DBF Property Solutions

Property maintenance

24-hour emergency and reactive maintenance

An emergency is damage that makes a building unsafe, insecure or unusable and cannot wait for a booked visit. DBF runs a 24-hour emergency service for commercial premises, landlords and homes. Ring or WhatsApp 07801 477016 now, say what has happened and where, and send a photo if you can.

Call 07801 477016 WhatsApp us
DBF's van with the cherry picker on the back, parked beside a brick house with red barriers set out on the road

Danger to life? Call the right number first

For fire, or anyone hurt, ring 999. If you smell gas, ring the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. For a power cut or damaged electricity cables, ring 105. Once everyone is safe, call us about the damage.

What counts as an emergency? Call us about:

  • A building that will not lock A door forced or broken, a frame split, a lock that has failed on a shop, a unit or an empty rental.
  • Broken glazing and boarding A smashed window or door panel that leaves the building open, made secure until it can be replaced.
  • Storm damage Fences down, gutters and fascias torn away, things blown loose that could fall or let water in.
  • Anything about to fall A gutter, sign or light hanging off the front of a building. We own a cherry picker, so the high work does not wait for access to be hired in.
  • Water getting in Where damaged fabric is letting water into a building. A burst pipe needs the water turning off at the stopcock first.
  • A building that cannot open Damage that stops a shop trading or makes a washroom, entrance or escape route unusable.

What happens after you call?

  1. You tell us what has happened

    Ring or WhatsApp 07801 477016. Say what the damage is, where the building is, and whether anyone is on site.

  2. You send a photo if you can

    A picture on WhatsApp tells us what to bring. If it is not safe to take one, do not.

  3. We tell you what happens next

    We say what we can do and when we can get there, so you are not left guessing.

  4. We make it safe

    The first job is to stop things getting worse: secure the building, take down what could fall, keep water out.

  5. Then the proper repair

    Sometimes the repair can be finished on the same visit. Where it needs materials or more time, we book it in, around your trading or your tenants.

Out-of-hours emergencies at commercial premises

Most commercial emergencies are found at the worst moment: a break-in discovered at opening time, storm damage found on a Sunday, a door that will not lock at closing. A shop that cannot be secured cannot be left, and one that cannot open is losing money every hour.

With 24-hour working, we deal with the emergency when it happens rather than when an office opens. Make the area safe for staff and customers, keep people away from anything damaged or hanging, and ring us. If the premises has a keyholder, tell us who it is, so we can be let in without waiting.

Once the emergency is over, the repair itself is like any other reactive job. We take on decorating, tiling, doors, washrooms, flooring and high-level work for business premises; our page on maintenance for commercial premises covers the full range.

Emergencies at rental property

For landlords, an emergency at a let property comes with a tenant living in it. A front door that will not lock, a window smashed or a fence down onto a neighbour's garden all need dealing with before anything else. As a landlord you are usually responsible for repairs to the structure and outside of the property, so the call comes to you, and it has to go somewhere that answers.

Give your tenants or your letting agent our number for out-of-hours damage, or ring us yourself with the address and the tenant's details. After the emergency, the follow-up work, like a new door, redecoration or replacement fence panels, goes on the list for our landlord property maintenance.

Emergency maintenance FAQs

  • Is it an emergency or can it wait until morning?

    Ask three questions. Is anyone at risk? Is the building insecure? Is water or weather getting in? If the answer to any of them is yes, ring now. If not, it is still worth a message, so it can be booked in as a normal repair.

  • Do you take emergency calls at night and at weekends?

    Yes. We work 24 hours, so an emergency is dealt with when it happens, not when an office opens on Monday.

  • Do you cover emergencies outside Rotherham?

    Yes. We are based in Rotherham and work nationwide. How long it takes to reach you depends on where the building is, so ring, tell us the postcode and we will tell you straight.

  • What should we do before you arrive?

    Keep people away from the damage, and do not climb up to anything loose or hanging. Turn the water off at the stopcock if a pipe has burst. Take photos if it is safe, for us and for your insurer.

  • Should we ring our insurer before calling you?

    Make the building safe first. Most buildings policies expect you to stop the damage getting worse, so securing it is not something to put off while you wait on hold. Photograph everything, keep the paperwork for the work done, and tell your insurer as soon as you can.

  • Can the emergency repair also be the permanent one?

    Sometimes. A door that only needs rehanging can be put right on the spot. Broken glazing or a wrecked frame usually needs making secure first, then a proper replacement once the materials are in.

Request a quote

Tell us about the job.

Four quick questions about the property and the work, then where to reply. If you would rather talk it through, ring or WhatsApp us.

Your job, in four taps

Four quick taps about the job, then where to reply.

Request a quote Call 07801 477016
CallRequest a quote