How to Prepare Your Tenants for an Emergency
Saturday Afternoon and Your Tenant Has a Water Leak – What Should He/She Do?
Since we offer 24/7 emergency services we often hear from tenants with this or similar situations and they have no idea what to do. As a 24/7 emergency service plumber we run into all sorts of situations and we always try to help guide them to shut the water off first and foremost, then get in touch with the landlord.
Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, having emergency contact information is crucial to deal with the unexpected. If your property is in an HOA, having that information handy is also important since the HOA requirements may become relevant also. Having reliable resources for emergency services may be the difference in responding quickly and that may mean saving you from more costly water or mold damage claims later.
If you are a tenant, ask your landlord, for contact information to use in an emergency. Also ask where the shut offs are for your water and gas. In most cases, the landlord wants you to contact them first so that they are aware of the situation and so that they can take charge. We recommend this as it streamlines the process for you when we know that the owner has approved us to go out to the property. This is especially critical during evenings, weekends or in the middle of the night since our office is not open and we are only working remotely.
Landlords may not be aware of it, but tenants who are not prepared with this information will often call the plumber of the service professional directly and may not disclose that they are not the owner. This is not likely intentional but when someone is surprised by a leak or sewer problem they may become panicked and reach out. Also, the tenant may not know the details about a property and helping the tenant be better prepared will alleviate the landlord from the tenant making decisions about the property that are beyond the scope of the lease.
We recommended that the landlord always provide the tenant with a reliable contact for any 24/7 emergency, and also that the landlord set up a relationship with a company like Powers Plumbing that offers a 24/7 service. This way we can provide the most responsive service in an emergency. We will have the approval and instructions from the responsible party in advance and the tenant can get to the enjoyment of the space more rapidly before the situation gets worse. Otherwise, make sure that the owner or landlord know that you are having this problem, then we are just a phone call away.
Since 1914, Powers Plumbing has been on a mission to provide exceptional high quality plumbing services for the San Diego communities we serve. We are deeply connected to our historic Mission Hills community and are proud to serve multiple generations of families throughout San Diego.
We continue to strive to be the best plumbing shop in San Diego by living up to high ethical standards that have been passed down to us through generations of honorable service.
We hope that you will call us and choose us to assist you with your plumbing needs.