Pre-lease or move-in inspection
Done before you sign or bring furniture in. It documents conditions and can show signs of bed bugs, roaches or mice in an empty or lightly furnished flat. It cannot prove a flat is free of pests forever.
Serving New York County
Apartment Pest Inspection in New York
A room-by-room check for bed bugs, roaches and rodents with a written report, before a lease or after a worry.
- Phones answered 24/7
- Whole building or a single apartment
- You approve the price first
- Written report for your landlord or board
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (855) 974-4733. Or send this and we call you back.
Inspection
Apartment Pest Inspection: what it covers
Quick answer
An apartment pest inspection is a room-by-room check for bed bugs, cockroaches, mice and other pests, ending in a written report of what was found and where. Renters, buyers and owners use it before a move or to document conditions. New York Pest Control schedules inspections across New York County and nearby boroughs, with the price approved first.
Moving into a New York apartment means moving into a building's history, and pests are part of it. Neighbouring units share walls, pipes and ceilings, so the condition of the flat you are looking at depends partly on the ones around it. An inspection will not tell you everything, but it can tell you what is visible today and put it in writing.
People also call for an inspection when something feels wrong: a bite pattern, a roach by the sink, a sound in the wall. The inspection sorts what is there from what is not, and suggests next steps such as bed bug treatment or mouse control, only if the evidence supports them.
- Service area
- New York & New York County
- Availability
- Phones answered 24/7
- Phone
- (855) 974-4733
Can a renter ask about a building's bed bug history?
Yes. Under New York's rules, owners of multiple dwellings must give tenants a written notice of the building's bed-bug infestation history each year. The notice states the number of units, the infestations reported in the last year and the apartments where the owner took steps to eradicate them. Tenants signing a vacancy lease must also receive it.
Owners must also file an annual Bedbug Annual Report with the city's housing department, HPD. The filing window is December 1 to December 31, and it covers the previous year from November 1 through October 31. Only non-corporate owners may file on paper.
Ask for the notice before you sign. If you do not receive it, or it looks incomplete, ask the owner or managing agent in writing. Our guide to the NYC bed bug disclosure law explains the notice and report in more detail.
What does an apartment inspection find, and what can it miss?
An inspection finds visible evidence on the day: live pests, eggs, shed skins, droppings, gnawing and the gaps pests use. It can miss a small or hidden infestation, or pests living in a neighbour's wall that have not reached the flat yet. A clean report is a snapshot, not a guarantee.
Bed bugs hide in tight seams and move between units along pipes and walls, so the technician checks the places people sleep and sit first. Roaches and mice leave different traces, and an empty flat can look clean while a nearby one is active.
That is why monitors and follow-ups matter. A second visit a week or two later can show evidence that the first did not.
Take clutter into account too. A flat with piles of boxes has more places for pests to hide and more to move during an inspection, so the technician may suggest a lighter-touch first visit followed by a closer one once surfaces are clear.
Who pays for an apartment inspection in New York?
It depends on who asks for it. A renter or buyer who wants a pre-move check usually pays. An owner or managing agent who orders an inspection for their building pays for that. Price is explained and approved before the visit starts, and varies with the size of the unit and the pests being checked.
If you are a renter with an active problem, the owner is generally responsible for keeping the building free of pests. Report the problem in writing and call 311 if it is not fixed. A technician's written findings may help support your request.
What the visit costs depends on the number of rooms, whether monitors are placed and how many pests are checked. A building-wide report is priced separately from a single unit.
If the building owner commissions the inspection, ask for a copy of the report for your unit. It belongs in your own file, next to the lease and any HPD notices you have received.
How should I prepare for an apartment inspection?
Keep the home as it is so evidence is not disturbed, but clear access to beds, closets, kitchen cabinets and under sinks. Do not spray insecticide or wash bedding just before the visit, since it can remove or hide signs. Tell the technician what you have noticed and when.
If you have taken photos of anything you found, bring them. A bug in a sealed bag or clear tape can be identified quickly.
- Leave suspected bedding and furniture where they are until the technician looks
- Clear space around beds, sofas, baseboards and under sinks
- Write down where and when you saw bites, bugs or droppings
- Gather any lease notices, building letters and earlier treatment reports
- Keep pets safe and out of the way during the visit
Warning signs
Signs you need apartment pest inspection
Do not bring a suspect mattress or couch into another room, and do not spray store-bought bug killer across bedding. It can scatter bugs and make inspection harder. Call and describe what you see first.
- Itchy marks that appear overnight, especially in a line or cluster
- Rusty or dark spots on mattress seams, sheets or the headboard
- Roaches seen at night around the sink, stove or bathroom
- Droppings along the back of a cabinet, behind the fridge or under the sink
- A neighbour mentioning pests, or treatment notices in the building
- A used mattress, couch or secondhand furniture brought into the home
- A new lease or purchase where you want conditions on record before moving in
- Gaps around pipes, outlets or baseboards that could let pests travel between units
Our process
How our apartment pest inspection visit works
Ask what you have seen
The technician starts with what prompted the visit: bites, sightings, odors, noises or a lease signing. Past treatments, neighbours' problems and recent furniture or travel are noted.
Check bedrooms and resting areas
Mattress seams, box springs, headboards, bed frames, nightstands, sofas and baseboards are examined with a flashlight for live bugs, eggs, shed skins and spotting.
