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Renters Resources

Environmental Health Services

Divisions / Environmental Health Services / Permits & Business Services / Housing Program / Renters Resources

How to File a Complaint

Environmental Health Services (EHS) investigates certain housing complaints involving health and safety concerns. Before submitting a complaint, review the property types and issues listed below to determine whether EHS can assist.

Complaints Handled by Environmental Health Services

  • Leaking roofs
  • Faulty plumbing
  • Inadequate heating
  • Substandard electrical problems
  • Pests (including rodents and cockroaches)
  • Mold
  • Lead

Eligible property types include:

  • Rental properties (apartment buildings with four units or more)
  • Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts
  • Mobile home parks in unincorporated San Mateo County
  • Detention facilities
  • Organized camps

To file a complaint:

EHS cannot investigate housing complaints involving property types or locations outside its jurisdiction. Review the information below for other reporting options.

Employee Housing and Farmworker Complaints

For complaints about employee housing or farmworker housing:

Where to Direct Other Housing Complaints

EHS does not handle all types of housing complaints. Contact the appropriate agency or resource for the following:

  • Single-family homes, duplexes, and triplexes: Contact your local Code Enforcement Department.
  • Properties in the City of San Mateo or City of San Carlos: Contact the city’s Code Enforcement Department.
  • Asbestos concerns: Contact the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) at 1-800-334-6367 or file a complaint online.
  • Housing Authority, HUD, or Section 8 concerns: Contact the San Mateo County Department of Housing at 650-802-3300.
  • Townhouses and condominiums: Contact the property owner or homeowners association (HOA), or seek legal advice.

 

Three Steps to a Healthy Home

Pests need water, food and shelter to live, just like you. Here’s what you and the property owner can do to get rid of them and prevent them from invading your home.

  • Clean grease, crumbs and spills and don’t leave dishes in the sink.
  • Store food in sealed containers. Pests can chew through paper, cardboard and plastic.
  • Remove clutter from floors and store extra clothing in sealed plastic containers.
  • Take out garbage frequently. Rinse food containers before recycling.
  • At night, put away or put a lid on your pet’s food and water.
  • Avoid sprays, foggers or bombs. They don’t reach hiding places and push pests into walls. Sprays, foggers or bombs must be disposed of as household hazardous waste.
  • Ensure there are no leaks or water under the sink. Pests love to live in dark, humid spaces.
  • Keep your home clean using less-toxic products.
  1. In and around your home, ask property management to seal out pests:
    • Install door sweeps or other barriers.
    • Screen all vents and windows, and repair broken screens.
    • Seal all cracks, crevices and holes in walls and ceilings, and around electrical outlets, pipes and gas/utility connections.
    • Keep carports and garages free of clutter. Safely get rid of unwanted and leftover chemicals for free through San Mateo County’s Household Hazardous Waste Program.
    • Thin out dense trees and overgrown plants. Trim branches and leaves that come close to gutters and roofs.
    • Maintain interior and exterior water, drainage (including gutters and downspouts) and sewage systems.
    • Rinse common garbage and recycling bins as needed to reduce grime.
    • Consider hiring a safer pest control expert certified in Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Ecowise Certified, GreenPro Certified, or Green Shield Certified.

  • Open curtains and windows, and use ventilation fans when cooking and bathing.
  • Fans should be free of grease and reported to management if not operating effectively.
  • Separate furniture and appliances, including refrigerator, from walls.
  • Dry moisture from windows and walls after bathing.
  • Report drips or leaks for repair to property management.
  • Check the seal around the sink; ensure it’s sealed up and does not allow water to leak below the sin

  • Install door sweeps or other barriers.
  • Screen all vents and windows, and repair broken screens.
  • Seal all cracks, crevices and holes in walls and ceilings, and around electrical outlets, pipes and gas/utility connections.
  • Keep carports and garages free of clutter. Safely get rid of unwanted and leftover chemicals for free through San Mateo County’s Household Hazardous Waste Program.
  • Thin out dense trees and overgrown plants. Trim branches and leaves that come close to gutters and roofs.
  • Maintain interior and exterior water, drainage (including gutters and downspouts) and sewage systems.
  • Rinse common garbage and recycling bins as needed to reduce grime.
  • Consider hiring a safer pest control expert certified in Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Ecowise Certified, GreenPro Certified, or Green Shield Certifie