Answers

What counts as a maintenance emergency?

A maintenance emergency is a problem that puts someone in danger, is damaging the building right now, or leaves a home without heat in cold weather, water, power or a door that locks. Everything else can wait for business hours, even when it’s a nuisance.

Last updated October 18, 2026

The three-question test

Ask them in this order. The first yes decides.

Is anyone in danger?
A smell of gas, a carbon monoxide or smoke alarm, fire, sparks, or someone stuck in an elevator. Life safety: get out, call 911 or the gas company from outside, then call the manager.
Is damage spreading right now?
Water leaking or coming through a ceiling, sewage backing up, or a broken window letting the rain in. Emergency: call the emergency line now, whatever the hour.
Is the home missing something essential?
No heat in cold weather, no water, no power, or a door that won’t lock. Emergency too. If all three answers are no, it’s a routine repair for business hours.

Common calls, sorted

Common maintenance problems that are and aren’t emergencies
Usually an emergency	Usually not: urgent or routine
Water coming through a ceiling	A dripping tap or a slow drain
Sewage backing up	The only toilet won’t flush (urgent)
No heat in cold weather	No hot water (urgent)
No water, or no power in the home	A light or fan not working
A door or window that won’t lock	An appliance not working
A lockout, if the lease says so	Pests, or mold with no running leak
A smell of gas or a carbon monoxide alarm (911 first)	The refrigerator stopped cooling (urgent)

Urgent means the manager hears about it at once and it’s first on the list the next morning. The full list of 23 calls, with what to tell residents first, is in our emergency maintenance guide, with a triage checker.

Who decides

The lease and the property manager’s written policy decide, within local law. Some cities make certain problems emergencies by law. New York City, for example, requires at least 68°F indoors from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the heating season, October 1 to May 31, when it’s below 55°F outside, at least 62°F overnight, and hot water at 120°F all year (NYC HPD). Chicago sets its own minimums. General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, province and city, so check yours.

Why the line matters

For residents, calling the emergency line about a dripping tap at 3 a.m. won’t get it fixed sooner; it only wakes someone up. For managers, a real emergency left until morning costs more: water keeps spreading, and a home without heat in winter can become unsafe.

What to do while you wait

For a leak, close the shut-off valve under the sink or behind the toilet if you can, and move belongings out of the water. Keep away from any light fixture or outlet near water. With no heat, never use the oven, the stove or a grill to warm the home: the CDC warns that it’s a carbon monoxide risk.

For property managers: write it down once

Put your list in writing, give it to residents at move-in, and give the same list to whoever answers your phone at night, including an AI virtual receptionist. Then a caller gets the same answer at 2 a.m. as at 2 p.m. Our emergency maintenance line page has a notice you can copy for residents and the rules to paste into your agent.

Is it an emergency? Quick answers

Is no hot water a maintenance emergency?

Usually it’s urgent rather than an emergency: the manager hears about it at once and it’s fixed first thing. If a whole building has no hot water, many managers treat it as an emergency, and some cities require hot water all year; New York City sets 120°F, every day.

Is being locked out a maintenance emergency?

It depends on the lease. Some managers send on-call, often for a fee; others give residents a locksmith’s number. A child or someone vulnerable locked inside is a 911 call.

Is a broken air conditioner an emergency?

Usually it’s urgent, not an emergency, unless the heat puts someone at risk. If anyone feels unwell in extreme heat, call 911. Some managers send on-call during a heat warning.

Is a clogged toilet an emergency?

If it’s the only toilet in the home, it’s urgent: handled that night or first thing in the morning, by the manager’s policy. If it’s overflowing, close the valve behind it and treat it as a leak.

Is a broken refrigerator an emergency?

It’s urgent. Food can’t wait days, but it can usually wait until morning. Keep the doors closed in the meantime.

Are pests or mold an emergency?

No, they’re routine repairs, unless the mold comes from a leak that’s still running. Then the leak is the emergency.

Who pays for an emergency call-out?

The lease decides. Many leases charge residents for lockouts or for damage they caused. The person answering the phone shouldn’t decide; the manager does, after the visit.

Should residents call 911 or the property manager first?

For gas, fire, smoke, a carbon monoxide alarm or anyone in danger: 911 or the gas company first, then the manager. For everything else, the manager’s line.

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What counts as a maintenance emergency?

The three-question test

Is anyone in danger?

Is damage spreading right now?

Is the home missing something essential?