One of the most important aspects of a maintenance ...



One of the most important aspects of a maintenance operation is the ability to respond in a timely manner to an emergency situation regardless of the day or time. Although this may be an infrequent event, they can result in significant damage if personnel do not respond quickly. Each emergency will post new and unique problems. When an emergency occurs, the first priority must always be the protection of human life and health. The appropriate authorities should be called, i.e., fire, police, ambulance, etc. if necessary.

At every community, contact information for after hours emergencies should be posted according to chapter 1, section 4 of this manual. If on site staff is contacted by a resident or anyone else after hours, a decision must be made by the staff on the appropriate course of action. In general, management is required to only respond after hours if persons or property are in danger. Some examples would be:

• A sewer backup that overflows causing damage to property is an emergency. A sewer stoppage that does not overflow is not an emergency only if a second bathroom is available.

• Flooding is an emergency and the receiver of the call should encourage the resident to seek a means to turn the water off in order to prevent further damage until help arrives.

• Damage caused by wind, storm, or fire is an emergency.

• Lack of air conditioning is not an emergency unless the apartment residents are pregnant, elderly, disabled (including mentally ill), ill, or there are small children AND the outside temperature is more than 80 degrees. Normally, healthy residents can wait until normal working hours for the air conditioning to be restored.

• Lack of heat is an emergency if the outside temperature is or is expected to drop below 55 degrees.

• Evidence of smoke and/or fire is an emergency. The individual should be told to immediately call the Fire Department and then the appropriate person should be called. In addition, the Community Manager and the Regional Property Manager should be notified immediately in the case of a fire.

• A completely inoperable cook stove is not an emergency unless the call is received between 5:00 p.m. on Friday and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

• A refrigerator that is completely out is not an emergency unless it occurs between 5:00 p.m. on Friday and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The resident should be instructed to take normal precautions such as not opening the refrigerator or placing the food in a cooler or other container. Management is not responsible for the loss of food.

• A hot water heater which is out is not an emergency unless the call is received between 5:00 p.m. on Friday and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. No emergency is considered if this is received during the week after normal working hours as it can easily be repaired the first thing the following morning.

• Any gas leak will be considered an emergency and the individual will be requested to call the gas company to shut off the valve while the maintenance man is in route.

• A broken or inoperable smoke detector is always an emergency.

• Apartment door that cannot be secured is an emergency.

• Fallen tree on roof of a building is an emergency.

On the contrary, examples of situations that ARE NOT after hours emergencies are:

• Inoperable stove

• Dripping faucet

• Running commode

Of course, there are too many examples to list or discuss so on site staff must make judgment decisions when the course of action is not as obvious. In situations such as these, err on the side of responding to the emergency rather than assuming that it can wait until the next business day.

In most cases, we cannot predict what will happen when we leave the office at the end of day. Hopefully, after hours emergencies rarely will occur at your property. If they do, being prepared for those emergencies will allow you to deal with it much quicker and professionally. The community manager and/or maintenance staff must be available to answer the property pager and/or cell phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A reasonable time frame to respond to a call is not more than 30 minutes.

Staff will at all times have available vendor names and after hours contact information for any given trade that may be necessary. The most frequently used vendors after hours would be a plumber, HVAC technician, locksmith and tree service. If the nature of the emergency can be addressed by the maintenance technician, the resident should be notified of the approximate time that the maintenance technician shall arrive at the property (please refer to employee handbook for compensation for after hours emergencies). The maintenance technician should contact the community manager to inform him/her that they have been contacted, what the emergency was and what action had to be taken.

In addition, all on site staff must be knowledgeable of the following:

• Location of the main or building shut off valves to:

o Water

o Fire sprinklers (if applicable)

o Irrigation (if applicable)

o Main electrical disconnects

o Sewer cleanouts

o Gas (if applicable)

▪ An as built survey of the property should be located in your property file that describes the above; however, staff must be able to describe their locations without having access to the survey.