Check kitchens, baths and walls
Under sinks, behind appliances, around pipes and inside cabinets are checked for roaches and rodent signs. The technician notes gaps around pipes and conduits that could let pests move between units.
Place monitors if needed
Where activity is suspected but not seen, interceptors or monitoring traps can be set to catch evidence over days. A follow-up visit reads them and updates the findings.
Written report
The report lists what was found, where, how much, and what is recommended. It reflects conditions on the day of the visit and is not a guarantee about the future.
Options
Types and options for apartment pest inspection
Problem inspection
Booked when you suspect something is wrong. The technician finds out what the pest is before suggesting treatment, and reports how far it appears to have spread.
Owner or building documentation
Owners and managing agents use inspections to record unit conditions, support their annual bed-bug reporting or answer a tenant complaint. A report that covers several units can help show the pattern across a building.
Need apartment pest inspection today?
Call any hour and explain what is going on. You get a clear price before any work starts.
New York County
Why apartment pest inspection is different in New York City
Jackson Heights was built around garden apartments from 1918, described as the first and largest in the United States, and its historic district was designated in 1993. Buildings arranged around shared courtyards can have many units on each stair, so an inspection in one flat is a useful sample but not the whole building.
On the Lower East Side, tenements built from the 1860s and 1870s carry decades of renovations, and 97 Orchard Street, built in 1863, was later given indoor plumbing, an air shaft, gas and electricity. Old buildings that have been renovated this way contain more hidden voids, which is where inspectors look when a pest keeps returning.
In Hoboken, five-storey brick tenements and two- and three-storey rowhouses stand along narrow streets at 47,202 people per square mile, and attached buildings share walls and cellars. The HPD notices described above apply to New York City buildings, and New Jersey work follows New Jersey rules, so a renter in Hoboken should ask the owner what applies there.
Seasonal timing matters a little. The reporting year for HPD's bed-bug report runs from November 1 to October 31, with filings due from December 1 to 31. A renter looking in autumn may find a building's notice freshly updated, and summer travel and moving can carry bed bugs between homes.
Related
Related services
Bed Bug Treatment
Bed bug inspection and treatment for New York apartments, with neighbouring units checked and a written report you can hand to your landlord.
German Cockroach Control
Integrated roach control for New York apartments, with gel baiting, sealing around pipes and a plan that looks at neighbouring units.
Landlord Pest Violation Response
Inspection, treatment and written reports for owners and managing agents who have received a pest complaint or HPD violation.
Where we work
Apartment Pest Inspection across New York County
- Inspection in Chinatown
- Inspection in Lower East Side
- Inspection in East Village
- Inspection in Upper West Side
- Inspection in Harlem
- Inspection in Williamsburg
- Inspection in Bushwick
- Inspection in Bedford-Stuyvesant
- Inspection in Park Slope
- Inspection in Sunset Park
- Inspection in Bay Ridge
- Inspection in Flatbush
- Inspection in Astoria
- Inspection in Long Island City
- Inspection in Jackson Heights
- Inspection in South Ozone Park
- Inspection in Mott Haven
- Inspection in Fordham
- Inspection in St. George
- Inspection in New Springville
- Inspection in Jersey City (Downtown)
- Inspection in Hoboken
- Inspection in Bayonne
- Inspection in Newark (Ironbound)
- Inspection in Kearny
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
NYC Bed Bug Disclosure Law Explained for Renters and Owners
Owners of New York City multiple dwellings must ask occupants about bed bugs each year and file a Bedbug Annual Report with HPD between December 1 and 31, covering November 1 through October 31.
Landlord or Tenant: Who Handles Pests in a New York City Building?
In New York City, the owner of a dwelling must take reasonable measures to keep the premises free of pests, and owners of multiple dwellings must keep them clean at all times.
Hiring a Pest Control Company in New York: What NYSDEC Licensing Covers
In New York, commercial pest control is regulated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
FAQ
Apartment Pest Inspection FAQs
Can an inspection prove my apartment has no bed bugs?
No. An inspection can show that no evidence was found on the day, which is useful, but small infestations can be hidden in seams and walls. Monitors and a repeat visit improve the picture. The report is a snapshot, not a guarantee.
Can I get a report to show my landlord?
Yes. Each visit ends with a written service report of what was found and where, which you can give to an owner, managing agent or board. It records conditions and recommendations, and it supports a written request for action.
Should I inspect before I sign a lease?
If you can arrange access, it is a good idea, especially in older walk-ups with shared walls. Ask the owner for the building's bed-bug history notice too. Inspection and notice answer different questions: one covers the unit, the other the building.
How long does an apartment inspection take?
It depends on the size of the home and what is found. A small studio takes less time than a multi-bedroom flat with heavy furniture. The technician tells you what to expect when the visit is booked.
Do you inspect for mice and roaches as well as bed bugs?
Yes, a general inspection looks for bed bugs, cockroaches and rodents together, since they leave different traces in different places. If you are worried about one pest, say so when you call and the technician will focus there.
What if the inspection finds something?
The technician explains what was found and offers options, with the price approved before any treatment starts. If it is a building issue, the report is a document to take to the owner or managing agent, who may need to arrange work in other units.