What Counts as a Maintenance Emergency
A maintenance emergency is any condition that poses an immediate threat to safety, health, or property — or that makes the unit uninhabitable. These cannot wait for normal business hours. If you’re facing any of the following, contact us right away:
- Gas leak: If you smell gas, leave immediately, don’t use any switches or open flames, and call 911 and your gas provider first. Then call us. This is the one situation where emergency services come before your landlord.
- No heat in cold weather: In Texas this is less common, but during winter freezes — especially in January or February — loss of heat can become a health hazard within hours. This qualifies as an emergency.
- No air conditioning in extreme heat: When temperatures are dangerously high, a failed HVAC unit in a South Texas summer is a health risk, particularly for elderly residents, children, or anyone with medical conditions. Call us.
- Active water leak or flooding: A burst pipe, an overflowing appliance, or water actively coming into your unit needs immediate attention. Water damage compounds quickly — every hour it goes unaddressed, the damage grows. If safe to do so, shut off the water supply valve under the sink or behind the toilet before calling.
- No running water: Complete loss of water service — not a slow drain, but no water at all — is an emergency that makes the unit uninhabitable.
- Electrical hazard: Sparking outlets, burning smells from electrical panels, or exposed wiring are fire risks and should be reported immediately. Turn off the breaker to the affected area if you can do so safely.
- Broken exterior lock or door: If your front door won’t lock or latch, or a window is broken in a way that compromises security, this is an after-hours emergency. You shouldn’t have to sleep in an unsecured unit.
- Sewage backup: If sewage or raw waste is backing up into your unit, call immediately. This is a health hazard that cannot wait.
What’s Routine — Not an Emergency
A lot of maintenance issues are genuinely inconvenient but don’t rise to the level of an emergency. Submitting these through the normal maintenance request process — rather than an after-hours call — ensures they get routed to the right person and addressed in the right order.
Examples of routine maintenance requests:
- Dripping faucets or slow drains: Annoying, but not urgent. Submit through the Tenant Portal during business hours.
- Appliance issues (non-critical): A burner that doesn’t ignite, a dishwasher that leaks occasionally, or a refrigerator ice maker that stopped working are all routine.
- HVAC filter changes or minor airflow issues: These should be addressed, but unless you have no cooling or heating at all, they can wait for a scheduled visit.
- Pest issues: Unless there is an infestation of a kind that makes the unit unlivable, pest control is typically handled through scheduled service.
- Minor cosmetic damage: Scuffs, small holes in drywall, loose cabinet hinges — these go in the maintenance queue.
- Burned-out light bulbs: In common areas, submit a request. In your unit, standard bulbs are usually a resident responsibility per your lease.
When in doubt, call. If you’re genuinely unsure whether your situation qualifies as an emergency, it’s always better to call and let us assess it than to wait and have the situation worsen. We’d rather get a call that turns out to be routine than have a resident deal with a real emergency alone because they didn’t want to bother anyone.
How to Report a Routine Maintenance Request
For non-emergency maintenance, the fastest way to get it on our radar and into the queue is through the TenantCloud Resident Portal. Submitting there creates a timestamped record, lets you attach photos, and routes the request directly to the right team member.
When you submit a maintenance request, include:
- A clear description of the problem — what’s happening, where it is in the unit, and when you first noticed it
- Photos if possible — a photo of a leak, a cracked fixture, or a damaged appliance helps us diagnose the issue before we arrive and bring the right tools or parts
- Your availability — if you need to be home for access, let us know your preferred windows so we can schedule accordingly
You can also reach us by phone at (210) 698-6900 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM) for routine requests if you prefer to speak with someone directly.
After-Hours Emergencies: How to Reach Us
For true emergencies outside of business hours, call us directly at (210) 698-6900. Our after-hours line is monitored for emergencies. When you call, briefly describe the situation so we can triage it correctly and dispatch the right response.
A few things that help us respond faster:
- Call, don’t text or email for emergencies. After-hours monitoring is by phone. A text or portal message may not be seen until the next business day.
- Be at your unit or nearby when possible. If we’re dispatching a vendor, they’ll need access. Let us know if you’ll need to be let in or if there’s a keybox situation.
- Take any safe, immediate steps first. Shut off a water valve if there’s a leak, flip a breaker if there’s an electrical smell, leave the building if there’s a gas odor. Don’t wait on hold to take a step that reduces damage or keeps you safe.
For fire, serious flooding, medical emergencies, or gas leaks — call 911 first, then call us. Emergency services respond faster than any property management team, and your safety comes before the property.
What Happens After You Report
Once a maintenance request is submitted, here’s what to expect:
- Emergency requests: We aim to respond within the hour and dispatch a vendor or maintenance team member as quickly as possible. For some issues — like HVAC in extreme heat — we may place a temporary fix first and schedule a full repair for the following day.
- Routine requests: Most are addressed within 3–5 business days. Complex repairs or those requiring a specific vendor may take longer — if that’s the case, we’ll communicate a timeline to you through the portal.
- Access to your unit: Texas law requires landlords to give residents reasonable notice before entering — typically 24 hours, except in a genuine emergency. We follow this and will coordinate access windows with you whenever possible.
What You’re Responsible For
Most maintenance is the landlord’s responsibility — that’s the standard in Texas. But a few things typically fall on the resident side of the line:
- Light bulbs inside the unit — standard bulbs in fixtures you use daily
- HVAC filter replacement — typically every 30–90 days depending on the filter type and your lease terms
- Minor drain clogs — if the clog is caused by resident use (hair, grease, etc.), you’re generally expected to clear it before submitting a request
- Damage caused by the resident or guests — accidental or intentional damage beyond normal wear and tear is typically the resident’s financial responsibility
Your lease will spell out the exact division of responsibilities. If you’re ever unsure whether something is yours to handle or ours, ask before attempting a repair — unauthorized repairs can sometimes create more problems and may affect your security deposit.
The Bottom Line
Most things can wait until business hours. A handful can’t. The clearer you are on which is which, the faster the right response happens — and the less stress you carry in the meantime.
At EWG Properties, we take maintenance seriously. Our residents in Lytle and Pleasanton can always reach us at (210) 698-6900 for emergencies, and through the Tenant Portal for everything else. When something goes wrong, you shouldn’t have to figure it out alone.
