Maintenance Request Emergency / Non Emergency Tasks

• During office hours, tenant calls the 3PM maintenance number. It rings to our staff first (3 rings).
• If our staff do not pick up in time, or it is after-hours, the call forwards to MCC (Maintenance Contact Center).
• MCC dispatcher answers, confirms property + tenant, and creates a Task in Buildium using the tenant’s address (Incoming Request).
• If MCC classifies as emergency, they dispatch using our emergency vendor list and mark the Buildium task as High priority.
• If MCC classifies as non-emergency, they only log the task. It is for 3PM office to triage (we do not let MCC promise scheduling for non-emergency).
• Tenant is never told “this is emergency / non-emergency”. They are only told their call is logged and our office will follow up.

• Open the new Task in Buildium (Incoming Requests).
• Check that the property, unit, and tenant are correct.
• Read the description from MCC or tenant once, so you understand the issue.

• Set Status → In progress.
• Set Category → Maintenance request (or correct preset category if your office uses one).
• Assign "Assigned to" → Property Manager / Maintenance Coordinator.
• Check Priority:
  – High if possible emergency (no heat, water leak, fire risk, no power, sewage, gas smell).
  – Normal for everything else (you can raise it later if needed).

• Call tenant (or Buildium message if call fails) to confirm details:
  – What happened? Since when? Getting worse or not?
  – Is there water, fire, smoke, gas smell, no heat, no power, sewage, structural risk?
• Ask for photos / video and appliance model / serial if relevant.
• Check if issue might be tenant responsibility (hair in drain, misuse, damage by guest, etc.).
• Check if tenant can safely self-resolve simple items (breaker, battery, basic drain cleaner) – only if safe and allowed.

• Treat as Emergency when:
  – Active water leak / flooding
  – No heat in winter / extreme cold (risk to pipes or health)
  – Fire risk, smoke, burning smell, gas smell
  – No power to whole unit (not a BC Hydro outage)
  – Sewage backup, serious health/safety or structural risk
• Treat everything else as Non-emergency, but still important.
• Decide who is likely responsible under the RTA:
  – Landlord: building systems, structure, normal wear and tear, included appliances.
  – Tenant: misuse, neglect, items they brought in, damage by guests.

• Use past jobs or quick vendor feedback to estimate if work is under or over $500 (before tax).
• When needed, ask 1–2 vendors for a quick quote before you decide.
• Apply the simple rule:
  – Non-emergency < $500: we can decide and proceed (notify owner – no approval needed).
  – Non-emergency ≥ $500: wait for owner’s written approval before work.
  – Emergency < $500: dispatch vendor now, inform owner after.
  – Emergency ≥ $500: try to reach owner; if unreachable and damage will grow, use stop-loss (dispatch, then fully document).

Non-emergency < $500 – notify only (PMA repair authority)

• Send owner a short Buildium message or email with issue + estimate/quote.
• Explain we will proceed in about 72 hours if they do not object.
• Do not wait if there is risk of further damage – but still give them the chance to comment.

Non-emergency ≥ $500 – written approval required

• Send owner an email + Buildium message summarising issue and quotes.
• Ask them to reply “APPROVED” (or choose vendor) within 24 hours.
• Do not start work until you see written approval (email, Buildium, or signed quote).

Emergencies – inform owner what we did

• After MCC or 3PM dispatches vendor, send owner a short update (issue, vendor, rough cost).
• For Emergency ≥$500 stop-loss jobs: clearly list the times you tried to call/message them.

• Inside the Task, click “Create work order”.
• Select the chosen Vendor (MCC emergency vendor or regular preferred vendor).
• Copy the approved scope of work from quote into the work order description.
• Enter approved amount (before tax) and any limit instructions.
• Confirm time windows with tenant; set the scheduled date/time.

• Collect / ensure vendor sends:
  – Before photos
  – After photos
  – Invoice (matching approved scope + price)
  – Any report / notes / warranty
• Upload all files to the same Task / Work Order in Buildium.
• Call or message tenant within 1–2 days:
  – Is the issue fully resolved?
  – Was the vendor professional and cleaned up?
• If tenant is not satisfied, keep Task open and re-assign to vendor for correction.

• Assign Task to Accounting when photo proof + invoice are complete.
• Accounting creates the bill in Buildium, pays vendor (EFT/cheque), and posts cost to correct property / owner.
• After payment is confirmed, set Task Status = Completed.
• Make sure all key emails, approvals, and quotes are attached or clearly linked in the Task.