Rats, Roaches, or Bedbugs? Tenant Rights When Your Landlord Won't Deal with Pests in California
What Are Vermin?
Rats, cockroaches, bed bugs, and similar pests are considered vermin—unwanted animals or insects that infest buildings and create health and safety risks. They often hide in walls, floors, furniture, and bedding, and come out at night. Vermin can spread disease, ruin belongings, and make a home unlivable.
At South East Los Angeles Tenants’ Assistance Group (SELATAG), we help renters dealing with vermin infestations in unsafe rental housing. Landlords are legally required to maintain clean, pest-free homes. If they fail to act, you have rights. SELATAG is here to guide you, help you take legal steps, and fight for the repairs and compensation you deserve.
What are some examples?
Example 1: Sarah found cockroaches in her kitchen and bathroom. She wrote to her landlord about the problem, but he only gave her a can of bug spray. The roaches got worse, and then mice appeared. Sarah sent more written requests, but the landlord ignored her for weeks. The mice started eating her food.
Example 2: Jose noticed small black droppings in his kitchen cabinets. Soon after, he saw a rat run across his floor. He immediately emailed his landlord with photos. The landlord said he'd "look into it" but three weeks later, nothing happened. Now Jose has rats in his bedroom and can hear them in the walls at night.
Example 3: Lucia discovered bedbugs in her apartment. She has red, itchy bites all over her arms and legs. She called her landlord, who said it's her fault for "bringing them in." The landlord refused to hire pest control, even when public health inspectors confirmed the infestation.
Example 4: Miguel lives in a ground-floor apartment. After heavy rains, ants began invading his bathroom and kitchen. Despite sending several text messages with videos of the ants, the landlord only suggested Miguel buy ant traps. The infestation got so bad that ants were crawling on Miguel's bed and in his food.
Example 5: The Chen family has had a persistent cockroach problem in their apartment for months. They've asked their landlord to address it multiple times. The landlord sprayed once, but used a cheap store-bought spray that didn't work. Now the Chens' baby has developed breathing problems from the roach allergens, according to their doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do vermin pose a health risk?
What are your rights when vermin threaten your health?
What services is my landlord required to provide?
What kinds of payouts can tenants expect?