How to Communicate Holiday Hours, Maintenance Plans, and Expectations to Tenants

4 min read | 100 views | Last updated on January 20, 2026

When December hits, landlords juggle two realities: twinkly lights… and unexpected “the heat just died” texts.

A little upfront communication can prevent most of that chaos and help you glide through the holidays with fewer emergencies, fewer noise complaints, and fewer midnight surprises.

TL;DR

Here’s the short version:

Tell tenants your holiday hours early (1–2 weeks before).
Clearly define what’s an emergency and who they should call.
Share any scheduled maintenance (snow removal, HVAC, garbage delays).
Send friendly reminders about noise, guests, and safety.
Use Message Tenants with Pendo to keep everything organized in one place.

Why Holiday Messaging Matters More Than You Think

The holidays throw a lot at landlords: cold snaps, frozen pipes, snowstorms, full garbage rooms, and enthusiastic holiday hosts.

The problems are familiar, but most can be prevented if tenants know:

When you’re available
What counts as urgent
What maintenance is already planned
What building rules still apply

It sets expectations clearly and keeps the season… well, peaceful.

What Tenants Need to Hear From You
(In a Friendly, Non-Bossy Way)

Instead of sending one long message, break your updates into a few quick, helpful notes.
Think “Here’s what to know” not “Here are 10 rules.”

1. Your Holiday Hours (and What’s Considered an Emergency)

Tenants worry when they don’t know who to call. A simple message prevents panic calls about things that can wait until Jan 2.

Include:

Your closed/limited-response dates
Your emergency contact (contractor, line, or backup person)
Examples of real emergencies
Instructions for non-urgent issues (“Message me via Pendo and I’ll reply when I’m back”)

Quick Template:

Holiday Hours: Dec 24–Jan 2 Emergencies only

Call: <Number>
Emergencies include: no heat, major leaks, electrical hazards
Non-urgent issues → message via Pendo issue tracker anytime

2. What Maintenance Is Coming Up

December maintenance catches tenants off guard unless you give a heads-up.

Common holiday-season items:

Furnace/boiler tune-ups
Smoke/CO alarm testing
Snow and ice removal
Elevator or hallway cleaning
Garbage schedule changes due to stat holidays

Using Pendo’s Schedule Maintenance Walkthroughs, you can set reminders so no one is surprised when someone knocks.

3. Gentle Behaviour Reminders (Noise, Guests, Parking)

Holiday gatherings are great — until someone’s subwoofer gets involved. A light, friendly message goes much further than a strict notice.

What to cover politely:

Quiet hours
Guest parking rules
Hallway noise
Laundry room etiquette (holiday washing marathons are real)
Window-open warnings during cold snaps (pipe-freeze prevention!)

Keep the tone “neighbourly,” not “landlord lecture.”

4. A Simple All-In-One Message to Copy

For landlords who prefer one clean message instead of a series:

Hi everyone,

Here’s everything to know for Dec 24–Jan 2:

Our office is closed Dec 24–26 and operating with delayed replies Dec 27–Jan 1.
Emergencies only (no heat, major leak, electrical hazards).
Emergency contact: <number>
Snow removal will occur after major snowfall; garbage pickup may be 1 day late due to statutory holidays.
Please keep noise down after 10pm and remind guests of building rules.
Keep windows closed during cold weather to help prevent frozen pipes.

Have a warm and safe holiday season!

Seasonal Pitfalls to Avoid

Tenants will thank you later for sidestepping these:

Sending too much info in one giant message
Not defining “emergency,” which leads to avoidable calls
Not having a backup person if you’re away
Forgetting to notify tenants about maintenance that requires access

A Realistic “Holiday Plan” Timeline

Dec 1: Send main holiday notice
Dec 10: Send quick maintenance reminders
Dec 18: Do scheduled checks prior to the holidays (HVAC, CO alarms, filters)
Dec 22: Quick “Have a great holiday/emergency number below!” message
Jan 2: “Welcome back” update

Pendo keeps all of these messages in one clean communication thread.