UpKeep has reported a significant surge in emergency callouts across London this year, attributing this rise primarily to the city’s ageing housing stock. As buildings age, the likelihood of faults and urgent issues increases, leading to more frequent emergency maintenance requests. This trend highlights the critical need for rapid response services to address emergencies promptly and ensure the safety and continued operation of properties throughout the UK, demonstrating UpKeep UK‘s ability to operate across the entire country.
Emergency callouts have reached record levels as older buildings struggle to withstand harsher weather conditions, including increased rainfall and colder winters, alongside the natural wear and tear of structural elements. UpKeep, a leading property services and reactive maintenance firm, works closely with landlords, estate agents, and commercial property managers to provide emergency call out services that quickly assess and repair problems. They cover a wide range of areas and property types, ensuring comprehensive support for various urgent situations. Their engineers attend emergency situations promptly, ensuring fast response times. They are committed to delivering reliable repairs with minimal disruption for clients and businesses alike.
A capital built on ageing infrastructure
More than half of London’s homes were constructed before 1960, with many terraced houses, converted flats, and mixed-use buildings relying on infrastructure that has long exceeded its intended lifespan. This ageing infrastructure presents a significant challenge for maintenance teams and emergency services tasked with keeping these properties secure and operational.
Drahim Hasula, Director at UpKeep UK, explains, “London is a city built on beautiful but ageing properties. The challenge is that many of these buildings need significantly more maintenance than they’re currently receiving. By the time we’re called out for an emergency, the problem has often escalated beyond simple repairs.”
UpKeep’s engineers are dispatched immediately to the site when faults related to older roofs, corroded plumbing, or outdated heating systems occur, especially during winter months when these systems are under increased stress. These issues often lead to emergency callouts that require engineers to assess and resolve problems on-site without delay, ensuring further damage is prevented and the safety of residents and businesses is maintained.
Reactive maintenance demand is surging
The demand for reactive maintenance services in London has been steadily increasing year on year, but 2025 has already seen a spike that surpasses previous winters. UpKeep UK identifies several key factors driving this surge in emergency callouts:
- Roofs are deteriorating faster due to freeze-thaw cycles and weakened materials, leading to leaks and structural faults.
- Victorian and Edwardian brickwork is suffering from water ingress, causing damage that requires urgent repair.
- Blocked and poorly installed guttering systems contribute to interior leaks and damp issues.
- Old boiler systems and pipework are failing under the increased load of colder weather. We now only install ECA electric boilers.
- Electrical risks arise from outdated or overloaded circuits, posing safety hazards that demand immediate response.
These issues affect a wide range of industries, ranging from residential to commercial, industrial, logistics, educational, healthcare, and high-security sectors, highlighting the comprehensive coverage and expertise required to support such diverse environments.
These problems reflect broader concerns within the property and construction sectors, where ageing buildings are increasingly presenting financial and safety risks for landlords and managing agents. Emergency call out services are essential to quickly address any issue as required and minimise potential harm.
Cost pressures are delaying vital repairs
One of the contributing factors to the rise in emergency callouts is the delay in routine maintenance caused by cost pressures. Many landlords have postponed general maintenance and repairs due to rising property costs, higher taxes, and inflation affecting building materials. Unfortunately, this approach often backfires.
Drahim Hasula points out, “When maintenance is postponed, the damage compounds. A £150 repair needed in October can escalate into a £1,500 emergency by January. We see this pattern repeatedly across hundreds of emergency calls.” He adds that making emergency repairs a priority is essential to effectively deal with urgent issues and prevent further complications.
Delaying repairs not only increases the risk of breakdowns and emergencies but also leads to higher overall costs and longer response times. This situation underscores the importance of having a tailored maintenance plan that includes preventative maintenance to keep systems in working order and reduce the frequency of emergency callouts. A comprehensive maintenance plan ensures you are prepared for dealing with urgent issues and can deal with emergencies efficiently, minimizing disruption and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Estate agents and property managers feeling the pressure
Estate agents and property management companies across London are increasingly reliant on rapid-response maintenance partners to manage the growing number of emergency situations their clients face. Tenants are reporting more issues with heating failures, damp, leaks, and structural faults, placing additional strain on property managers. Each client receives personalized, professional service tailored to their specific needs.
This surge in emergency calls has resulted in several challenges:
- Increased tenant complaints that demand swift and effective resolution.
