Hurricane Shutters and Renters

Who Is Responsible for Storm P Read Your Lease Before Storm S Your Rental Has No Storm Prote Renters Insurance and Hurrican What to Do When a Storm Is Com ❓ FAQ

Quick summary

Renting a home on the Gulf or Atlantic coast means hurricane season is your problem too — even if you don't own the home. Understanding what you're responsible for, what your landlord may be required to provide, and what to do when a storm threatens can mean the difference between a safe storm and a very bad one.

Who Is Responsible for Storm Protection?

As a general rule, structural storm protection — hurricane shutters, impact windows, garage door bracing — is the landlord's responsibility, not the tenant's. These are permanent improvements to the property that cost thousands of dollars and require permits.

However, the reality is more complicated:

Many rental homes on the coast have no shutters — especially older homes, and landlords are not uniformly required to provide them unless local ordinance specifically requires it
Your lease may assign storm prep to you — some leases require tenants to close shutters, deploy storm panels, or take other protective action before storms. Read your lease.
Storm panels require your action — if the home has storm panels and you're responsible for mounting them, you need to know where they're stored, how they mount, and what the trigger is for deploying them

Read Your Lease Before Storm Season

Pull out your lease and look for these specific items before June 1:

Storm preparation responsibilities — who is responsible for closing or deploying storm protection
Evacuation obligations — some leases require tenants to evacuate when mandatory evacuation orders are issued
Property damage liability — what happens if storm damage occurs because shutters were not closed (if closing was your responsibility)
Notice requirements — how much notice does the landlord need to give before accessing the property for storm preparation
Insurance requirements — most leases require renters insurance — check whether your policy covers hurricane-related losses to your personal property

If your lease is unclear on storm responsibilities, email your landlord and ask for written clarification before storm season. "What are my responsibilities for storm preparation and who closes the shutters?" Get the answer in writing.

Your Rental Has No Storm Protection

This is common — especially in older coastal rentals. If your home has no shutters or impact windows, here's your realistic set of options:

Talk to your landlord now. Before storm season, ask your landlord what the storm plan is. Some landlords will install shutters if asked directly — especially if the alternative is the tenant breaking the lease or the property sustaining damage.

Temporary options you can deploy yourself:

Polycarbonate storm panels — can be purchased and mounted in existing tracks if tracks exist, or attached with appropriate anchors. Removable and portable.
Plywood — the last resort. Requires proper fastening into structural framing (not siding), a circular saw, and significant prep time. Better than nothing for Category 1 threats.
Storm window film — provides some impact resistance for minor debris but is not a substitute for rated protection in a significant storm.

🚨 If there is no storm protection and a significant storm threatens: The safest option is to evacuate. Personal safety is more important than protecting the landlord's property. Know your county's evacuation zones and have a plan before you need one.

Renters Insurance and Hurricanes

Your landlord's homeowner's insurance covers the structure — not your personal belongings inside it. If a hurricane damages or destroys your furniture, electronics, clothing, and other possessions, that loss is yours unless you have renters insurance.

Key things to know about renters insurance and hurricanes:

Wind damage to your belongings is typically covered under the personal property portion of renters insurance
Flood damage is NOT covered by standard renters insurance — if you're in a flood zone or storm surge area, you need separate flood insurance for your contents
Loss of use coverage pays for temporary housing if the rental becomes uninhabitable — this is one of the most valuable coverages in a hurricane scenario
Cost — renters insurance typically runs $15–$30/month in coastal areas. It is almost always worth having.

What to Do When a Storm Is Coming

When a Hurricane Watch or Warning is issued for your county:

Close and secure any shutters you're responsible for — don't wait. Do this as soon as a Watch is issued, not when a Warning is issued.
Move outdoor furniture and items inside — patio furniture, grills, potted plants become projectiles in hurricane winds. Landlords typically expect tenants to secure or remove outdoor items.
Document the condition of the property — photograph every room before the storm. This protects you from being blamed for pre-existing damage after the storm.
Know your evacuation zone — find it at your county emergency management website. If you're in Zone A or B, plan to leave early.
Notify your landlord — let them know the status of the property and confirm storm prep responsibilities are handled.

The scenarios below are illustrative composites based on documented market patterns, FEMA post-storm data, and OIR wind mitigation discount schedules. They represent realistic outcomes, not specific individuals.

Tampa Bay Area — The Lease That Said Nothing

Maria had rented a bungalow in St. Petersburg for two years when Tropical Storm Eta threatened the Tampa Bay area in November 2020. The home had accordion shutters. Her lease said nothing about storm preparation responsibilities. When she called her landlord the day before the storm to ask whether she should close them, he didn't answer.

Maria closed the shutters herself — all eight openings, following instructions she found taped inside a kitchen cabinet by a previous tenant. The storm passed without significant impact. But Maria's experience highlighted the gap: she had lived in the home for two years, had never been shown how the shutters operated, and had only succeeded because a previous tenant had left instructions.

