Rental Housing Owners and Operators Must Comply with Los Angeles County Price Gouging Laws as Tick Complex Fire Emergency Continues

LOS ANGELES – The Tick Complex Fire, which is burning near Canyon Country and Castaic, has forced the evacuation of at least 40,000 residents from their homes as of Friday morning. California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles County.

As thousands of people currently seek a safe place to stay this weekend, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) advises owners and operators of rental housing that they must stay in compliance of state and Los Angeles County laws which protect consumers from price gouging.

In most circumstances, businesses may not increase the price of goods and services more than 10 percent for consumers affected by an emergency. This prohibition also applies to rental housing, hotel and motel rooms, and short-term rentals. This price gouging protection is currently in effect across all of Los Angeles County, not just the areas affected by the Tick Complex Fire or the recent Saddle Ridge Fire near Sylmar and Porter Ranch.

DCBA advises rental housing operators to maintain detailed records of your pricing before, during, and after the declared emergency. Failure to comply with the California Price Gouging Law (Penal Code 396) can result in fines up to $10,000 or one year in jail, or both.

DCBA staff is monitoring listed prices of rental housing in surrounding communities and working with local prosecuting agencies to further investigate reports of alleged price gouging. If you believe you are being improperly overcharged for goods, services, or housing, save your records and receipts, and contact DCBA at (800) 593-8222.

Price gouging protections will remain in effect for 30 days after a declared emergency and can be renewed. Price-gouging protections extend for 180 days for any contractor-related services. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors also declared a local emergency due to the Saddle Ridge Fire earlier this month.

For updates on Los Angeles County’s response to the Tick Complex Fire, visit lacounty.gov/emergency. For more information about price gouging and other common consumer issues after a disaster, visit dcba.lacounty.gov/disasterready.

Since 1976, the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has served consumers, businesses, and communities through education, advocacy, and complaint resolution. We work every day to educate consumers and small business owners about their rights and responsibilities, mediate disputes, investigate consumer fraud complaints, and enforce Los Angeles County’s minimum wage and rent stabilization ordinances. For more information, visit dcba.lacounty.gov.

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Contact: Keven Chavez, Public Information Officer
(213) 974-9699, kchavez@dcba.lacounty.gov