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I've been staying in a hotel for the past month. I work to pay the bill on a daily basis. We are in an ice storm, there's no work. I can't pay. The officials say stay put, Can they kick me out if I can't pay?

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    Welcome to travel.SE. Which country is this a question for?
    – Karlson
    Dec 6, 2013 at 15:27
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    When you say 'officials' is this the hotel owners? Or are they government or relief officers who have put you up in the hotel?
    – DJClayworth
    Dec 6, 2013 at 15:48
  • In the US, Hotels are not apartments in most cases, so normal landlord laws do not apply. You really need a lawyer if you want to make a case that they do.
    – Affable Geek
    Dec 6, 2013 at 15:56
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    Highly related: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/14623/…
    – Affable Geek
    Dec 6, 2013 at 15:57
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    This question is fundamentally not answerable without some geographic/jurisdictional data. Without that, it's pure speculation, and this question ought to be closed.
    – LessPop_MoreFizz
    Dec 7, 2013 at 1:13

1 Answer 1

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This is from a guide published by the California Hotel & Lodging association:

The mere fact that an innkeeper has a legal right to evict someone does not give the innkeeper the right to carry out the eviction in a manner that would place the person in a position of harm.

Additionally, according to that guide the eviction of a non-paying guest cannot be done by the hotel owner or their security staff, it has to involve the police (who would then also have the responsibility not to put you into a harmful position).

This is based on California law, so it may not apply in your jurisdiction, but in all likelihood the laws are similar. But note that it only applies in situations where there is immediate danger, i.e. until the storm ends.

If the hotel tries to kick you out, threaten to sue them. That should make them stop and do it by the book.

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    Never seen an ice storm in California. :)
    – Karlson
    Dec 6, 2013 at 17:03
  • -1, without more data from the asker, this answer is of limited utility.
    – LessPop_MoreFizz
    Dec 7, 2013 at 1:14
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    Every answer is of limited utility. It's the asker who didn't provide enough info. Michael contributed a very good answer and it may well be of use to people who end up here via some Googling.
    – hippietrail
    Dec 7, 2013 at 16:29
  • @Karlson My first ever visit to California was in May and we were welcomed by snowfall (in Mammoth Lakes). I'm sure ice storms are frequent in winter in the Sierra Nevada. Plenty of ski resorts there.
    – gerrit
    Dec 7, 2013 at 17:58
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    @gerrit Snow yes. Not the same as Ice Storm
    – Karlson
    Dec 7, 2013 at 21:45

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