Property Manager Plumbing Emergency Triage Sheet: A DFW Decision Checklist

Decision guide

How to decide what happens next

Start by identifying whether the issue is isolated to one fixture or affects several drains. If the problem is spreading, includes dirty water, or risks property damage, treat it as urgent and request provider guidance.

Checklist

How to triage a tenant plumbing report in under two minutes

Use this order of questions when a tenant calls or submits a maintenance request about a plumbing issue, to sort severity quickly before deciding whether to dispatch emergency service.

• Ask first whether water is actively spreading or contained, since active spread changes the timeline regardless of which fixture is involved.
• Ask whether the water is clean or appears to be wastewater, since contaminated water changes both urgency and any tenant relocation considerations.
• Ask whether more than one unit or a shared wall or ceiling is affected, since multi-unit exposure changes dispatch priority and who else needs notification.
• Ask whether the tenant has already attempted a shutoff and whether it worked, before assuming a technician needs to locate one on arrival.
• Note whether the unit has occupants who would be significantly affected by loss of water, such as infants, elderly residents, or anyone with mobility limitations.
• Confirm access details - gate codes, pets, tenant availability - before dispatch to avoid a wasted trip.

Verification

Documentation to capture for every plumbing incident

• Date and time the tenant first reported the issue, and date and time dispatch was requested - gaps here matter for lease-related disputes.
• Photos from the tenant if safely obtainable, before any cleanup begins.
• Which unit or units and specific fixture were affected.
• Whether the provider's diagnosis attributed the cause to tenant use, normal wear, or a building-wide issue, since this affects cost allocation.
• Any temporary accommodation or unit access changes made as a result of the incident.