Emergencies often happen unexpectedly and require immediate attention. As a property owner, home-related emergencies can throw your planned work schedule into disarray. But responding quickly to solve the emergency is absolutely essential. If you’re a property manager or owner and are concerned that you can’t respond as quickly as required to prospective emergencies, you’ll benefit from working with a professional block property management company like Habitare.
No matter how cautious you are, you’ll more than likely have to respond to a repair emergency at least once in your life as a landlord.
At Habitare, we have emergency maintenance services on standby, so we can immediately deal with every urgent issue and greatly reduce the likelihood of serious outcomes. In this blog post, we will explore common property emergencies and the role of property managers as first responders.
1. Clogged Toilets
With shrinking real estate space in London and even in the suburbs, the average UK apartment has 1 to 2 bedrooms and a single bathroom and measures approximately 600 square feet. With only one bathroom per household, a clogged toilet becomes one of the biggest emergencies that needs quick resolution.
Toilets can get clogged for a variety of reasons. A common remedy for clogged toilet is to try to manually clear the blockage with a plunger, and several quick home remedies also exist, like using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar.
If you find that quick remedies aren’t solving the problem and the toilet bowl is overflowing regularly, it’s best to call a property maintenance expert. They can either replace the cistern and the toilet completely or change the U-pipe.
On-site property managers will usually emergency maintenance services like plumbers on speed dial and can offer a full-proof remedy for clogged toilet.
2. Broken Windows
Windows and locks can get damaged or broken, putting the safety of your tenant and the property at risk. These issues require immediate attention from property maintenance experts like locksmiths and handymen.
Windows can get broken by normal wear and tear, improper installation, impact by force or vandalism, and bad weather conditions. A property maintenance company will inspect the damage and board up the area to prevent the entry of cold air and offer privacy. They’ll then communicate with the right experts to get the glass measured and fitted.
An issue with broken locks or lost keys is much easier to fix. Usually, a locksmith can come and change the locks within a few hours. Habitare’s property maintenance team is on hand to look after these issues for you so that you don’t have to. Get in touch to talk about your property maintenance needs.
3. Heating/Air Conditioning Issues
Issues with heating or cooling systems can make your apartment block inhabitable. A boiler failure or a malfunctioning heating system can make living difficult, especially in the middle of winter. With Habitare managing your apartment blocks, you can feel secure in the knowledge that we’ll regularly check your block’s boilers and outdoor heating systems as part of our property maintenance service list to ensure they’re always in proper working order.
If your tenant notifies you of a heating issue, you can simply pass their comments over to us, and we’ll work to resolve the issue by organising a visit from suitable contractors for the job.
4. Pests
In a worst case scenario, ants, mice, termites, cockroaches, and other bugs or rodents can all become unwanted guests in your property. Not only are they unpleasant to live with, but they can actually damage your property by chewing through pipes and electrical wiring, contaminating food items and destroying clothes, papers and books. Pests are extremely unhygienic and carriers of many diseases, making it vital to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Dealing with pest infestation is one of the emergency maintenance services provided by block maintenance companies like Habitare. We can provide preventative services to reduce the likelihood of pest entry, and, when necessary, call pest control authorities.
5. Electrical Issue
Electrical issues can be challenging to resolve, as well as being dangerous for your residents and affecting the quality of their living conditions. Common issues with a property’s electrical system can range from flickering lights and damaged outlets to power loss and abnormally high energy bills.
To remedy the issue, you’ll need a property maintenance expert to look into the matter. Notifying your property management company can help you get faster and safer solutions than trying to do it on your own.
6. Flooding and Pipe Burst
A burst pipe is one of the most common apartment maintenance issues. In the winter months, freezing temperatures are the main cause of pipes bursting. An external pipe burst needs to be handled differently than an internal pipe, which will need resolving quickly to prevent flooding in the apartment.
Apartment flooding happens due to leaky taps and pipes, ceiling leaks, roof damage, or a forgetful resident forgetting to close a faucet. Even old stripping on a door or window can let in rainwater during a heavy shower. Flooding can cause extensive damage to your property, ruining wallpapers, carpets, and furniture.
As a property manager, you’ll need to offer your tenants the reassurance of swift rental emergency repairs caused by a pipe burst by turning off the main water valve. While the leaking is temporarily resolved, your property maintenance company can arrange for a plumber to deal with the cause of the issue.
7. Gas Leaks
A gas leak in apartment is one of the most critical emergencies as it can prove to be fatal. Gas leaks can cause fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. As a property owner if you smell gas or hear a hissing sound from your boiler or over, or notified about the same by your tenant then immediately inform the on-site property manager and call the National Gas Emergency number (0800 111 999).
Immediately extinguish candles and remove flammable items from near the gas leak in the apartment. Immediately evacuate the apartment and notify your neighbours of the same.
Contact Habitare for Complete Apartment Maintenance and Emergency Assistance
The key to preventing the escalation of emergency situations in an apartment is to immediately address the problem. While minor issues can be fixed on your own, for the more significant issues, it’s best to get the assistance of property maintenance experts.
At Habitare, we offer round-the-clock emergency maintenance services. We also provide regular inspections and maintenance, helping to prevent emergencies that arise from the gradual wear of a property. We work with top contractors to deliver quick and reliable solutions for any property-related problem. Our on-site managers provide effective and efficient coordination between property owners, tenants, and vendors.
Get in touch with us today to get professional block property management including out-of-hours emergency assistance.