The setup
- Property
- A 1970s ranch with a finished basement on the west side of the city
- Owner
- Lives in another state; no property manager under contract
- Tenants
- A family on a one-year lease
- Weather
- Overnight wind gusts, with snow forecast two days later
What happened
Illustrative example. Not a real job or customer.
Overnight, strong gusts tear a strip of shingles and underlayment off the back slope. In the morning, the tenants find shingles in the yard and a small patch of bare roof deck visible from the alley. Nothing is leaking yet, but snow is in the forecast. The tenants text the owner, who is two time zones away and does not know any local contractors.
- The tenants send photos of the yard debris and the bare patch to the owner, with the time and date.
- The owner calls their landlord insurance carrier, opens a claim and asks whether the carrier can recommend emergency roofing help in Colorado Springs.
- The owner checks two contractors' licenses on the regional building department lookup and confirms one can tarp before the snow.
- The owner gives the tenants' contact information to the contractor and texts the tenants who is coming and when.
- The contractor tarps the back slope, sends photos to the owner and tenants, and notes the attic was dry.
- The owner arranges for a local inspector to meet the adjuster and represent the owner at the roof inspection.
The snow arrives on schedule, the tarp holds, and no water reaches the interior. The claim proceeds to a roof repair a few weeks later. Because the tenants reported quickly with photos and the owner moved fast, the only damage is the roof itself.
How the first 48 hours went
- Morning after the wind
- Tenants discover debris and notify the owner with photos.
- Same morning
- Owner opens the insurance claim and starts calling contractors.
- Afternoon
- Owner verifies a contractor and books the emergency tarp.
- Next day
- Tarp installed before snowfall; photos shared with everyone.
- The following week
- Adjuster inspection with a local representative for the owner.
Lessons for long-distance owners
- Keep a short list of verified local contractors and a tree service before you need them.
- Give tenants clear written instructions for reporting storm damage.
- Know your landlord policy's wind and hail deductible and coverage for lost rent.
- Consider a local contact who can meet contractors and adjusters on your behalf.
- Remind tenants that their belongings need their own renters insurance.
- Save the tenants' storm photos with the claim file, since they are often the earliest record of the damage.
General information for Colorado Springs, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.