Emergency Maintenance - Park City Property Management
Maintenance happens; this is the reality of Park City property management. However there are certain types of situations, which by their nature are emergencies. As a landlord there a few important tips and laws you should know when it comes to emergency property maintenance. I have previously written about basic maintenance laws in my post "Maintenance Laws For Park City Property Management" which you can read here. This post explains some of the laws surrounding basic property maintenance as well as introducing the Fit Premises Act. This is the governing act in Utah property management when it comes to maintenance standards and requirements. If you are involved in Park City property management you should become familiar with the act and the requirements for both landlords and tenants. Today however I would like to deal with first tips and then laws on emergency maintenance.
Setting Expectations
As with many other facets of Park City property management, the initial setting of proper expectations is the first step on the road to an excellent relationship with your tenants. Having a frank conversation about what constitutes an emergency is important. This is also a good time for some self-evaluation of your ability to respond to emergencies as a landlord. If you feel you cannot do so it is probably best for you to hire a property manager. If you are up to the challenge then spell out what is or is not an emergency. Something like a leaking or broken water pipe is definitely an emergency, both for the damage the water can cause and the necessity of shutting of the water for repair. Tenants should be familiar with where the water shut of is and notify you immediately. Gas leaks are also an emergency. Tenants should know to leave the property first and know where the gas meter is. Last summer we had a riding lawn mower strike a gas meter and punch a large hole in the case. Even though it was outside it was necessary to go door to door in the surrounding buildings and have residents open their windows and turn off all potential spark sources. A broken heater would also constitute an emergency depending on the time of year. It may not be a rush repair in July but for Park City property management when we hit negative temperatures on a cold January night it must be taken care of immediately. Obviously fires and floods should be reported to the proper authorities along with the landlord but less obvious things like electrical problems should also be dealt with quickly to avoid creating fires.
Standard Of Habitability
Standard of habitability is a term found in the Fit Premises Act and helps to explain what could be considered an emergency. If the defect in the property violates a standard of habitability and presents a threat to the physical health and safety of a tenant then a corrective period of 3 days is required by law. Things like broken windows, exposed electrical wiring, exterior doors that cannot be locked or secured, improperly flowing or clogged drains and plumbing, along with all of the items listed above would constitute a violation of the standard of habitability. Should a tenant report any of these types of maintenance items you are legally required to correct the deficiency with 3 days of its report. There are also requirements related to a "dangerous condition" which is defined as a condition that poses a substantial risk of the imminent loss of life or substantial physical harm. By law a dangerous conditions must be repaired with 24 hours of its report.
If you would like more information on emergency maintenance laws and tips, or any of our Park City property management services please click on the link below for a free consultation. You will be given valuable information about your property as well as a no-obligation quote on our property management services.
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