- Higher repair bills that impact business budgets.
- Business interruption costs for commercial clients when a facility becomes unusable.
- Longer void periods as properties remain uninhabitable during urgent repairs.
To address these challenges, agencies are prioritising partnerships with maintenance teams capable of providing fast, reliable emergency call out services. After assessing an emergency call-out, these teams can efficiently organise repairs to minimize downtime. They also tailor their solutions to suit each client’s facility, ensuring the best possible outcome for every situation. Having access to a committed and knowledgeable support team ensures that urgent issues are dealt with quickly and professionally, minimising disruption and risk. Once the main emergency is resolved, the team handles the rest of the process to guarantee complete client satisfaction and seamless property management operations.
Importance of preventative maintenance
In today’s fast-paced business environment, preventative maintenance is more than just a best practice—it’s a necessity for ensuring the reliability and security of access control systems, emergency services, and other essential infrastructure. By implementing a comprehensive maintenance plan, businesses can proactively address potential issues before they escalate into emergency situations, significantly reducing the need for urgent emergency call outs and costly repairs.
Regular, scheduled maintenance allows teams to assess equipment, identify faults, and carry out necessary repairs, ensuring that systems remain in optimal working order. This approach not only minimizes the risk of unexpected breakdowns but also helps to maintain rapid response capabilities when emergencies do arise. For businesses that depend on secure access control systems and reliable emergency services, preventative maintenance is key to maintaining safety, compliance, and uninterrupted operations.
A well-structured maintenance plan delivers a range of benefits. It extends the lifespan of critical equipment, reduces the likelihood of faults, and ensures that response times remain swift in urgent situations. It also protects properties from pest control issues. By addressing minor issues early, businesses can avoid the disruption and risk associated with major system failures, keeping their operations running smoothly and their clients and customers satisfied.
Partnering with a knowledgeable and experienced team for preventative maintenance and emergency call out services ensures that businesses are always prepared, no matter the situation. In the UK, companies that prioritize preventative maintenance benefit from reliable support, expert advice, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing their systems are secure and functioning correctly. This proactive approach not only reduces the frequency of emergency call outs but also enhances overall business resilience, safety, and customer trust.
Ultimately, investing in preventative maintenance is an investment in the long-term success and stability of your business. By ensuring that your systems are regularly maintained and ready to respond to emergencies, you can minimize risk, reduce downtime, and provide exceptional service to your clients—no matter what challenges arise.
A growing need for modernisation
While reactive maintenance and emergency callouts provide essential short-term solutions, UpKeep UK stresses the importance of long-term planning and modernisation for landlords managing older housing stock. Preventative maintenance is key to reducing the frequency and severity of emergencies.
Recommended preventative actions include:
- Scheduling annual inspections of roofs to identify and address faults early.
- Updating outdated electrical and plumbing systems to reduce safety risks.
- Replacing ageing guttering and drainage to prevent water ingress.
- Improving insulation and ventilation to protect structural integrity.
- Investing in modern building materials designed to withstand harsh winter conditions.
By implementing these measures, landlords can not only reduce emergency callouts but also enhance property value and tenant satisfaction. A well-maintained property is a secure property, and modernisation plays a critical role in ensuring ongoing safety and operational efficiency.
Looking ahead
As many London properties reach or exceed their natural lifespan for key structural systems, experts warn that emergency callout numbers are likely to remain high for the foreseeable future. Harsher weather conditions continue to expose vulnerabilities in older buildings, making rapid response and reliable emergency services more important than ever.
Drahim Hasula concludes, “London’s housing stock is full of character, but it demands careful attention. Without proactive maintenance, emergency callouts will keep climbing. Our aim is to keep these buildings safe, operational, and protected, even when the unexpected happens.”
For businesses, landlords, and property managers across the UK, partnering with qualified professionals who provide tailored emergency call out services is essential. Our team takes pride in delivering fast response times, expert assessment, and effective repairs, and we understand the unique needs of every client. We are available during regular working hours and also offer out-of-hours emergency support to ensure help is always at hand.
If you experience an emergency, do not hesitate to contact UpKeep UK through multiple channels for a quick response. While you wait for our professionals to arrive, follow any safety guidance provided. We are committed to providing reliable, scenario-aware support and encourage you to reach out whenever urgent assistance is needed.
