Tenant Calls In the Middle of the Night

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Ashley KehrPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Buffalo, NY · Member since 2017 · 208 posts · 186 votes
7y

I usually don't answer then listen to their voicemail. One time it was an actual emergency with flooding water that needed to be pumped so I called them back. Any other time I get a call after 7pm or before 8am, I wait to call them back. I try to run it similar to if I had business hours. Most of tenants text me or email me, which is a lot more convenient. 

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  • Alex S.
    Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2018 · 270 posts · 187 votes
    7y

    What’s the reason for calling?

    1Reply
  • Austin Soros
    Detroit, MI · Member since 2017 · 30 posts · 15 votes
    7y

    Turn your phone off before bed, turn it on in the morning? Unless of course this is regarding an issue that is damaging to your rental unit?

    0Reply
  • Ashley KehrPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Buffalo, NY · Member since 2017 · 208 posts · 186 votes
    7y

    I usually don't answer then listen to their voicemail. One time it was an actual emergency with flooding water that needed to be pumped so I called them back. Any other time I get a call after 7pm or before 8am, I wait to call them back. I try to run it similar to if I had business hours. Most of tenants text me or email me, which is a lot more convenient. 

    2Reply
  • Christina Giovanetti
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    @Austin Soros What if it is damaging to your rental unit? 

    0Reply
  • Christina Giovanetti
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    @Alex S. Pipe bursts, gas smell, Ect.  

    0Reply
  • Joe FunariBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Keller, TX · Member since 2017 · 850 posts · 825 votes
    7y

    This is why I have a property management company manage my properties here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. They get all the crazy calls and not me. I worked for many years for a professional property management company  and know the work that goes into managing a rental property. Best advise I can give is treat your real estate investing like a business an not a hobby.

    0Reply
  • Shawn Zimmer
    Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2017 · 22 posts · 10 votes
    7y

    Did they damage the unit?

    0Reply
  • Alex S.
    Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2018 · 270 posts · 187 votes
    7y

    I use Avail for payments and they have a service that deals with urgency. They take a request by email and forwarded that to you. It tells them that you have 24 hrs to respond and in case of emergency call appropriate number.  

    0Reply
  • Jason Hendrickson
    Rental Property Investor · Park City, UT · Member since 2019 · 84 posts · 149 votes
    7y

    Answer the phone? If you don't want middle of the night calls then turn off your phone or don't self-manage. You can prevent a lot of issues with a bit of planning/education. Show your tenants how to shut off the water, gas, etc. If there's an emergency at least they'll know what to do if they can't reach you right away.

    2Reply
  • Christina Giovanetti
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    @Ashley Kehr That's great advice! My main worry is if it an actual emergency that CAN NOT wait. 

    1Reply
  • Christina Giovanetti
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    @Shawn Zimmer No damage. Just want to make sure I don't miss emergency calls that absolutely can not wait opposed to minor things that can wait. 

    0Reply
  • Dana Walker
    Orlando, FL · Member since 2016 · 48 posts · 13 votes
    7y

    Boundaries! I would not answer the phone, but be sure to check the voicemail if possible to see if your unit is at risk. 

    0Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    7y

    Well I would answer ..but somebody would have had to die or water better be pouring into the place or there will be hell to pay

    1Reply
  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    7y

    If it is an emergency, then I expect them to call. If there is a gas leak or something like that, their first call should be to the utility company, not the landlord.  A burst pipe, hopefully they know where the water shut off is.

    0Reply
  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    7y

    Check the voicemail. I  can only recall a  very few that were in the middle of the night and they were real emergencies.  One oil tank leak and one where in a multifamily  the guy who supposedly fixed the heat didn't...     

    0Reply
  • Jordan MoorheadBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Austin, TX · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    @Christina Giovanetti is this happening a lot? It's never happened to me once.

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  • Scott P.
    Rental Property Investor · Indiana...mostly · Member since 2019 · 468 posts · 245 votes
    7y

    Call me any time for natural gas leak, burst pipe/active leak, or furnace out in winter.

    Don't call me off hours about AC or a broken garbage disposal etc.

    So I'd answer if they call.  I can't really remember ever being called "in the middle of the night" though.

