Pest Inspection Before You Sign a Dhaka Lease — the 20-Minute Checklist
Almost every pre-lease flat viewing in Dhaka happens quickly — 15-30 minutes, natural light emphasis, focus on room layout, closet space, and view. The pest inspection is skipped almost universally. Then two weeks after move-in, a cockroach in the kitchen, a mosquito breeding site behind the AC condenser, or evidence of a previous rodent tenant emerges — and the deposit is already in the landlord’s account. This is a working 20-minute pre-lease inspection specifically for Dhaka pest risks, plus the two clauses that protect you if problems appear after move-in.
The 12 places to look
Kitchen (5-7 minutes)
1. Under the sink. Torch on. Look at the wall-and-floor junction, around the drain pipe entry, and the underside of the sink itself.
- Signs of German cockroach: small black droppings (like fine pepper), egg cases (small brown capsules), skin sheddings.
- Signs of water damage: swollen wood, dark staining, mould — water damage attracts pests, and unresolved water damage is a chronic problem.
- Missing or damaged drain pipe collar (the ring where the pipe enters the wall) — an active entry point.
2. Behind the refrigerator space. If the fridge is not there, look at the wall behind where it goes.
- Grease-and-dust accumulation is normal; roach droppings mixed in is a warning.
- Scorch marks or discoloration on the wall = electrical issue that needs the landlord to address.
3. Kitchen cabinets, especially corners and the underside of shelves.
- Small brown or black specks along the underside of shelves = pest evidence.
- Rice, lentil, or other food residue in corners = the previous tenant did not clean thoroughly and pests may still be feeding.
4. Around the chimney vent exit.
- The vent duct hole in the external wall should be sealed (mesh, silicone, or purpose-fit collar). Open gaps are entry points.
5. Kitchen floor drain.
- The drain grating should be intact, ideally with a fine mesh over it. Missing grating means direct sewer access for cockroaches.
Bathrooms (3-4 minutes each)
6. Under-sink area. Same inspection as kitchen sink.
7. Around the toilet base and behind the tank.
- Silicone seal at the base — cracked or missing seal = water leak underneath = potential mould and pest attractor.
8. Bathroom floor drain. Grating condition, evidence of insect activity nearby.
9. Silicone seals around the shower area — cracked seals let water into wall cavities.
Bedrooms (2-3 minutes each)
10. Corners and skirting boards. Look for:
- Cobwebs (older cobwebs = long-term vacancy = fewer pests currently active but possibly a signal about the building).
- Dark spots along baseboards suggesting bug activity.
- Wood damage — termites are relatively uncommon in modern concrete apartments but not unheard of in flats with wooden fixtures.
11. Wardrobes and built-in cabinets.
- Interior corners — silverfish, book lice, occasional cockroach evidence.
- Water stains inside the back of the wardrobe = wall dampness = future problems.
Living areas and balcony (2-3 minutes)
12. Balcony corners, drainage points, and any built-in planters.
- Standing water = mosquito breeding.
- Bird nests or droppings = pigeon activity that will continue after move-in unless netting is installed.
- AC drain hose exit — should discharge to the outside, ideally with a non-return valve.
Deal-breakers vs fixable
Deal-breakers (walk away)
Active bed-bug evidence. Small dark specks along the seams of any built-in mattress base, folded curtains, or upholstered furniture. Bed-bug remediation is difficult, expensive, and often incomplete. Do not accept “we will clean before you move in” — professional bed-bug treatment takes multiple visits over weeks.
Extensive water damage. Ceiling stains larger than a hand, sagging or bubbling paint, or persistent damp smell in any room. Water damage attracts pests, ruins electrical, and is expensive to fix properly.
Rodent activity. Chewed wood or wiring, rat droppings (much larger than cockroach droppings), holes in walls or cabinet backs. Rodents in a modern Dhaka apartment building suggest either a building-wide problem or serious structural gaps in this flat.
Termite damage in wooden fixtures or door frames. Tap the wood; hollow-sounding wood with visible small holes is termite work.
Fixable (negotiate as pre-move-in conditions)
Cockroach activity limited to under the sink or one specific area. Standard treatment (drain covers, boric acid, gel bait) resolves in 4-8 weeks. Ask landlord to arrange one professional treatment before move-in.
Missing drain covers or damaged pipe seals. Landlord should fix; ৳500-2,000 total cost for typical repairs.
Bathroom silicone reseal. ৳1,500-3,500 for a full re-caulk of bathrooms; landlord’s cost.
Balcony mosquito breeding points. Landlord should clear standing water sources and install mesh over open drainage points.
Small paint touch-up over insect trails. Cosmetic; the underlying cause needs to be addressed first, but if the treatment is done, paint follows.
The 20-minute walkthrough as a viewing habit
You do not need to explain what you are doing. A viewer with a torch who opens cabinets, looks under sinks, and glances at drain grates reads as “thorough” rather than “suspicious” to most landlords. If a landlord objects to a careful viewing, that is a data point.
Bring:
- Torch (phone torch is enough).
- Notepad or phone notes app for observations.
- Willingness to open cabinets and closets.
The two lease clauses to add
Even after a clean inspection, add these two clauses:
1. Pest-condition warranty at handover. The landlord warrants that the flat is free of active pest infestation at the point of handover. If any pest infestation is identified within 30 days of move-in, the landlord bears the cost of one professional treatment.
2. Prior-treatment disclosure. The landlord will disclose in writing any pest treatments the flat has received in the past 24 months. This surfaces the “we already treated for bed-bugs three months ago” situation that changes your risk assessment materially.
Neither clause is unusual; most landlords will agree because they cover the landlord’s own reputation. Landlords who resist strongly may be trying to hide a known problem.
The building-level questions
Ask the building manager or a current tenant:
- Has the building had any building-wide pest treatments in the last 24 months? What for?
- When was the roof water tank last cleaned? (Poor tank hygiene attracts pests.)
- Are there any restaurants, food shops, or commercial kitchens in the building? These massively raise the ambient pest load.
- Is there a rodent problem? Building-level rodents are much harder to solve than single-flat cockroach issues.
If a landlord or manager cannot answer these, or if the answers reveal significant issues, price it into your rent negotiation.
The seasonal adjustment
Time of year matters for pest inspection:
- December-February (cool, dry): pest activity is at its annual low. A cockroach-heavy flat in January is a serious infestation, not a normal seasonal presence.
- March-May (heating up): activity rising; inspection findings reflect real conditions.
- June-September (monsoon): peak activity. Any flat looks worse in July than in January; adjust expectations, but rodent and cockroach evidence still matters.
- October-November (post-monsoon): transitional; conditions stabilising.
The one habit that changes outcomes
Do a second inspection at a different time of day than the first. A morning viewing shows one picture; an evening viewing (when cockroaches are more active, when neighbouring cooking smells reach the flat, when the elevator load reveals building density) shows another. Two viewings of a flat you are seriously considering catches most of what a single viewing misses — and takes 20 additional minutes, which is trivial next to a year on a lease.