• Contact information for the following:

o Fire Department

o Police Department

o Water Company

o Electric Company

o Gas Company (if applicable)

o Appropriate vendors

• Fire alarm pull station locations and main control panels (if applicable)

• Location of a first aid kit on the property.

FIRE

• Immediate actions:

o Verify that the Fire Department has been called.

o Call for maintenance support.

o Call Regional Property Manager

o Go to the fire.

• Actions to be taken at the property:

o Have maintenance cut off gas and electricity of subject building.

o Brief staff not to talk to media and not to accept liability.

o Ascertain resident's personal insurance coverage.

o Call your Regional Property Manager immediately, to give an assessment of the damage. If he/she cannot be located, discuss the situation with the Director of Affordable Property Management or President of NHE, Inc.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the insurance company.

o The insurance company will notify the agent and a claims adjuster will be sent to the property to evaluate the damage. Should they not arrive within a reasonable time, notify your Regional Property Manager so follow-up can begin.

o Notify residents of damaged apartment(s) involved if they are not present.

o Locate vacancies and relocate resident immediately, if possible, unless willful intent or negligence is obvious.

o Take immediate, necessary, emergency steps as circumstances require to protect the property from further damage after the loss occurs. All costs related with the protection of the property and costs expended to restore the property to its proper condition must be kept separately from any normal operating expense.

o Secure damaged units or hire temporary security to guard belongings if you are unable to secure damaged units.

o Run temporary utilities which had been cut off to habitable units, if possible.

o NO REPAIR WORK SHOULD BEGIN UNTIL AUTHORIZED BY YOUR REGIONAL PROPERTY MANAGER.

o Regional Property Manager will notify your HUD Loan Servicer.

o DO NOT make any statement to any person regarding responsibility.

o DO NOT offer to make any re-payments or concessions to anyone.

o DO NOT RELET TO OR TRANSFER RESIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR CAUSING FIRE WHEN NEGLIGENCE IS OBVIOUS.

GAS LEAKS

• Minor Leaks

o Call maintenance to aid in detecting and pinpointing possible gas leaks

• Major Leaks

o Call the gas company.

o Call maintenance so they can turn the gas off and be informed as to the decision of the gas company.

o Call your Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

FLOODED UNITS

• Appraise the scope of the problem: employ contractors and/or approve overtime to cure the origin of leak through carpet removal, rendering damaged units on DRY concrete immediately.

• Call your Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

• Carpet must be pulled immediately, otherwise carpet will mildew and ruin.

• Advise residents of the estimated time of the repair process, which usually takes three days minimum.

• Remove and destroy wet pad and replace with new pad.

• Carpet will sometimes shrink and cannot be re-laid, even with stretching.

• Do not admit liability for resident's personal property.

• Send a memo to each resident involved outlining the extent of damage and steps taken to correct the situation. (You may need this document at a future date.)

NOTE: Sometimes, the fire department will assist in clean-up of major floods if units are available.

MAJOR FREEZE/ICE STORM

• Close laundry room.

• Turn on heat in vacant units to 55 degrees.

• Leave cabinet doors open and hot water faucets dripping in all vacant units. Notify residents to leave their faucet dripping. You may purchase small portable plastic signs which tell residents to leave their water dripping.

• When plumbing freeze occurs:

o Call your Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o Notify maintenance immediately.

o Prepare for floods (see section on flooding).

• Sprinkle Ice-Melt or similar product on all stairways and upper walkways.

• Immediately, de-ice and/or Ice-Melt any area which residents notify you about. Lack of immediate action after notification will be judged "gross negligence" by courts, thus negating our liability insurance. (Keep notes in insurance file regarding requests and complaints).

• Maintain standard office hours. Staff must be available to handle problems.

HAIL OR STORM DAMAGE

• Take pictures of damage.

• Immediately begin replacing glass to protect property from the elements. Keep a separate accounting of all insurance related expenses.

• Contact Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

• The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the insurance company if necessary.

