Hempstead Town, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 88 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 88-17
Responsibilities of owners and occupants
Operative Text
The following responsibilities of owners and occupants are in addition to those specified elsewhere in the chapter: A. Every owner of a dwelling containing two or more dwelling units shall be responsible for maintaining in a clean and sanitary condition the shared or common areas of the dwelling and premises thereof. B. Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall keep in a clean and sanitary condition that part of the dwelling, dwelling unit and premises thereof which he occupies and controls. C. Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all his rubbish in a clean and sanitary manner by placing it in the rubbish containers required in this code. D. Every occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of his garbage and any other organic waste which might be food for rodents, in a clean or sanitary manner, by placing it in the garbage disposal facilities or garbage containers required in this code. E. Every occupant of a dwelling unit shall be responsible for hanging all screens except where the owner has agreed to supply such service. F. Every occupant of a dwelling containing a single dwelling unit shall be responsible for the extermination of any insects, rodents or other pests therein or on the premises; and every occupant of a dwelling unit in a dwelling containing more than one dwelling unit shall be responsible for such extermination whenever his dwelling unit is the only dwelling unit within the dwelling that is infested. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subsection, whenever infestation is caused by failure of the owner to maintain a dwelling in a ratproof or reasonably insectproof condition, extermination shall be the responsibility of the owner. Whenever infestation exists in two or more of the dwelling units in any dwelling or in the shared or common parts of any dwelling containing two or more dwelling units, extermination thereof shall be the responsibility of the owner. G. Every occupant of a dwelling unit shall keep all plumbing fixtures therein in a clean and sanitary condition and shall be responsible for the exercise of reasonable care and the proper use and operation thereof.
Hempstead Town Code § 88-17 divides maintenance responsibilities between property owners and the people who live in their units. Owners of multi-unit dwellings must keep shared and common areas clean and sanitary, and they bear responsibility for pest extermination when infestation spreads to two or more units, affects common areas, or results from the building's failure to be ratproof or reasonably insectproof. Occupants, in turn, are responsible for keeping their own spaces clean, disposing of rubbish and garbage properly in code-required containers, hanging window screens (unless the owner has agreed to provide that service), and maintaining plumbing fixtures with reasonable care. In single-unit dwellings, the occupant generally carries the extermination responsibility unless the owner's failure to maintain the structure caused the infestation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 88-17, compliant owners of two-or-more-unit dwellings routinely inspect and clean hallways, stairwells, laundry rooms, and other shared spaces to keep them in sanitary condition. When pest activity is reported in multiple units or in common areas, or when the building's physical condition contributed to the infestation, operators generally arrange and pay for professional extermination rather than placing that burden on tenants. Owners who have agreed in writing to supply screen-hanging service should document that agreement and follow through, since § 88-17(E) shifts that duty to occupants only in the absence of such an arrangement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 88-17 sets out rights and duties that apply to you as an occupant: you are expected to keep your unit clean, use code-required rubbish and garbage containers, and maintain plumbing fixtures properly. Importantly, the provision also protects you — if pest infestation exists in two or more units, in common areas, or stems from the owner's failure to keep the building ratproof or insectproof, § 88-17(F) places extermination responsibility squarely on the owner. Tenants who believe an owner is not meeting these obligations can document conditions with photographs and written notices, and may explore filing a complaint with Hempstead Town's code enforcement office or consulting a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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