How to Check an Apartment for Roaches & Pests Before You Rent (DFW 2026)

Check the record before you sign

Pest problems leave a trail you can find from your couch:

• ✓City code-violation records: Dallas, Plano, Fort Worth and Arlington publish code enforcement data online (e.g. Dallas Open Data, dallasopendata.com). Health/pest violations show up there - public and free.
• ✓Recent reviews: look specifically for the words "roach," "bedbug," "infestation," and how management responded. One old review is noise; a cluster of recent ones is a pattern.
• ✓Our red-flags check surfaces verified code violations and complexes where 5+ renters reported pests in the last 6 months - each with its source.

Your rights in Texas if you find pests after

Texas Property Code Sec. 92.052 requires a landlord to repair conditions that materially affect health and safety - infestations qualify when not caused by the tenant. Some leases try to block you from hiring your own pest control; document everything in writing and know that a lease cannot waive the statutory repair duty (Sec. 92.006).

On the tour, trust your senses

Ask to see the actual unit, not a model. Check under sinks, behind the fridge, and along baseboards for droppings or glue traps. A musty smell, fresh paint over patched holes, or a leasing agent who will not let you see the specific unit are all signals.