In daily life after moving in, unexpected things can happen — a broken fixture, a water leak, a lost key. To avoid panicking when they do, it’s important to sort out at move-in time who to contact. Check the information in your contract documents: the management company’s contact details, the 24-hour emergency contact, and whether you can contact the landlord directly.
- The contract documents you receive at move-in list the management company’s contact details and the emergency contact.
- For urgent trouble like a water leak or a lost key, a 24-hour contact is often provided.
- Routine inquiries and emergency response sometimes have separate contact points, so tell them apart in advance.
- Whether you can contact the landlord directly depends on the contract.
- Some municipalities have a general life-consultation desk for foreign residents.
Check the management company’s contact details
For most rental properties, the management company is the point of contact for everyday equipment trouble and inquiries. The contract documents or a resident handbook you receive at move-in usually list the management company’s contact number and hours. It’s worth writing down the phone number and email address so you can find them right away after moving in. Contact details are sometimes also included in guidance emails or app notifications sent after move-in, not just the contract documents, so check those as well.
How to use the 24-hour support desk
Many properties provide a 24-hour support desk for urgent trouble that affects daily life, such as a water leak, a lost key, or equipment failure. The daytime inquiry line and the emergency line are sometimes different numbers, so confirming at move-in which one to use in which situation lets you respond calmly when the moment comes.
Handling urgent, life-affecting trouble
If something urgent happens — a water leak, a gas smell — the basic response is to first make sure you’re safe, then promptly contact the emergency number you were given. Depending on the situation, you may be guided to take some initial action following steps described in your contract documents. It’s also reassuring to let family or a housemate know where your contract documents are kept, in case you can’t find the contact information yourself.
When you need to contact the landlord directly
For some properties you can contact the landlord directly without going through the management company, but for most rentals the management company is the point of contact, and messages to the landlord are relayed through them. This depends on your contract, so it’s worth checking in advance whether contacting the landlord directly is expected.
Municipal consultation desks are also an option
For general life concerns beyond equipment trouble, you can also make use of the consultation desks that municipalities provide for foreign residents. Some offer multilingual support and advice on lifestyle questions, so for anything beyond what the management company handles, it’s reassuring to keep the municipal desk in mind as another option. Since the languages supported and hours vary by municipality, it’s worth checking the website in advance if needed.
FAQ
What should I do if trouble happens at night or on a holiday?
If you were given a 24-hour emergency contact at signing, contact that first. If you weren’t, check with the management company about their emergency response.
Should I contact the management company or the landlord?
In most cases, the management company is the point of contact for routine inquiries. Whether you need to contact the landlord directly depends on your contract.
Is there somewhere I can go for general life advice?
Your municipality may have a life-consultation desk for foreign residents. You can use it alongside the management company’s contact points.
Summary
To respond calmly to trouble after moving in, it helps to check in advance and organize the management company’s contact details, the 24-hour emergency line, and whether you can contact the landlord directly. Knowing about your municipality’s consultation desk as well broadens your options when you’re in need.