During a declared State of Emergency (SOE), many jurisdictions activate anti-price gouging laws to prevent "excessive" price increases for essential services, which often include short-term rentals and lodging. These laws are designed to protect residents and travelers during critical events like winter storms, fires, or other natural disasters.

When do these laws apply?

Price gouging protections are typically triggered by an official declaration of a State of Emergency by federal, state, and local authorities. These laws often remain in effect for a specific window after the emergency has terminated.

Steps to take if you are in an affected jurisdiction

If a State of Emergency is declared in your area, we recommend the following proactive steps:

1. Monitor Local Declarations And Determine If Price Gouging Laws Are Applicable To Your Listings: 

1. Stay informed via local government press releases regarding SOE status and price gouging warnings. Price gouging laws can vary by jurisdiction

2. Short-term rentals are frequently included under "lodging" or "essential services" even if not explicitly named in the statutes. 

3. Some jurisdictions also have clauses that modify how the price gouging law applies to you depending on whether the cost of providing services has increased. 

2. Implement Controls If Needed: If you determine that price gouging laws are applicable to your listings, you have two options:

1. Implement Temporary Controls: You can manually adjust your Max Price or use Fixed Pricing for the affected dates in PriceLabs to ensure you do not exceed the local cap. 

2. Request Price Support To Implement Restrictions: You can also reach out to support@pricelabs.co and ask for price controls to be put in place. When you reach out:

1. Provide the specific jurisdiction (City/County/State).

2. Include a link to the official State of Emergency declaration if possible.

3. Identify how long the restrictions should apply for.