A Guide To What To Do In the Event of a Property Emergency

Homeowners associations often outsource management of their community to a professional property management company who are then responsible for the upkeep and maintenance necessary to assure community members are living in a safe environment. Even with the best preventative maintenance plan in place, property emergencies can still occur. In emergency scenarios, the homeowner’s association (HOA) can call on the management company for help.

Sometimes what seems like a property emergency to a homeowner isn’t a true emergency. If not deemed an emergency, you can expect a return call on the next business day.

Here are some pointers on what to do in these scenarios.

5 Property Emergencies and Who to Call

Presence of a gas smell.

Gas smells can range in severity from a pilot light needing relighting to rusted gas lines. Any presence of a gas smell warrants an immediate call to the gas company, but not necessarily to the management company. In a multi-dwelling residence like a mid-rise condo building, homeowners should contact management after calling the gas company.

No heat.

In the middle of winter, no heat is a problem. Going too long without heat can lead to issues including frozen pipes. If there is no heat in an individual home, homeowners should call an HVAC company to remedy their problem. If there is no heat in a common area like a hallway or you live in a building with a common heat source like a boiler, homeowners should notify management.

Flooding or water leaks.

Gushing water can cause severe damage to the impacted area. What to do for leaks of this nature can vary greatly depending on the source and where you live. A homeowner should call a plumber directly if the source is within their own home and is not related to a common water source like a fire suppression system. A plumber can often direct you on the source of the issue and shut the water off if necessary. The property management company should be informed of all leaks that occur in the common area or within a multi-dwelling residence.

Leaking roof.

While a leaking roof might be a problem, it may not be deemed an emergency unless there is a large influx of water. In a storm, a roof leak is likely not able to be fixed immediately. Notifying the management company as soon as a leak is spotted however is important so they can schedule a roof inspection and have it fixed prior to it becoming a bigger problem.

Property fires.

Fires are definitely property emergencies that residents should call to report after calling 911 first.

AR Management helps homeowners and condo associations with ongoing property maintenance as well as property emergencies. To learn more about the full range of services offered, contact us today.