What is and isn't an emergency?
Emergencies
No Heat
This is only an emergency in extreme cold weather in winter time and when the heater is not working due to mechanical malfunction. If your gas or electric is shut off for non-payment of your bill, call your electric or gas provider. If you have oil heat and do not have oil in your tank, call a local oil delivery service (We recommend Enright & Sons at 856-718-9251 or Royal Oil at 856-845-1866).
No Electricity
Blown fuses are not considered after-hours emergencies. Please familiarize yourself with your fuse panel and/or breakers. Electrical outage may be considered an emergency ONLY if there is no electricity throughout the unit AND:
- you have called AC Electric and AC Electric is not at fault
- you have checked all circuit breakers by flipping them hard to the OFF position and then hard to the ON position and have reset any and all GFI breakers (these are the little buttons sometimes found on outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and garages).
Partial outages do not constitute an emergency. If a wall switch or outlet begins to smoke or smell like it is burning, turn off the switch or unplug items from the outlet and turn off the circuit breaker, then report the problem and we will address it during normal business hours.
Gas Leaks or “Smell of Gas”
Natural gas has the unmistakable odor of rotten eggs. Please contact South Jersey Gas at 888-766-9900from a phone NOT located in the house. Sparks from phones, even cell phones, can ignite gas.
Flooding
Contact us immediately if you cannot contain the leak or water source. Turn off the water valve to the broken pipe or to the exterior water main, if you can locate it, until a contractor arrives.
Fire
Call 911 first! Then contact us.
Carbon Monoxide Presence
All of our properties have carbon monoxide detectors installed. If your carbon monoxide detector sounds, take the following action:
- If no one is exhibiting symptoms of CO poisoning, then check the detector. If it is a battery operated one, take it outside. If it continues to sound, it is defective (or the battery is low).
- Otherwise, get everyone outdoors immediately
- Call 911
Total stoppage of the plumbing drain system
If your plumbing drain system ceases to work, none of your sinks, tubs or toilets will function properly. The stoppage of one toilet or drain when other bathrooms are functional is not an emergency.
Not Emergencies
No Hot Water in your Apartment
This may be considered an emergency ONLY if there has been no hot water for an extended period of time: days not hours. In the event of no hot water, and it is not during a contractor’s normal business hours, we may be unable to repair the problem in as timely a manner as we would like, so be resourceful in the meantime.
Clogged or Backed Up Toilet
This may be considered an emergency ONLY if there is only one toilet in the unit AND you have made every effort, including plunging, to clear the stoppage yourself. In any case, turn off the valve behind the toilet and shut the lid.
Noise Complaints or Security Issues
Please contact the Police at 911. (If the problem is not serious enough to involve the Police, you still may wish to make us aware of it, so we can address the issue properly).
Air Conditioning
If you have central air, failure of the AC system is NOT an emergency. Please report the problem during regular office hours.
Locked Out
If you lock yourself out of your house, you will need to call a locksmith. We recommend Abbott's Hardware at 856.881.4515.
Contact Us
Missed Appointments, Neglect and Unnecessary Service Calls
The resident is responsible for the payment of any invoice for which a repair was made for damage, etc., caused by their misuse or neglect. The resident is also responsible for the payment of any service call charged by a contractor for:
- a missed appointment
- for not providing access to the unit when requested
- in the event that there is a pet that the contractor feels is threatening in any way