Guide
For landlords and property managers
A death, a crime or a hoarded unit leaves the owner with a unit that can't be let until it is safe. Here is what usually needs to happen, in order.
Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
In order
From the call to a lettable unit
- I
Wait for release
The police and the coroner finish first. Ask the officer in charge when the unit is released.
- II
Belongings
A tenant's belongings are generally part of their estate. Speak with the next of kin, or an attorney, before anything is discarded.
- III
Biohazard cleanup
Affected materials removed, the unit cleaned, disinfected and deodorized.
- IV
Repairs
Flooring, drywall and paint by your usual contractors, once the cleanup company says the area is ready.
Your duty
Fit and habitable
South Carolina's landlord-tenant law requires a landlord to comply with building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety, and to make the repairs needed to keep the premises fit and habitable (S.C. Code 27-40-440).
In multi-unit buildings, odor and contamination can affect neighbors through shared walls, floors and air systems. Ask the cleanup company to check adjoining spaces and the HVAC, and tell neighboring tenants what is happening without sharing private details.
Paperwork
Keep a file
- The case number and investigating agency
- Dated photos before and after
- The cleanup company's written scope, invoice and disposal records
- Correspondence with the next of kin or estate about belongings
- Your insurer's claim number, if you file
Price
What the price depends on
This site publishes no prices, because every job is different. The cleanup company prices it after it knows the details. These are the things that move the number:
- How large the affected area is, and how many rooms
- Whether fluids reached carpet pad, subfloor, drywall or framing, which then has to come out
- How much time has passed, and whether the heating or cooling system was running
- How much furniture and how many belongings are affected
- How much sealed waste has to be packed and taken away
- Access: stairs, narrow halls, a crawl space or a vehicle
Questions
Landlord questions
Can I clear out the tenant's belongings right away?
Be careful. They usually belong to the estate. Contact the next of kin or an attorney first, and ask the cleanup company to set aside anything that can be saved.
Who pays for cleanup in a rental?
Usually the owner arranges it and looks to its own insurance. The lease and the circumstances can change that. See who pays.
Can a property manager make the call?
Yes. Whoever has authority to approve work on the unit can call and arrange the cleanup.
When you are ready
One call, and someone else takes this on
You don't have to clean this yourself, and you don't have to decide everything today. A short call is enough to ask questions and hear what the work would involve.
Talk to a cleanup company
The line puts you through to an independent biohazard cleanup company working in your ZIP code. Tell them what happened and where. You decide whether to hire them.
Call (843) 555-0162Calls answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
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