Rats and Mice in San Francisco Apartment Buildings
A lot of San Francisco lives in shared buildings: two-flat Victorians, small walk-ups and larger apartment buildings. Rodents in one unit are rarely only in one unit. They move through walls, along pipes and between floors.
The city says building owners and tenants both have responsibilities to keep vermin out. This page covers what each side does and how a pest company fits in.
What Owners Are Expected to Do
The health department's pest prevention guidance says building owners should look into tenant pest reports within 72 hours, keep a written log of those reports, do routine inspections and keep up sanitation. Only a licensed pest control operator may apply restricted pesticides, and tenants must be notified before a pesticide treatment as state rules require.
- Respond to tenant reports within 72 hours
- Keep a written log of pest reports
- Inspect regularly and keep the building clean
- Notify tenants before pesticide treatments
What Tenants Are Expected to Do
Keep your unit reasonably clean, store garbage and pet food properly and don't feed pigeons or wildlife. Report what you see to the owner in writing, with dates. If nothing happens, the city's advice is to call 311 to report health issues in apartments, and the complaint goes to Environmental Health. Our guide on landlords, tenants and rodents goes into more detail.
Building-Wide Work
Owners and property managers can call us to get connected with a company for the whole building. That usually means inspecting every unit and the common areas, trapping, sealing the shell of the building and setting up regular visits for the trash room and garage. For mixed-use buildings with a restaurant or shop on the ground floor, see commercial rodent control.
Questions We Get
I'm a tenant. Can I call you?
Yes. We can connect you with a company. Tell your landlord too, since sealing the building and treating common areas is usually the owner's job.
Serving Mission District, Bernal Heights, Noe Valley, Pacific Heights, Marina, SoMa, Richmond District, Sunset District, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, Bayview, Excelsior, Glen Park, Castro.