Fast Evict

Landlord tips on property management, evictions and more.

  • Fast Evict Home
  • Blog Table of Contents
  • Free Eviction Notices
  • Free Consultation: 1-800-686-8686

How a Landlord could deal with a shelter-in-place order during an emergency

08/16/2016 By M


A lot of hazards could happen near your rental property and put it or people at a risk. In an emergency situation, therefore, the police might instruct strangers to hide in your place (shelter-in-place) until the risk is over. While you would be doing an act of charity, as you could save people’s lives by reducing their exposure to dangerous chemicals, you might fear them. Not all strangers are kindhearted. What if something happens to your tenants’ personal belongings? There are fears, of course, yet the law expects you obey.

Complying with a shelter-in-place order is a must. Usually, a perilous situation is announced on different media channels to reach as many people as possible. To abide by the law, first ask your visitors to stick around until you find them a safe place to stay. If some want to leave, explain to them the dangers of disobedience. In case your rooms have a few openings, you might want to act fast and seal the holes as fast as you can. Plastic materials or a duct tape can be useful. Since you are not facing a shelter-in-place order currently, it does not mean that you won’t in future. Hence, make sure that you keep disaster supply kits near you.

This includes an access to food that cannot go stale quickly, clean bottled water, first aid kits,, flashlights and other things. If you have confined rooms without windows or vents in your property, like closets, conference halls or rooms in your basement or lowest floor, take the visitors there. Access to a hardwired phone is important in an emergency situation, as a cell phone signal reception is often poor. If it happens that all your rooms have exterior windows, or some of them do, the best thing to do is to shut everything. Then use plastic paper bags or other sheets of plastic to seal gaps.

Ensure that you do all you can to protect everyone from breathing in toxic substances. If you hear in the news that there might be an explosion near where your house is, keep all curtains and blinds shut. Turn off your HVAC system and wait until you are asked to come out. While sheltered, you can reduce the people’s fear by letting them call their friends or relatives. At the same time, make sure you gather the contact details of every person you have sheltered. There could be fears that an explosion could happen or sheltering-in-place might take several hours. Just try to keep everyone calm and panic free.

At Fast Eviction Service, help on any of the issues discussed in this article is simply a click or phone call away. Email intake@fastevict.com or call our office at (800) 686-8686 to discuss your questions for a free evaluation of your case.

Landlord Tips Blog Articles

Top 10 California Landlord Legal Responsibilities

Landlord-tenant disputes do not always have to end up with grueling lawsuits or court battles. The California Rental Laws explicitly dictate what rights your tenant is entitled to and how the common disputes can be avoided. These disputes regarding upholding the terms of rental or lease agreements are almost always costlier for the landlord than the tenant. Read More...

Your Responsibilities As A Property Owner

Owning a property is an attractive investment opportunity but it is just the beginning of your responsibilities. Every owner should be aware of and take their responsibilities as a property owner seriously. Here is a brief glimpse into the responsibilities of a property owner, which every owner should fulfill. Read More...

Filed Under: Landlord Legal Issues

Essential Landlord Books
Subject Categories
  • Eviction Procedure (40)
  • Dealing With Bad Tenants (20)
  • Reasons for Eviction (8)
  • Lease and Rental Agreements (13)
  • Rental Habitability (6)
  • Court Judgments (11)
  • Landlord Legal Issues (39)
  • Landlord Responsibilities (9)
  • Pets (2)
  • Landlord & Property Management (29)
  • Security Deposits & Damages (5)
  • Dealing With Tenants (6)
  • Hiring Eviction Help (5)
  • Renting to Section 8 Tenants (6)
  • Attracting Tenants (8)
  • Rent (12)
  • Renting to Students & Roomates (4)
  • Tenant Screening (17)
  • Misc (12)
  • Landlord Tips (23)
  • Attorney Tips (1)
Recent Posts
  • California State of Emergency Extended at Least 30 Days
  • Family Child Care Homes in Rental Property in California
  • California Cities Rush to Pass AB 1482 Stopgap Urgency Ordinances
  • Zero Tolerance Late Rent Policy in California
  • Craigslist Rental Marketing: Essential Landlord Tips
Landlord Frequent Repair Items

Copyright © 2019 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in