GUIDE
Moving Into a Hong Kong Flat? Do This 30-Minute Check Before You Unpack
Quick answer
The best time to find a pest or damp problem is before your boxes are in and before the previous tenant's deposit story becomes yours. Thirty minutes, four checks: ① bed bug evidence in the bedroom (seams, frames, headboard), ② cockroach evidence in the kitchen (droppings, egg cases, under-sink gaps), ③ damp and mould history (stains, smell, window seals), ④ entry points (floor drains, pipe collars, door gaps). Everything below fits on one screenshot — take it flat-hunting.
Why empty flats aren't clean flats
A vacant flat can still carry the last occupant's problems: cockroach egg cases behind cabinets, flea eggs in carpet if there was a pet, and bed bugs waiting in cracks — they survive vacancy and wake up when a warm body moves in. Hong Kong adds its own multiplier: humidity. For much of the year — and especially the spring damp season (回南天, roughly February to April) — moisture drives mould and booklice in any flat that's been closed up. Check our live humidity tracker to see what you're moving into.
The 30-minute checklist
- ① Bedroom — bed bugs (10 min): pull back any mattress cover and check seams and piping for live insects, shed skins, black spots; check bed-frame joints, screw holes and headboard back with a torch; furnished flats also need sofa seams and drawer runners checked; the same logic CHP recommends for travel applies here — don't put luggage on the bed until you've checked.
- ② Kitchen — cockroaches (8 min): under the sink for droppings (dark specks), egg cases (brown, capsule-shaped) and grease trails; behind or under appliances if accessible, and inside cabinet corners; check the floor drain has a cover and the U-trap isn't dry.
- ③ Damp & mould history (7 min): ceiling corners, window frames and wardrobe backs for stains, bubbling paint or a musty smell; a freshly painted patch can hide a leak — ask directly.
- ④ Entry points (5 min): floor drains without covers, gaps around pipes under sinks, door-bottom gaps — these are cheap fixes, worth requesting before signing.
What to ask the landlord or agent (copy-paste list)
- Any pest treatment in the past 12 months? For what, by whom?
- Any history of leaks or mould? What was done?
- Will entry-point gaps (drains, pipe collars) be sealed before handover?
- For furnished flats: when were mattress/sofa last replaced?
If you find something
Photograph it before you sign anything — evidence timestamped before move-in protects your deposit conversation later. If you're already committed, get it treated before your furniture arrives: empty-flat treatment is faster and cheaper. Averta's inspection is HK$350, fully credited when you book; published prices from HK$980.
Found something during your check? Photo it and WhatsApp us — same-day answer on whether it needs treatment
Frequently asked questions
The flat was just renovated — surely it's fine?
Renovation can actually spread pests: material deliveries and cardboard are a classic way cockroaches arrive, and construction disturbs whatever was already living in the walls or under old fittings — including bed bugs left by previous occupants. A fresh coat of paint is also the classic way to hide damp history — check corners and smell anyway.
Serviced apartment — do I still need to check?
Yes, the bedroom check especially. High tenant turnover is the classic bed-bug risk profile, and you'll rarely be told about previous incidents. Ten minutes on day one beats discovering bites in week two.
When's the best time of year to move in, pest-wise?
There's no bad month, but if you move during the spring damp (Feb–Apr), prioritise the damp checks and get a dehumidifier running from day one; move in autumn and the bed-bug check matters more (travel season). See our pest calendar.