Triage tenant maintenance requests by severity, assign priority, identify the right contractor type, estimate costs, and generate work orders. Use when a tenant reports a maintenance issue, when reviewing open work orders, or when assessing property condition. Follows Massachusetts habitability requirements (105 CMR 410).
Classify, prioritize, and route tenant maintenance requests using Massachusetts habitability standards and Homestruk SOPs.
Indicators: flooding, gas leak, no heat (winter), sewage backup, fire damage, broken exterior door/lock, electrical hazard, carbon monoxide alarm, structural collapse risk.
Action: Immediately dispatch contractor. Notify owner. If gas leak or fire: tell tenant to evacuate and call 911. MA law: landlord must maintain habitable conditions (105 CMR 410). Failure to respond to emergencies = potential liability.
Indicators: no hot water, broken window, pest infestation, A/C failure (heat wave), refrigerator not working, toilet not flushing (only toilet), roof leak (active).
Action: Schedule contractor within 24 hours. Notify owner.
Indicators: dripping faucet, running toilet, minor appliance issue, cosmetic damage, squeaky door, clogged (non-emergency) drain, light fixture out, minor pest sighting.
Action: Create work order. Schedule at mutual convenience.
Indicators: paint touch-up, weatherstripping, caulking, minor wall damage, cabinet door alignment.
Action: Add to next scheduled maintenance visit or turnover list.
When a maintenance request comes in:
Classify severity using the categories above
Identify contractor type needed:
Check contractor roster: Read ~/.openclaw/workspace/contractors/ for available vendors. Match by trade and service area.
Estimate cost range:
| Type | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Plumber (service call) | $150-350 |
| Electrician (service call) | $150-300 |
| HVAC (service call) | $150-400 |
| Handyman (hourly) | $50-100/hr |
| Roofer (repair) | $300-1500 |
| Pest control (treatment) | $150-400 |
| Locksmith (rekey) | $75-200 |
| Appliance repair | $150-400 |
Generate work order:
Save to ~/.openclaw/workspace-ops/work-orders/WO-[DATE]-[SLUG].md:
# Work Order: [SHORT DESCRIPTION]
Date opened: [DATE]
Property: [ADDRESS]
Unit: [UNIT]
Tenant: [NAME]
Phone: [PHONE]
## Issue
[Description from tenant]
## Classification
Severity: [EMERGENCY/URGENT/ROUTINE/COSMETIC]
Trade needed: [PLUMBER/ELECTRICIAN/etc]
Estimated cost: $[RANGE]
## Dispatch
Contractor: [NAME or "unassigned"]
Dispatched: [DATE or "pending"]
ETA: [DATE/TIME]
## Status
[ ] Acknowledged by tenant
[ ] Contractor dispatched
[ ] Work scheduled for: [DATE]
[ ] Work completed
[ ] Tenant confirmed resolution
[ ] Invoice received: $[AMOUNT]
[ ] Owner notified of cost
Notify tenant: Draft a response to the tenant confirming receipt and providing the expected timeline based on severity level.
Notify owner (if cost > $300 or emergency): Draft a brief owner notification with the issue, estimated cost, and recommended action.
The MA Sanitary Code requires landlords to maintain:
Failure to maintain habitability = tenant can:
ALWAYS flag habitability issues as URGENT or EMERGENCY. Never let a habitability issue sit as ROUTINE.
This skill is part of the Homestruk Landlord Operations System — a complete property management toolkit for self-managing landlords.
Free: Download the Rent-Ready Turnover Checklist at homestruk.com Full System: 10 operations documents + spreadsheets at homestruk.com
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