A property manager should handle the two calls differently: a water leak is an emergency that goes to the on call vendor at once, and a lockout is a routine request with a fee that is handled by a set procedure. A Voice AI agent in GoHighLevel can sort them, dispatch the right person, and tell the caller the lockout fee from your policy. The bottom line: the agent should never open a door on the strength of a voice, and it should never guess at a fee.
Where the line falls
The Rockford Housing Authority lists emergencies as gas leaks, whole unit power outages, major water leaks or flooding, sewer backups, broken entry door locks, no heat in extremely cold weather, and exposed wiring or fire risk. A lost key is not on the list. Many leases say so outright: one sample clause states that lockouts are not an emergency and that a lockout when the office is closed carries a $75 fee. Published fees vary. Union Real Estate charges $100 for an after hours lockout and nothing during business hours, the Omaha Housing Authority charges $30 in office hours and $75 after hours, and a rental marketplace blog calls $25 to $75 typical. A Buildium article by a property manager recommends stating the policy when the lease is signed. Because the numbers vary, the agent must read yours from its script.
Why the agent does not let people in
Union Real Estate's policy has maintenance staff ask for ID before they open a unit, and says that letting a person not on the lease into an apartment is for emergencies only. A voice cannot show ID. So the agent takes the lockout request, gives the fee, tells the caller that ID is required at the door, and dispatches the on call person.
| Caller says | Agent does |
|---|---|
| Water is coming through the ceiling, or a pipe burst | Asks the unit number and whether it is near electrical outlets, tells them to shut the unit's main water valve if they know where it is, and transfers to the on call vendor |
| Small drip or slow leak | Logs the request for the morning, with the unit and a description |
| Locked out | Quotes the after hours fee, states that ID is required, and dispatches the on call person |
| Lost key | Logs the request and tells them the replacement process at the office |
| Mentions a disability or a needed accommodation | Thanks them and routes the message to the manager for the morning |
Build it in GoHighLevel
- In your sub account, go to AI Agents, then Voice AI, and create a new agent.
- Write the greeting, the business information, and the questions the agent should ask, in plain sentences.
- Assign the phone number, and set Working Hours and the Call Routing mode so the agent answers after hours or when staff do not pick up.
- Put your emergency list, lockout fee, and key replacement policy in the agent's instructions.
- Have the agent ask for the unit number, the caller's name, and a callback number on every call.
- Add a Call Transfer action with the on call phone number, and write the exact conditions that trigger it.
- Add a Trigger a Workflow action that runs after the call: tag the contact, create the opportunity, and send the office a summary.
- Run the web call test with a friend playing each caller type, read the transcripts, and fix the script before you point the real number at the agent.
- Match the caller to a tenant record by phone number, and create a work order opportunity in your maintenance pipeline.
Our earlier guide on collecting tenant maintenance texts covers the pipeline and the Fair Housing routing for accommodation requests, which apply to phone calls too.
GoHighLevel's Voice AI help page says a Voice AI agent can answer calls, respond to common questions, collect caller information, and complete actions during or after a call. It lists four actions: Call Transfer to a human phone number, Trigger a Workflow, Appointment Booking that offers availability and schedules the appointment, and Agent Transfer to another Voice AI agent. It also points to Working Hours, the Call Routing mode, voicemail, and the phone number's call flow as settings to check, and to a web call test to try the agent before it takes real calls. One overview page still says direct appointment scheduling needs a calendar integration through workflows, so test booking in your own account before you rely on it. On price, the AI tools page lists AI Employee Growth at $50 a month and Unlimited at $97 a month per location with usage allowances that differ by plan, and a third party guide reports pay per use rates of about $0.06 to $0.215 a minute plus model charges. Confirm current pricing in your account.
What the workload looks like
For example, a manager with 200 doors who gets 12 after hours calls a week, of which 2 are emergencies and 4 are lockouts, handles 2 urgent dispatches and 4 fee quoted lockouts, and the other 6 wait for morning instead of waking anyone.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating lockouts as emergencies. They are usually not, and cost you a night's sleep.
- Quoting a fee from memory. Put it in the script.
- Letting the agent authorize entry. Require ID at the door.
- Ignoring accommodation requests. Route them to a person.
How this was handled before
Property managers ran an after hours line staffed by an answering service or by the manager's own phone. The service took a message and the manager decided. A voice agent applies the same emergency list every time, and the decision about who to wake becomes a written rule.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Tenants may call from a friend's phone, so confirm the unit and name before you text. Ask your attorney about call recording and AI disclosure rules in your state. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Is a lockout an emergency?
Many leases say no. A sample lease clause says lockouts are not emergencies and after hours lockouts carry a $75 fee.
What is a typical after hours lockout fee?
Published examples run from $75 to $100, and a rental blog calls $25 to $75 typical. Use your own policy.
Should the agent let a caller into a unit?
No. Union Real Estate's policy requires ID before staff open a unit, which a voice cannot provide.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.