First, let me introduce myself. My name is Bryan Swallow, I am in the disaster restoration industry as a damage mitigator, as well as an instructor. Over the years I've worked on hundreds of projects, from small damage projects in mobile homes to multi-story commercial properties.

I thought it might be good to start a thread where people can come with questions about what to do, or what to expect when dealing with different types of damage.

Let's start with something very basic and important: Does your property management know what to do in case of emergency?

I recently came upon this situation when called in to do an estimate by the tenant whose child had left the upstairs bathtub running, causing a partial flood upstairs and downstairs. The property management left it to the tenant to handle everything, and refused to notify the property owner.

Unless handled properly, water can continue to cause damage for weeks that can lead to very costly remodeling and remediation repairs. Would you leave the repairs up to the sole discretion of a tenant who has no vested interest in the value of your property, other than their deposit? Does your property management have a plan in place for emergencies, or do they just collect the rent? If you believe they have a plan, how do you know; did you ask or are you assuming?

Having contigency plans in place cost little to nothing to set up, and can save you thousands the first time you need it.