She raised the issue with her landlord after the storm. He updated the lease for all his rental properties to include a one-page storm preparation addendum specifying deployment triggers, who was responsible, and how to operate each shutter type. 'He wasn't a bad landlord,' Maria said. 'He just hadn't thought about it. Neither had I until it was almost too late.'

What this means for your home: If your lease doesn't address storm preparation, ask your landlord in writing before storm season. Request a one-page addendum that specifies: who is responsible for deploying storm protection, what the trigger is (Watch vs. Warning), and how to operate the specific system in your unit. A landlord who provides clear written guidance is protecting both their property and their tenant. One who doesn't respond is creating a liability they may not have considered.

New Orleans — The Renters Insurance That Covered Everything

When Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon in August 2021 as a Category 4 storm, Kevin had been renting a house in Metairie for three years. He had evacuated as directed, taking his laptop, documents, and a bag of clothes. His landlord's insurance covered the structure. Kevin had renters insurance through his auto carrier — $18 per month, a policy he had almost cancelled twice.

When Kevin returned, the home had sustained wind damage to two windows, and wind-driven rain had entered through gaps in the soffits. His personal property — furniture, electronics, a bicycle, clothing, and kitchen equipment — had sustained $14,200 in damage from water infiltration. His renters insurance paid $11,600 after his $2,500 deductible.

His neighbor, also a renter, had no renters insurance. She sustained $9,800 in personal property damage and recovered nothing. 'Eighteen dollars a month,' Kevin said. 'I almost cancelled it for $18 a month. The payout was 53 years of premiums in one check.'

What this means for your home: Renters insurance covers your personal property when the building's structure is covered by your landlord's policy. In coastal areas, the annual premium is typically $200–$400 — roughly $18–$35 per month. The difference between having it and not having it during a hurricane is the full replacement value of everything you own. If your lease doesn't require it, get it anyway. It is the cheapest meaningful protection available to a coastal renter.

Outer Banks, North Carolina — The Evacuation That Wasn't Optional

When Hurricane Dorian threatened the Outer Banks in September 2019, Dare County issued a mandatory evacuation order for all residents — owners and renters alike. Susan had been renting a cottage on Hatteras Island for the summer season and had two weeks remaining on her lease.

Her landlord called her on September 4 and told her the evacuation was mandatory and he expected her to leave that day. Susan was uncertain — her lease ran through September 16, and she wondered if she could stay. The landlord was unambiguous: 'You need to leave. This isn't a request. The county is ordering everyone off the island.'

Susan evacuated to Raleigh and the storm passed with significant wind damage to the island. Her cottage sustained screen enclosure damage but no structural damage. Her personal property — which she had taken with her — was undamaged. Her landlord's insurance covered the structure. 'I almost stayed because I thought my lease gave me the right to be there,' Susan said. 'It doesn't. Mandatory evacuation orders supersede lease terms.'

What this means for your home: A lease gives you the right to occupy a property under normal conditions. A mandatory evacuation order supersedes lease terms and requires all occupants to leave regardless of lease status. In coastal areas, renters in evacuation zones A and B are among the first ordered to leave — and manufactured home residents are often ordered to evacuate for storms that don't trigger orders for site-built homes. Know your evacuation zone before storm season, not when an order is issued.

Sources: NHC Tropical Storm Eta 2020; NHC Hurricane Ida 2021 post-storm report; NHC Hurricane Dorian 2019; Dare County mandatory evacuation records; Louisiana renters insurance claim statistics post-Ida.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I install hurricane shutters on my rental without landlord permission?

No — hurricane shutters are a structural modification that requires permits and landlord consent. Installing shutters without permission violates most leases and could result in eviction or liability for removal costs. The right approach is to request that the landlord install them, ideally in writing, before storm season.

My landlord refuses to install shutters. What are my options?

Check whether local ordinance requires shutters in your county or wind zone — if it does and the landlord is non-compliant, you can report to your county building department. If no ordinance requires them, your options are limited to negotiating, purchasing temporary protection yourself, or ultimately deciding not to renew your lease. Document your request to the landlord in writing regardless.

Who is responsible for closing shutters — me or my landlord?

It depends entirely on your lease. Many leases assign this to the tenant since the landlord may not be on-site during a storm. If your lease is silent, ask your landlord in writing before storm season. For motor-operated shutters, remote closure capability may be an option that removes the question entirely.

☣️ Public Health Warning — After Any Hurricane

Waste bags at the curb spread E. coli, Leptospirosis, and Norovirus across entire neighborhoods through rainwater runoff, animal vectors, and children near debris piles. Double-bag all waste. Label it BIOHAZARD. Keep all children and pets away from every curb pile on your street — not just your own.

Full disease prevention guide — all 13 states →