locations anyone can find in the dark.
What counts as an emergency
| Emergency now | Next business day |
|---|---|
| Gas smell or a carbon monoxide alarm (call the utility or 911 first) | Dripping faucet or running toilet |
| Fire, smoke, sparking outlets | A single outlet or light that does not work |
| Active water leak, burst pipe, ceiling coming through | Slow drain in a unit with a second sink |
| Sewage backing up into a unit | Clogged toilet in a unit with a second bathroom |
| No heat in freezing weather | Heat that works but runs cool |
| Exterior door or window that will not lock | Sticking interior door |
| No water to the unit or building | Low water pressure |
State law shows why these items get top priority. Texas lets a tenant have sewage backups and flooding inside the unit repaired right after a notice of intent, and allows repairs after three days when water service has stopped completely, once the statute's other conditions are met (Texas Property Code 92.0561). Florida requires apartment landlords, unless otherwise agreed in writing, to make reasonable provisions for functioning heat in winter, running water, hot water, and locks and keys (Florida Statutes 83.51). Other states have their own lists, so check yours.
Life safety comes before property
Write the first lines of your tenant instructions for the worst cases, because nobody reads a policy during one:
- Fire: get out, then call 911.
- Carbon monoxide alarm or symptoms such as headache, dizziness or nausea: the CDC says to get outside and call 911 (CDC).
- Gas smell: leave the building and call the gas utility's emergency line from outside. Do not flip switches.
- Then call the emergency maintenance number.
Build the after-hours plan
- One emergency number. A cell phone you or a backup person answers, or an answering service that calls you. Put it in the lease, on the welcome letter and posted by the mailboxes.
- A written list of what qualifies, like the table above, so tenants know when to call and when to submit a regular request.
- An on-call vendor for each trade: plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical, locksmith, and water damage cleanup. Agree on after-hours rates in advance and keep a second name for each.
- A building sheet: locations of the main water shutoff, gas meter, electrical panels, boiler or water heater room, sprinkler valve if any, and the codes or keys to reach them. Keep one copy in your phone and one with your backup.
- A backup person for when you are traveling or asleep, with permission to approve emergency work up to a set dollar amount.
- A log entry for every call, even when nothing could be done until morning.
Water: the most common true emergency
Most after-hours calls in apartment buildings involve water, and speed matters because damage spreads to units below. Stop the source first (the unit shutoff, then the riser or main if needed), then get standing water out. The EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA mold guide).
Example a made-up supply line bursts at 11 p.m. The after-hours plumber charges a $275 trip fee plus $150 an hour for two hours: $275 + $300 = $575. Waiting until 8 a.m. would cost a $95 trip fee plus $110 an hour for two hours: $95 + $220 = $315. The night call costs $260 more, but nine hours of water running into the unit below would likely cost far more in drywall, flooring and a displaced tenant. For a leak, the night call is usually the cheaper choice.
After the emergency
- Photograph the damage and the cause before cleanup where it is safe to do so.
- Tell your insurer promptly if the damage might be a claim.
- Turn the emergency call into a normal work order for the permanent repair.
- Record who caused it. Most states do not make the landlord pay for damage the tenant caused, and the lease decides how you bill it.
How DoorKeeping helps after the call
DoorKeeping does not answer your emergency line. It does keep the cost side straight: each property's books record the emergency invoice in the right account, and your AI app can show what after-hours calls cost per building over the year. Every payment waits for your approval.
Sources
- Texas Property Code, Chapter 92 (Sec. 92.0561), read Oct 29, 2026
- Florida Statutes 83.51, Landlord's obligation to maintain premises, read Oct 29, 2026
- CDC, About Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, read Oct 29, 2026
- EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, read Oct 29, 2026
Questions
- Is no hot water a maintenance emergency?
- Usually it is urgent rather than an emergency: fix it within a day or two. Some states list hot water as an essential service, so check yours. No heat in freezing weather is an emergency.
- Is a clogged toilet an emergency?
- If it is the only toilet in the unit or sewage is backing up, treat it as an emergency. If the unit has a second working bathroom, it can wait for business hours.
- Does a landlord need a 24-hour maintenance line?
- Tenants need some way to reach someone for true emergencies at any hour. A cell phone with a backup person or an answering service works for small buildings.