Emergency Escalations: Property Damaging and Extreme Habitability Situations

While Latchel handles various emergencies, there are situations where we will not escalate to the property management company’s emergency contacts. These include non-damaging issues, routine maintenance, and situations that do not pose immediate risks to property or habitability. Understanding the specific scenarios that warrant an emergency escalation will help ensure a smooth and efficient resolution process, and alleviate any confusion regarding the types of emergencies that will prompt a call from us.

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Defining Property Damaging, and Extreme Habitability

• Property Damage is defined as any potential issue that is likely to cause continued physical damage to an otherwise non-damaged item or portion of the home, i.e. if the issue is left unresolved, the damage to the property will increase over time. With that, the longer it takes to resolve the issue, the bigger the damage will become and thus more expensive to fix.
• Extreme Habitability is defined as an issue that represents the loss of a major service or a potential safety issue.

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Property Damaging and Extreme Habitability Issues

1. Plumbing or Any Water Leak Issues

These are defined as intense leak, filling more than a bucket a day, and are not going into a drain. This also applies to leaks where the source is unknown (e.g. resident hears a leaking sound) or cannot contain/mitigate the leak. These include:

• roof leaks
• water heater leaks
• air-conditioning leaks
• sanitary or sewage backup leaks
• foundation leaks
• property damaging appliance leaks
• property damaging plumbing fixtures leaks

The work order problems corresponding to plumbing or any water leak issues regardless of location are:

• Major water leaks
• Water Leak (Major Damage)
• Unstoppable High Water Pressure
• Leaking Clothes Washer
• Continuous and Overflowing Sewage Backup
• Major Damage to Roofing or Awning
• Minor Water Damage to Flooring
• Minor Water Damage to Walls
• Leaking Ice Machine

2. Sewage/Standing Water Issues

These are issues when a resident cannot clean up the standing water, either because there is too much water for the resident to dry out, or the resident is refusing to clean it up.

The work order problems corresponding to sewage/standing water issues regardless of location are:

• Externally Leaking Toilet (Piping or Valve)
• Major External Toilet Leak (Base or Tank)
• Standing Water on Floor

3. No/Low Outside Heat Issues

If outside temperature is or could be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit at any time during the next 24 hour period, or any time during the weekend, it could freeze and burst pipes, hence may end up causing property damages.

The work order problems corresponding to no outside heat issues regardless of location are:

• Completely Broken Heater (Low Outside Temp)
• Insufficient Heating in All of Home (Low Outside Temp)
• Insufficient Heating of Bedrooms (Low Outside Temp)
• Insufficient Heating in Part of Home (Low Outside Temp)

4. Electrical Outlet Issues

These are issues that are indicator of potential fire when no one can be able to shut off electricity to the part of the house that has the electrical outlet issue such as smoke or burning smell, and sparks coming out of the power outlet.

The work order problem corresponding to electrical outlet issue regardless of location is:

• Sparking or Smoking Electrical Outlet

5. No Water Issue

This is considered as an extreme habitability issue due to loss of major service.

The work order problem corresponding to this type of issue is: 

• No Running Water

6. Broken Door/Lock Issue

This is also considered as an extreme habitability issue because it is a safety hazard.

The work order problem corresponding to this type of issue is:

• Unsecured External Door (Risk of Anyone Entering Home)

7. 911 Emergencies

All fire, as well as, electrical pole falling or leaning on building or home should be treated as property damaging. Latchel will be conservative in treating this issues and may advise the resident to call 911 as these may also be a potential life-threatening emergencies. These issues include:

• Fire
• Gas Leak or Carbon Monoxide Leak
• Crime situations such as attempted break-ins (burglaries)
• Hazmat
• Electrical pole falling/leaning on building or home
• Tree falling onto building
• Major flooding

The work order problems corresponding to 911 Emergencies regardless of location are:

• Fire
• Constant Gas Leak
• Carbon Monoxide Leak
• Severe Flooding
• Severed Power Line
• Fallen Tree on Property (Property Damaging)

**To understand more about how Latchel handles these emergency maintenance work orders, please check the Emergency Process Quick Guide.