Maintenance playbooks for landlords

Tenant has no heat: what to do in the first hour

A no-heat report is urgent in every state and an emergency when it's freezing. The triage steps, what to text the tenant and the HVAC tech, and who pays.

Tenant has no hot water: what to check and who to call

No hot water is urgent but rarely an emergency. The two-minute checks that fix half of these, what to text the tenant and the plumber, and who pays.

Tenant reports a water leak: stop the damage first

Leaks range from a dripping faucet to a burst pipe. How to tell in one text which one you have, the shut-off instructions to send, and what to text the plumber.

Clogged drain or toilet: what to try before the plumber

A clogged toilet in a one-bathroom unit is urgent; a slow shower drain is not. How to triage, what to ask the tenant to try, and who pays for the plumber.

Tenant is locked out: what a landlord has to do

Lockouts are a security request, not a repair. When it's an emergency, when to send a locksmith versus the spare key, and who pays.

Tenant reports mold: find the water first, then decide who fixes what

Mold is a water problem with a fungus on top. First-day steps, what to ask for, handyman versus remediation company, and how to answer the tenant.

Tenant reports roaches, mice, or bedbugs: what to do and who pays

Routine until it's bedbugs. How to triage roaches, mice and bedbugs, what to text, who pays in multi-unit buildings, and how to stop it spreading.

Tenant has no AC: when it's urgent, what to check, and what to text

Urgent in a heat wave, routine in May. The triage line, the two-minute checks, what to text the tenant and the HVAC tech, and who pays.