What is an URGENT building problem?
An urgent building problem is something that threatens or could threaten someone’s life or health, or the safety of the property and cannot wait until the next business day for attention.
After considering all information available, Lightner Property Group retains the right to make a final determination as to the status of all requests and whether a request requires urgent attention. If you are unsure, we encourage you to report the problem so we can make a determination regarding its urgency.
911 Emergencies
Not all emergencies can best be handled by the resident manager or a Lightner Property Group staff member. Consequently, it is not the responsibility of the resident manager(s), or Lightner Property Group staff to assist you in the event of a police emergency (intruder or domestic violence problem), a medical emergency (heart attack, severe injury, etc.) or in the event of a fire. If one of these emergencies occurs, please call 911 to obtain assistance from the police, fire department or EMT personnel. However, you should if possible, immediately report the incident to the resident manager or Lightner Property Group, so that we may follow-up or assist you.
Examples of Non-Urgent Building Maintenance and Repair Items:
- Need for Pest Control services,
- Appliance Repairs (microwave, refrigerator, stovetop or oven),
- Routine Maintenance such as the repair of a dripping faucet, bathtub calking,
- Complaints regarding Water Pressure or Volume, water Temperature, and
- other non-urgent, routine or ongoing unresolved maintenance issues
Problems such as the ones listed above will not be deemed to be Urgent and will not be given priority status. However, if you are unsure, please report your problem and a staff member will make a final determination.
Call the building management to assist you with the following problems:
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plumbing,
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electrical,
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lock or key and
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other building related safety issues.
Plumbing Problems
Clogged Toilet: If you have a single toilet in your apartment or flat and every effort has been made to unclog the toilet, including clearing the clog yourself by using a plunger and the toilet will not flush properly, you should use the urgent notification system. While you are waiting for a staff member, please clean up any mess. LPG staff and independent plumbing staff cannot and will not work in an unsanitary area. The area must be clean before repair work can commence and this is the responsibility of the resident.
Broken Pipe: If there is uncontrolled running water due to a broken pipe, please report the problem using the Urgent Building problem mailbox in our voice-mail system. In addition, please make every effort to turn off the water by turning the valve to the broken pipe or to the exterior water main. The LPG staff member may be able to assist you in locating the value while you wait for a contractor to arrive. Do everything within your power to contain any leaking or flooding and, if necessary, contact other residents who may be affected by the leak. If severe enough, the LPG staff member may direct you to call the Fire Department for emergency assistance.
No Hot Water: Generally the lack of hot water is not considered an urgent building problem. If you do not have hot water, you can boil water on your stove, if necessary, for bathing or personal grooming. Report the problem the following business day and follow up with a written request for repair.
Heater Repair: Most of the buildings we manage use steam heat which comes from a boiler. Because of the complicated nature of the equipment, it is unlikely that a boiler repair can be made at night or on the weekend. However, if the problem is simple, we may be able to get the heat on. If you have no heat and you have verified with others at your building that they do not have heat either, and it is below 55 degrees outside, contact your resident manager, if you have one, or the main office to report an Urgent Building problem. Otherwise wait and report the problem the following business day.
Electrical Problems
No Electricity: When you have a power outage, the first thing to determine is whether the outage is specific to your unit, your building or if the outage is area-wide. First, test to see if the problem is something within your apartment unit by resetting all GFI switches (the switches you find near sinks in kitchens and bathrooms) and then checking your circuit breakers (turning them off and on) or your fuses (you should have circuit breakers or fuses, not both).
If electricity is not restored, look around to see if there is electricity to the building in which you reside, and then to the buildings adjacent to your property. If your buildings and the buildings around you do not have power, it is likely an area outage.
LPG cannot assist you with area-wide outages as we cannot provide electricity if PG&E is not supplying electricity or gas to the property. If you have an area-wide outage, please report it to us using the non-urgent systems in place and be sure to report it to PG&E (800) 743-5002. If you have partial electricity within your unit, please wait until the next business day to report your problem. If you have no electricity within your unit, please report your problem. However, it is possible that we will be unable to do anything to effectuate repairs until the next business day.
If an appliance,outlet or switch has started to smoke or smell like something burning, then turn off the appliance or the switch and unplug any items connected to it. If possible, turn off the circuit breaker or remove the fuse connected to the impacted area.
Remember that electrical surges can harm your electrical equipment. It is important that you have surge protectors for all of your electronic equipment. Fluctuations in electrical current and sudden surges in power can damage your equipment. If you have a power outage, we strongly recommend that you unplug your equipment until the power has been restored.
Lock & Key Problems
Lock-Outs/Lost and Stolen Keys: While we are NOT generally responsible for residents who have locked themselves out of their apartment or flat, we will make all reasonable efforts to assist you. First, contact your resident manger or Lightner Property Group staff by using the urgent building system to report your problem. Your call will be routed to the person on call for your property. Generally they will be able to assist you within 1 to 3 hours from the time you report the problem. The time is necessary for a staff member who is not on-site to obtain keys to your apartment or unit and travel to your location. You will need to have a photo ID so that the on-call staff member can verify your identity. You may obtain information regarding the costs associated with a lockout HERE.
Lost or Stolen Keys
If your keys are lost or stolen with any sort of identification, it will be necessary to change the locks to your apartment unit and to any other common area locks to which you had keys or electronic keys (fobs). This is for your protection and the protection of other residents. We recommend that you contact your Renters Insurance agent or carrier, as lock and key changes can be expensive to complete during nonbusiness hours.
Other Maintenance and Repair Issues
Gas Odor: If you suspect an appliance is leaking gas you should be able to smell the leaking gas. It will have an odor like a rotten egg. If you smell gas, turn off the appliance and turn off the gas supply to that appliance. The shutoff handle should be somewhere near the supply line. If you cannot shut off the gas, open all windows to allow air to diffuse the gas. If the gas continues to build up, contact the fire department by calling 911 and report that you have a gas leak and you have been unable to turn off the supply line. Thereafter call PG&E immediately (800) 743-5000 and Lightner Property Group (415) 267-2900 and follow the prompts to report an Urgent Building problem.
Broken Window Pane, Window lock, Doorknob, or Door Lock: This constitutes an urgent building problem only when it prevents a resident from securing their apartment unit or if the broken glass is in a dangerous or precarious position and might injure someone. This means that persons can gain access to the unit without a key or without assistance from someone inside the unit. When temporary security measures can be taken until normal business hours, residents should implement these temporary measures and wait until the next business day to advise management of the necessary repair.
In an effort to best serve you in the event of an urgent building problem, we have implemented the procedures described to help you determine an urgent building problem.
If you follow these instructions, building problems should be handled promptly and efficiently.
Follow this link to submit a non-urgent maintenance request.