After-hours call script
A script for whoever answers the maintenance line at night: 911 and gas questions first, then triage, what to say for each answer and who to call next.
Last updated
Copy the whole template, then change it for your properties.
Or download it to fill in:
Word file (.docx)Keep this next to the night phone, and give the same copy to everyone on your on-call calendar and to any answering service you use. Change the bracketed parts for your company and each property.
1. Answer
“[Company name] maintenance, this is [name]. Is anyone in danger, is there a fire, or do you smell gas?”
- Fire or anyone in danger: “Please hang up and call 911 now.”
- Gas smell: “Please leave now with everyone in the home. Don’t touch light switches or appliances on the way out. Once you’re outside and away from the building, call 911 or [gas utility] at [number]. Then call us back.”
- Carbon monoxide alarm sounding: “Please get everyone outside to fresh air now and call 911 from outside.”
2. Get the basics
- “What is the address and unit?”
- “What is your name, and the best number to reach you tonight?”
- “What is happening, and when did it start?”
- “Can you text a photo to this number?”
3. Ask the safety questions
| Ask | If yes, say |
|---|---|
| Is water coming in that you can’t stop? | “Do you know where the water shut-off valve is? Please turn it off now if you can reach it safely.” Then treat it as an emergency. |
| Is any water near outlets, light fixtures or the electrical panel? | “Please stay away from that area and don’t touch anything electrical.” Emergency. |
| Do you see sparks or smell burning? | “If there is smoke or fire, leave and call 911.” Otherwise, emergency. |
| Is sewage coming up into the home? | “Please don’t run water or flush.” Emergency. |
| Is the heat out, and how cold is it inside? | Emergency in cold weather, by your written list. |
| Is an outside door or ground-floor window unable to lock? | Emergency. Ask whether they feel safe staying tonight. |
4. Decide, and say what happens next
If it is an emergency:
“Thank you. This is an emergency, and I’m getting someone to you now. I’ll call or text you within [number] minutes with who is coming and when. If anything gets worse before then, call this number again.”
If it can wait for the morning:
“Thank you. This isn’t an emergency, so we’ll handle it in the morning. Someone will contact you by [time] ET tomorrow to set up a visit. If it gets worse tonight, like water you can’t stop, call this number again.”
5. Pass it on
- Emergency: call the first person on tonight’s on-call list. No answer in [5] minutes: call the backup. No answer from either: [your rule, such as calling the emergency vendor directly].
- Not an emergency: log it for the morning with the promised callback time, so the day team keeps your promise.
- Either way: log the call time, the tenant’s answers and everything you said, in ET.
6. Close the call
“Is there anything else I should know, like pets or a gate code? Thanks, [tenant name]. You’ll hear from us by [time].”
How to use it
- Change the company name, the gas utility number and the callback times for each property.
- Match the safety questions to your written emergency definitions, so the script and the list never disagree.
- Give the same copy to everyone on your on-call calendar and to any answering service you use.
- Read it aloud once with each new on-call person before their first night. More on covering nights is in the after-hours posts.
The guide behind it
Sources
- American Gas Association, Using natural gas safely: leave the building, avoid sparks and call from away from the area. Checked October 20, 2026.
- CPSC, CO Alarms. Checked October 20, 2026.
- U.S. EPA, A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home: dry water damage within 24 to 48 hours. Checked October 20, 2026.