If you’ve ever picked up the phone late at night to report a strata emergency, chances are you’re already feeling stressed. Something’s gone wrong. It’s after hours. You want it fixed or attended to as a priority.
And when things feel quiet after that call, it’s natural to worry and wonder: has anyone actually started doing anything? And if so, why hasn’t someone let me know? The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that a lot happens behind the scenes. Just because it’s not immediately apparent that work has started on your emergency, doesn’t mean that it hasn’t.
Here’s what’s typically happening when you call The Scotia Group’s after-hours emergency and urgent repairs line, and why our focus is always on getting the right help moving (even if you don’t hear from us every minute along the way).
What happens if it isn’t an after-hours strata emergency?
Remember that sometimes, even if something feels urgent in the moment, it may not meet the definition of a strata emergency, which is generally good news for you and your Owners Corporation, even though it’s still likely to be frustrating in the moment. If you’re unsure, check out this article on what constitutes a strata emergency.
What happens when we receive an after-hours emergency call?
When a call comes in after hours, it’s answered by our support team. Their first job is to quickly understand what’s happening so we can prioritise the response and make sure the right people are engaged.
To do that, the team will ask a series of questions: what’s happening, where it’s happening, whether anyone is at risk, and what you can see right now. These questions can feel repetitive in the moment, but the answers are what guide the next steps.
Our assessment is guided by a safety‑first principle. For example, a suspected gas leak will always take precedence over a water leak. And where there is water, we’ll prioritise a leak actively causing damage to property over an external leak that isn’t impacting anything inside. From there, we use your answers to assess severity and prioritise the job against other emergencies already in motion.
Even if something feels urgent in the moment, it may not meet the definition of a strata emergency, which is generally good news, even if it’s frustrating in the moment. If you’re unsure, check out the article on what constitutes a strata emergency.
Step 1: Clarifying what the issue is
Once we understand the basics, we confirm the practical details a contractor will need: the exact location (which building, level, and area), what access is available, whether water or power can be isolated safely, and whether there are any hazards to be aware of. This helps prevent unnecessary call-outs and gives the attending contractor the best chance of resolving the issue as quickly. As possible
Step 2: Working out responsibility
Not every urgent-feeling problem is something the Owners Corporation can act on after hours. Some issues sit entirely within an individual lot. Others involve common property or shared services. Sometimes it’s not immediately apparent which situation it is, especially with water leaks, drainage issues, or electrical faults.
After hours, we make a practical, experience‑based assessment using the information available at the time to help stabilise the situation until it can be reviewed during business hours. It’s important to note that this isn’t a guarantee of liability – it’s a practical decision aimed at getting the situation under control quickly. Where responsibility isn’t certain, we’ll advise the caller that the invoice will be sent to the Owners Corporation for payment, and if it’s later deemed a private lot issue, the Owners Corporation may on-charge the cost to the relevant owner or resident.
This step is also about cost control and practicality. After-hours call-outs can be expensive, and if access to relevant areas hasn’t been considered (for example, if the source of a leak may be in another unit or in a restricted common area), it can mean multiple visits or delays. Our goal is to ask the right questions up front so we can send the right help, once.
Step 3: Checking property instructions and engaging the right contractor
Next, we check the property’s specific instructions in our CRM system. These notes sit against each property and are linked to the strata management company we communicate with. These instructions can include practical details like how to access plant rooms or restricted areas, any site-specific considerations, and who to contact for entry access where needed.
The team checks property specific instructions, preferred contractors and then contacts approved, insured and appropriately qualified contractors. Often coordinating people who are already working late or attending other emergencies, and making sure the contractor understands the situation before they arrive.
We also check whether the property has a preferred trade. Where a preferred trade exists, they typically have an agreement directly with the property and are not vetted by The Scotia Group. In those cases, we can still engage the contractor to respond, and we ensure the follow-up and invoicing pathway is clear: the invoice is directed to the Owners Corporation’s strata manager for processing.
If there isn’t a preferred trade, we’ll engage one of our Scotia contractors. Our contractors go through a full onboarding process, including checks of licenses, insurances, qualifications and occupational health and safety requirements. They also work to service level and communication requirements as part of their agreement with us, which is particularly important after hours, when good information and sensible timeframes help everyone stay calm and safe.
It’s worth noting that weekends, public holidays and storm events are often the busiest times. If it feels quiet, it usually means calls are being made and coordination is happening, just not always with a new update ready for you yet.
Managing Updates and Communication during your emergency
After-hours work can involve a lot of moving parts and our first priority is always getting action underway safely. Here’s the typical communication pattern we aim for:
- We let the initial caller know the attending contractor will call them directly when they’re on their way.
- When we engage the contractor, we obtain an ETA and send it by SMS to the nominated contact.
- We generally follow up with the contractor around two hours after their ETA to confirm status and next steps.
- Once on site, the contractor provides progress updates directly as works proceed.
- If additional trades are required, we coordinate them using the same engage-and-update process.
- If the job continues through shift changes, we hand it over to the next team member, so the history and current status isn’t lost.
- Sometimes we’re waiting on contact details or further information, and there isn’t a meaningful update yet, but we’ll SMS the nominated contact for your Owners Corporation whenever possible, so you’re not left wondering.
What happens next
Once the immediate issue is contained, or if repairs need to continue in daylight or during business hours, the job is handed over and communicated to the Strata Manager for further approvals. For ongoing jobs, our after-hours team sends a detailed handover email, and they also enter notes directly into our CRM and job tracking system. That way, when our day team starts at 8:00am, the details are already captured and ready for follow-up, including any further repairs, quotes, insurance steps (if needed), and communication with the strata manager.
How you can help us respond faster
If you’re calling with an emergency, you don’t need to have all the answers, but a few details can make a real difference. If it’s safe to do so, take a quick look at where the issue is coming from, whether it’s getting worse, and whether you can see any obvious risks (for example, water near electrical fittings). If you can isolate water at a tap or valve, or switch off power safely, let us know what you’ve done. And if there are access considerations (locked gates, basement entry, key collection), sharing that early helps avoid delays.
No word from our team doesn’t mean work isn’t happening, it generally means assessment, coordination and problem-solving are already underway; triaging risk, confirming responsibility as best we can, checking property instructions, and getting the right contractor to site. If you’re ever unsure where things are up to, you’re welcome to call us and we’ll confirm the status and keep things moving as quickly as possible.