A death or injury in a rental
For landlords and property managers
When something happens in one of your units, the order matters: officials, then the family, then the cleanup. Here is a practical sequence that keeps you, your staff and other tenants safe.
Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
In order
Wait for the release
Police and the coroner or medical examiner must finish first. Ask the officer when the unit is released and for the report number.
Secure the unit
Change or hold the keys and keep the door closed. Other tenants should not go in.
Contact the next of kin
Belongings are not yours to discard. Ask a lawyer if you are unsure who to deal with.
Call your insurer
Before work starts. Ask what your landlord policy covers and what records it wants.
Arrange the cleanup
Call this number. The company works in the unit; the family can collect belongings once it is safe.
Your maintenance staff
Under OSHA rules, employers whose workers may be exposed to blood must have a written exposure control plan, training and protective equipment. If your maintenance staff are not set up for that, do not send them in.
Shared spaces matter too: hallways, stairs and vents next to the unit. Ask the company to check them.
Other guides
- After a death at homePolice, the coroner or medical examiner, the funeral home, then the room.
- Who pays for biohazard cleanupInsurance, Wisconsin crime victim compensation, landlords and estates.
- Who cleans up after the police leaveA plain answer to a question many families are left with.
- How a referral worksWhat happens when you call, and what to ask the company.
- Questions and answersShort answers to what people ask most.
Appleton and the Fox Cities
Talk it through before you decide
You do not need to know the right words. Describe the room and what happened, and ask what the company would do first.
When the home has been released
Call and say what happened, in your own words. An independent cleanup company will explain what the work involves. You decide whether to go ahead.
Call (920) 555-0110Phone answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Calls may be recorded. See the referral disclosure and the privacy policy.