Landlords are increasingly being asked to respond to “emergencies” that are anything but urgent, with new research showing 65% have been called out for minor tenant issues such as changing a lightbulb or removing a carpet stain. Yet genuine emergencies still dominate landlord workloads, often costing hundreds—if not thousands—of pounds to fix.
Landlords on the frontline of tenant requests
The study by Direct Line business insurance found that nearly two-thirds of landlords have dealt with non-emergency requests in the past year, ranging from resetting a dishwasher filter to helping tenants locked out after a night out. While these calls may feel trivial, they sit alongside serious maintenance issues requiring immediate attention.
In fact, 62% of landlords said they had to call in an emergency contractor in the past 12 months, with 72% of those incidents taking place outside standard working hours. The average bill for a repair stood at £621, though major problems like roof damage or heating system failure often exceed £2,500.
Jonny McHugh, Head of Landlord at Direct Line, remarked: “Tenants call on their landlord for all sorts of issues, and while some requests may raise an eyebrow, landlords also need to deal with genuine emergencies, such as no heating or water leaks, that can cost hundreds—or even thousands—of pounds to fix.”
Heating faults and leaks top the emergency list
Heating breakdowns were the leading cause of urgent repairs, accounting for 39% of landlord callouts, followed by water leaks (35%) and lack of hot water (28%). Electrical faults and plumbing issues also ranked high, with average repair costs of £744 and £660 respectively.
Blocked toilets, burst pipes, broken locks and even pest infestations were among the top ten reasons landlords were contacted in an emergency. Fortunately, in around half of cases, landlords managed to resolve the issue without professional help—either fixing it themselves (21%) or guiding the tenant through a solution remotely (11%).
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has argued that such demands highlight the need for a realistic debate about landlord obligations. A spokesperson said: “There is a clear distinction between an urgent safety issue and general household maintenance. Landlords should not be expected to act as 24-hour handymen for non-essential tasks, particularly when rising costs already eat into margins.”
Human stories behind the statistics
While statistics illustrate the financial pressures, landlord experiences bring the data to life. Emma Ford, who lets three properties in Birmingham, recalls a late-night call from a tenant locked out after leaving keys inside: “It was 2am, pouring with rain, and I had to drive across town. Technically not my job—but I couldn’t leave them outside. Incidents like that take their toll.”
Yet positive outcomes do emerge. Around 22% of landlords said dealing with emergencies had actually improved their relationship with tenants, often by demonstrating responsiveness and care in difficult situations. One landlord in Manchester said, “Fixing a boiler on Christmas Eve was expensive and stressful, but my tenants stayed on another two years—it built trust.”
Direct Line noted that its landlord emergency cover offers contractors across plumbing, electrics, glazing and locks, with a target four-hour response time. But for many landlords, the challenge lies not in insurance cover, but in setting boundaries around what counts as a genuine emergency.
Editor’s view
This research underlines a growing imbalance: landlords are not only absorbing rising mortgage and compliance costs but also fielding non-essential tenant requests that go well beyond legal obligations. The willingness of many landlords to respond—often at personal cost—speaks to the professionalism within the sector. The question is whether policymakers and the wider public will ever recognise the weight landlords carry, or whether expectations will continue to rise while margins shrink.
