The short answer
The best time to find a pest or damp problem is before you unpack. 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.