How can I report my service address as vacant?

If a property you own is vacant, please contact customer service to request a stop or reduction in collection service, unless the unit will be reoccupied within 60 days. The Customer Service Representative will ask that you provide a copy of your two most recent PG&E and water bill via US Mail or by emailing copies to Customerservice@recologysf.com. If the utility bills show little to no usage, Recology will document the address as vacant in our database. Verification of vacancy will be performed periodically.

For apartment customers (buildings with six units of more), the property owner is responsible for all unit charges regardless of whether all units in the building are occupied. For residential multi-family customers (five units or less), the property owner is responsible for all unit charges unless verification of vacancy can be evidenced through the two most recent PG&E and water bills

If the number of units in your building has changed, please contact the San Francisco Planning Department, San Francisco Building Department and City & County of San Francisco’s Assessor-Recorder to have your property records updated. Once the records have been updated and evidence of the change has been provided, your account will be updated and a credit for the unit charge will be provided from the date the property records were changed.

All occupied San Francisco commercial and residential dwellings are required to subscribe to refuse collection services. If you have not notified Recology of vacancy, failure to pay for licensed refuse collection service shall result in a lien placed against the property by the San Francisco Department of Public Health, with the property owner responsible for all costs. To avoid any fees, please contact us.

For more information, regarding the San Francisco Mandatory Refuse Ordinance please visit the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Please note: Single-family home customers are allowed to place their account on vacation hold once a year for up to three months. Customers must notify Recology of the suspension and restart dates before start of suspension. Base (unit) charges are not credited and an administrative fee of $10 is charged to restart service after suspension.