How can I tell if an apartment has bugs, mice or mold before I rent it?

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Look where problems hide: under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, inside cabinets, behind the fridge if you can see it, along baseboards and around windows. Droppings, dead insects, gnaw marks, dark spotting, peeling paint and a musty smell are warning signs. Ask the landlord directly about past pest treatments and water leaks. Fresh paint and a deep clean can hide a lot, so check what cleaning does not reach. Mice or rats: small dark droppings in cabinets or drawers, chewed food packaging left behind, and gaps around pipes. Cockroaches: droppings that look like pepper or coffee grounds in cabinet corners and hinges, and egg casings under sinks. Bedbugs: in a furnished place, check mattress seams and bed frames for small rust-colored stains or shed skins. Mold and leaks: dark spots in bathroom corners and window frames, water stains on ceilings, warped floors, and a damp smell in closets. Ask whether the building has a regular pest-control service and when the unit was last treated. Some cities and states require landlords to disclose recent bedbug history, but many do not, so ask either way. You can also search the address together with the word bedbugs, or look at reviews for the building. If you find a problem you still want to live with, get the landlord's promise to fix it in writing before you sign, and photograph it so you are not blamed later.

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