Homestruk Maintenance Triage

---

version: 1.0.0

name: homestruk-maintenance-triage

description: 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).

user-invocable: true

tags:

- property-management

- maintenance

- work-orders

- tenant-requests

- massachusetts

- habitability

---

# Homestruk Maintenance Triage

Classify, prioritize, and route tenant maintenance requests

using Massachusetts habitability standards and Homestruk SOPs.

When to Use This Skill

Severity Classification

EMERGENCY (respond within 2 hours)

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.

URGENT (respond within 24 hours)

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.

ROUTINE (respond within 3-7 days)

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.

COSMETIC / LOW (schedule at next convenient time)

Indicators: paint touch-up, weatherstripping, caulking,

minor wall damage, cabinet door alignment.

Action: Add to next scheduled maintenance visit or turnover list.

Triage Process

When a maintenance request comes in:

1. **Classify severity** using the categories above

2. **Identify contractor type needed:**

- Plumber: water leaks, drains, toilets, water heater

- Electrician: outlets, wiring, panel, light fixtures

- HVAC: heating, A/C, ventilation, ductwork

- General handyman: doors, locks, drywall, painting

- Roofer: roof leaks, flashing, gutters

- Pest control: insects, rodents, wildlife

- Locksmith: lockouts, rekeying, deadbolts

- Appliance repair: fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer

3. **Check contractor roster:**

Read ~/.openclaw/workspace/contractors/ for available vendors.

Match by trade and service area.

4. **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 |

5. **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

6. **Notify tenant:**

Draft a response to the tenant confirming receipt and

providing the expected timeline based on severity level.

7. **Notify owner (if cost > $300 or emergency):**

Draft a brief owner notification with the issue,

estimated cost, and recommended action.

Massachusetts Habitability Requirements (105 CMR 410)

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.

Integration with Existing SOPs

---

About Homestruk

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

Built by Homestruk Properties LLC | homestruk.com