When a tenant submits a maintenance request, Guardian Landlord doesn't just drop it in your inbox — it drafts an action plan so you can act quickly while staying fully in control. This guide walks through what happens from the moment a request arrives through marking it resolved. (For the tenant's side, see how to submit a request; to follow status over time, see how to track request status.)
When a request comes in
You're notified as soon as a tenant submits a request — by email, and by text if you've enabled SMS notifications. The request appears on your Maintenance page. Guardian's AI reviews the tenant's description and any photos and automatically drafts an action plan for you.
Understanding the action plan
The action plan distills the request into everything you need to decide and act:
A plain-language summary of what the tenant reported.
An urgency level — one of Immediately, Today, Within 48 hours, This week, or Can defer — so you know exactly how fast to move.
A recommendation — whether to handle it now, simply be notified, or (when the issue is minor and you're back soon) hand it back to deal with yourself.
Who to call — your preferred service rep for that trade when you've set one, or an AI-suggested option when you haven't.
A suggested next step, plus a safe do-it-yourself note when the fix is simple.
A ready-to-send message to the tenant you can send as-is or tweak — so they hear something reassuring fast.
Urgency is weather-aware. Guardian factors in local conditions at the property, so "no heat" during a January cold snap is treated more urgently than the same issue in mild weather, and plumbing gets flagged when temperatures approach freezing. (For the framework behind triage, see our guide on triaging a maintenance request.)
You stay in control
The action plan is a recommendation, not an automatic action. Nothing is dispatched, scheduled, or charged on your behalf unless you choose it — or unless you're in Away Mode and have asked Guardian to step in. Review the plan, adjust it, contact your own service rep, or handle the fix yourself. It's your call, every time.
Scheduling a visit
When you or your vendor are going to visit the property, schedule it so the tenant knows when to expect someone.
Open the request on the Maintenance page.
Choose Schedule Visit and pick a date and time.
Save. The tenant sees the scheduled visit in their portal and can confirm it works for them.
Keeping the tenant informed
Each request has a messaging thread, so you and the tenant can communicate in one place tied to the issue — no scattered texts. A quick "got it, someone will be out tomorrow morning" goes a long way. (See messaging on a request.)
Resolving the request
Once the work is done, mark the request Resolved. It moves into your resolved history, where it stays searchable — useful for tracking recurring issues at a property and for your records at move-out.
When you're away
In Away Mode, Guardian's team does all of this for you — triaging the request, scheduling the visit, coordinating your preferred vendor, and keeping the tenant updated — while keeping you informed. You set it up before you leave; Guardian handles the rest only while you're away.