After-Hours Emergencies: What to Do and Who to Call

At Marshall White, we want our renters to feel supported and clear on what to do in these situations. Here’s a simple guide to managing after-hours emergencies.

1. Troubleshoot first Before reaching for the phone, take a moment to troubleshoot. Some issues may have simple solutions:

• Check your switchboard if the power is out — it may be as straightforward as resetting a safety switch.
• Sometimes power, gas or water outages may be a supplier outage or area fault, so be sure to check with your supplier.
• For gas appliances, ensure the pilot light is still on. If not, also check your gas meter to see that it is in the on position.
• If water is leaking, locate the stop tap and turn it off to prevent further flooding.
• Sometimes what feels like an emergency can be resolved temporarily until the next business day.

2. Know what counts as an urgent repair Under Victorian legislation, urgent repairs include:

• Burst water service or serious water leaks
• Blocked or broken toilet
• Serious roof leaks or flooding
• Dangerous electrical faults
• Gas leaks or heating failure in cold weather
• Broken or failing essential appliances (e.g. stove, hot water service)
• Faults that make the property unsafe or insecure

If you are unsure, our Urgent Repairs page outlines the most common scenarios and who to contact.

3. Contact approved trades only If an urgent repair occurs outside business hours, you may contact the emergency tradespeople listed on our website. It is important that you do not call anyone outside this list, as unauthorised costs may not be reimbursed. In addition, you may be required to pay the trade directly at the time of visit — something our authorised trades will never request from you.

4. Notify your property manager Once you have taken action, email your property manager with a clear outline of the situation. Include images if possible, and be sure to lodge the repair within our Managed app. This will help us follow up promptly on the next business day.

5. Stay safe and secure Your safety is the priority. If the issue poses an immediate danger — such as a live electrical fault — contact emergency electricians so they can arrange a safe repair.

Urgent repairs can be disruptive, but by following these steps you’ll have peace of mind that you are protected and supported. Keeping calm, following the correct procedure, and reaching out to the right contacts ensures issues are resolved quickly and fairly for everyone involved.

Image Source: Project Fabric