    My tenants also have an emergency contact/contractor whom I have a longstanding relationship with for plumbing and furnace work in each city where I've owned a property.  They know to call those folks if i don't answer but that's never happened in 20+ years.

    I suppose I need an emergency contact for a garage door that won't go up for units with garages but I haven't done that yet.  One unit may have a sticker on the door from a door repair company but i don't know if they have 24 hour service.

    0Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    7y

    I set up an emergency number and give it to all my tenants. If they have an emergency maintenance issue that can't wait until the following day, they call and follow the instructions in the voicemail. Once they hang up, I receive a text that a message is waiting. I listen to the message and determine if it's an emergency or not and then act accordingly.

    You can do the same with Google Voice. Set up a free number that only takes messages. Leave a recording that says it is only for emergency maintenance requests and that any non-emergency calls will be ignored. Instruct them to leave a detailed message with:

    - name and phone number of caller

    - detailed description and location of problem

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    1Reply
  • Christina Giovanetti
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    @Jordan Moorhead Not yet. I have heard tenant horror stories and just want to prepare for the unknown. 

    0Reply
  • Christina Giovanetti
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    7y

    I believe I am going to implement showing the tenant where the shut off valves are during the move in inspection and possibly labeling them as well. Thank you all for your help! 

    0Reply
  • Aaron Poling
    Realtor · WV · Member since 2018 · 454 posts · 310 votes
    7y

    It depends. Have you given your tenants a pathway to report issues and emergencies. If you give them your cell number and say to call you for issues, then expect to get all kinds of calls. They shouldn't call in the middle of the night unless its an emergency, but laying out a plan for them will help. For example below is what I tell my tenants. 

    For issues and repairs please email (I have an email address dedicated to this)

    For water leaks please turn off the main water that was pointed out during walk through, and leave a message at (office number)

    For water emergencies please call (plumbing company with 24 hour service calls)

    I lay out a plan for them so they know exactly what to do. I tape the plan on the inside of a kitchen cabinet door so it is easy for them to find at any time. 

    Good Luck, Aaron

    1Reply
  • Matt P.
    Investor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2015 · 625 posts · 601 votes
    7y

    @Jason Hendrickson Exactly. Gotta show them the basics of how to turn things off. Showing the Tennant where shut offs are and how to use them has turned a couple situations that could have been an emergency into a minor issue for me.

    0Reply
  • Max T.
    Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Christina Giovanetti:

    @Ashley Kehr That's great advice! My main worry is if it an actual emergency that CAN NOT wait. 

     Then they should be calling emergency services, not you (police, fire, utility, etc...) . 

    Educate your tenants up front on where shut off valves are, circuit breaker panel, etc.

    0Reply
  • Jennifer T.Pro Member
    Investor · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 944 votes
    7y

    I leave instructions for shutting off the water/gas and emergency numbers (for utilities, police, etc.) in the unit, taped to the back of a kitchen cabinet door and point it out to the tenant when they move in.

    I don't keep my cell phone with me when I'm sleeping.  It stays in the front room.  I tell tenants they can call/e-mail/text me whenever they want but, if it's after 9PM, I probably won't get back to them until the next day.

    I've twice had tenants call/text around midnight-1ishAM.  And called/texted multiple, multiple times for their "emergency".  Neither instance was an emergency.  One of them was calling because her A/C had stopped working.  Like, what exactly did she think I could do about that at 1AM anyway, lol.  So ridiculous.  The other was a guy who was having a "game night" and I guess his buddies had come over with extra tvs and game consoles that were all plugged into an outlet strip for the same outlet.  Something like that.  And they lost power for that room.  Apparently he was able to figure out how to flip the circuit breaker after his multiple calls/texts to me, lol.  So it was a moot point by the time I called him back the next day.

    0Reply
  • Steve RozenbergPro Member
    Specialist · Houston, TX · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    I think it is important to make sure you set the proper expectations with your tenant as to what is and what is not considered an emergency base on property code law. For us if a tenant calls on something after hours and it is not an emergency based on what is defined then there will be an admin charge that they must pay. Now obviously based on what state you are in you will need to make sure that you can do this and it must be disclosed to the tenant. 

    But setting proper expectations in the beginning are the key for us to having a good working relationship with our tenants. 

    0Reply
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