• The insurance company will notify the agent and a claims adjuster will be sent to the property to evaluate the damage. Should they not arrive within a reasonable time, notify your Regional Property Manager so follow-up can begin.

If snow/ice/hail or other storms occurs during your normal working hours, you are required to remain at work until your normal schedule has been completed (unless otherwise notified by Regional Property Management, Director Affordable Property Management, President of NHE). During the time at the property you should ensure your maintenance technician has been preparing for the storm. Such as lying salt down on sidewalks, driveways, shoveling snow, removing tree limbs etc. The Community Manager should send out a memo notifying the residents of the potential storm and what safety measures to take to protect themselves, also, the Community Manager shall provide an emergency number for the residents to call if emergency shelter is needed. If a storm is/has occurred after normal business hours, your maintenance staff is required to report to work to salt down sidewalks, driveways, shovel snow, remove tree limbs etc. The Community Manager is required to have contact with the Maintenance Technician during the hours to determine the condition of the property. If necessary he/she may have to report to work as well. Remember during/after all storms to contact your Regional Property Manager to keep them informed about the condition of the property and safety of your residents.

DEATH IN A UNIT

• Call police to investigate and release the apartment to you.

• Call your Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

• Release belongings only to the person listed on the disposition of death form.

• Do not discuss with media.

• If the body is decomposed, secure gas masks. Employ clean air company to deodorize.

• If police do not notify next of kin, manager should notify emergency contact listed on the Resident Emergency Information form.

RESIDENT ROBBERIES/BURGLARIES

• ROBBERIES:

o Make sure that resident has called police.

o Be sympathetic, but DO NOT ADMIT LIABILITY.

o Call Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property

Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the

insurance company if necessary.

o If resident demands release from lease, discuss with Regional Property Manager.

o Place a memo in the resident's file describing the incident and send a copy to the home office along with the accident report.

• BURGLARIES - FORCED ENTRY:

o Call police

o Call Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property

Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the

insurance company if necessary.

o Immediately secure the unit.

o Provide window locks, charlie bars, and dead bolt locks at company expense.

o Notify resident.

o If resident demands release from lease, discuss with Regional Property Manager.

o Place a memo in the resident's file describing the incident and send a copy to the home office along with the accident report.

• BURGLARIES - UNFORCED ENTRY:

o Call police

o Call Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property

Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the

insurance company if necessary.

o Change all locks.

o Provide window locks, charlie bars, and dead bolt locks at company expense.

o If resident demands release from lease, discuss with Regional Property Manager.

o Should resident accuse or blame company and demand restitution, notify Regional property manager. **This situation sometimes arises after maintenance has entered the unit, especially when the maintenance visit was unsolicited.

o Place a memo in the resident's file describing the incident and send a copy to the home office along with the accident report.

ON-SITE OFFICE BURGLARIES AND LOSSES

• OFFICE BURGLARIZED - FORCED ENTRY

o Call police and on-call maintenance personnel.

o Call Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property

Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the

insurance company if necessary.

o Secure the office.

o Inventory losses.

o Place a memo in your files describing incident and send a copy to the home office along with the accident report.

o Notify Regional Property Manager

o Notify residents whose checks are missing to stop payment; company will pay stop payment charge and have resident issue a new check.

• OFFICE BURGLARIZED - UNFORCED ENTRY OR MISSING CASH

o Call police.

o Call Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property

Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the

insurance company if necessary.

o Inventory losses.

o File general loss notice.

o Notify Regional Property Manager

o Notify residents whose checks are missing to stop payment; company will pay stop payment charge; have them issue a new check.

• LOST OR MISSING BANK DEPOSIT

o Secure the office.

o Call Regional Property Manager to inform him/her of the situation.

o The Regional Property Manager, Director of Affordable Property

Management or President of NHE, Inc, will notify the

insurance company if necessary.

o Notify bank.

o List checks missing; notify accounting.

o Contact residents whose checks are missing to see if checks cleared and/or stop payment; company will pay stop payment charges and have resident issue a new check.

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