Multifamily Building Pest Control
Common areas, supers and building wide plans.
Resources
NYC Landlord Guide to Pest Responsibilities
What the Health Department and HPD expect from owners, in plain language.
Short answerOwners must keep properties free of rats and address the conditions that lead to them. Owners of buildings with three or more apartments must inspect apartments annually for pests, respond to complaints and keep vacant apartments free of pests. Confirm current rules with the official pages.
Health Department Duties
Property owners are required to keep their properties free of rats and to fix conditions that attract them. Commercial and multi unit owners are legally required to hire a pest management professional.
HPD Duties
Under Local Law 55 of 2018, owners of buildings with three or more apartments must keep apartments free of mold and pests and fix the underlying conditions. HPD lists annual inspection, response to complaints and keeping vacant apartments free of pests as part of that.
Consequences
If conditions are not corrected, the Health Department can issue a summons with fines between $300 and $2,000, and it may do the work and bill the owner.
Good Practice
Keep dated records of complaints, inspections and work, and coordinate building wide.
Not sure what you are dealing with? An inspection finds the source and sets the scope.
Questions and Answers
What must NYC property owners do about rodents?
Owners must keep their properties free of rats and address conditions that support them, and may need to hire a pest management professional. Owners of buildings with three or more apartments must also inspect apartments each year for pests and mold, respond to complaints, and keep vacant apartments free of pests. Commercial and multi unit owners are required to hire a professional.
Why do mice move between apartments?
Attached buildings share wall voids, pipe chases, risers, trash areas and basements. Mice use those as travel routes, so treating one unit can push activity next door and back again. Lasting results in multifamily buildings usually depend on inspecting common areas and coordinating with the owner or manager, not treating a single apartment in isolation.
Last reviewed 2026-09-21. Time sensitive NYC rules and processes change, so check the linked official pages before you act.
Related pages
NYC Tenant Rodent Guide
Steps for renters.