How to handle an emergency maintenance call at 2am

Emergencies are decided in advance. Define the categories and the spend authority before the call comes in.

Emergencies are decided in the first ten minutes: shut off the water, restore heat, secure the door. Diagnosis and permanent repair can wait; damage cannot.

The documentation matters because emergencies generate insurance claims and disputes more often than routine work. Photos, times, who was called and what was authorised should exist before the day ends.

1. Publish the emergency definition to residents: no heat, no water, flooding, gas, fire, or a security breach. 2. Route emergency intake to an on-call number with a real human path. 3. Pre-authorize a spend limit so the on-call tech can act without approval. 4. Log the call, the dispatch, and the resolution on the work order. 5. Follow up next business day with the resident and the owner.

• No published emergency definition, so residents guess and use the wrong channel.
• No after-hours spend authority, so the vendor waits for approval while damage continues.
• Nothing written down until days later.