What counts as an emergency repair?

An emergency repair is any issue that puts a tenant's safety or health at risk, or that damages the property fast if it waits. Ask one question. Does delay cause harm to a person or the building? If the answer is yes, treat it as an emergency.

Routine repairs are annoying but stable. A cabinet door off its hinge or a slow-draining sink can wait for normal business hours. The line is about risk and speed, not how upset the tenant sounds on the phone.

Most landlords treat these situations as urgent, day or night:

• No heat in cold weather, or no cooling during dangerous heat.
• Gas odor or a suspected carbon monoxide leak.
• Major water leaks, burst pipes, or flooding.
• No running water or a total loss of hot water.
• Sewage backup or a failed toilet in a single-bathroom unit.
• Electrical hazards like sparking outlets, exposed wiring, or a full power loss.
• A broken exterior door or lock that leaves the home unsecured.
• Fire, storm, or break-in damage that makes the unit unsafe.

These problems still deserve a prompt fix, but they rarely justify a late-night vendor call:

• A dripping faucet or a running toilet that still functions.
• A dead refrigerator or oven when a backup is available.
• One of two bathrooms out of service.
• Minor cosmetic damage, loose fixtures, or a squeaky door.
• A pest issue that is a nuisance rather than a health threat.

Weather and context change the answer. A dead furnace is routine in mild weather and an emergency in a freeze. Judge each call on the conditions that day.

The clearest way to avoid a 2 a.m. argument is to define emergencies in writing. Spell out what qualifies, how tenants should report it, and which number to call after hours. Give tenants steps for stopping damage, such as shutting off a water valve.

What a landlord must fix, and how fast, is set by habitability rules that vary by state. Do not quote a fixed deadline as fact. Check your state's guide at /laws/ and confirm the specifics with your own counsel.