Is my landlord responsible for pest control in NYC?

Generally yes. Under NYC's Housing Maintenance Code, landlords must keep rental units free of pests like mice, rats, and cockroaches, and Local Law 55 requires them to inspect for and remediate these as indoor allergen hazards at least annually and at unit turnover.

Do I have to pay for the exterminator in my apartment?

In most NYC rentals the landlord arranges and pays for professional pest control to keep the unit habitable. You typically only bear cost if you caused the infestation through your own conduct. Report the problem in writing and keep a dated copy.

What is Local Law 55?

Local Law 55, the NYC Indoor Allergen Hazards Law, requires landlords of multiple-dwelling buildings to investigate and fix indoor allergen hazards — including mice, cockroaches, and mold — using integrated pest management, at least once a year and whenever a unit becomes vacant.

What should I do if my landlord ignores a pest problem?

Send written notice (keep a dated copy), document the pests with photos, and if it's not addressed you can file a complaint with NYC 311 / the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). Persistent infestations can be cited as violations.

Who's Responsible for Pest Control in a NYC Rental — Landlord or Tenant?

Plain-English summary, not legal advice. This explains how NYC pest-control responsibility generally works in rental housing. For a specific dispute, consult a tenant attorney or contact NYC 311 / HPD.

The short answer

In a NYC rental, your landlord is generally responsible for pest control. Two overlapping rules put the duty on the building owner:

Housing Maintenance Code. Landlords must keep dwellings “free from pests” and maintain habitable conditions — that covers mice, rats, and cockroaches.
Local Law 55 (Indoor Allergen Hazards Law). Owners of multiple-dwelling buildings must inspect for and remediate indoor allergen hazards — explicitly including mice, cockroaches, and mold — using integrated pest management (IPM), at least once a year and every time a unit becomes vacant.

So in most cases the landlord must both find and fix the problem — and pay a professional to do it.

What the landlord must do

Keep the unit and common areas free of pests.
Under Local Law 55: inspect at least annually and at turnover, and remediate using IPM (sealing entry points and addressing the source, not just spraying).
Arrange and pay for professional extermination of infestations.
Fix conditions that let pests spread between units (shared walls, risers, trash areas).

What the tenant must do

Report in writing as soon as you see signs — and keep a dated copy.
Allow access for inspection and treatment, and follow prep instructions.
Don’t make it worse (e.g. moving infested furniture into hallways, leaving food/clutter that sustains an infestation).

How to get it fixed (step by step)

Document it. Photograph droppings, roaches, gnaw marks, or live pests with dates.
Notify your landlord in writing. Email or letter to the owner/management; keep the dated copy.
Ask for professional treatment. DIY rarely clears a building-borne infestation and can mask the source.
Escalate if ignored. Call 311 or file with HPD; unresolved infestations can be cited as housing violations.

Why building-wide matters in NYC

In attached buildings, mice and roaches travel through shared walls, plumbing risers, and trash chutes. Treating a single unit while a neighbour’s stays infested just relocates the problem — which is exactly why the law frames remediation at the building level and favours IPM over one-off spraying.

Get it handled

If you’re a NYC landlord, managing agent, or tenant who needs a documented, professional treatment that satisfies these obligations, contact us — we service all five boroughs with licensed, insured technicians. See also our guide to NYC bed bug law and how to get rid of mice in a NYC apartment.