Few things make a home feel less like home than pests. Roaches scattering when you turn on the kitchen light. Bites you wake up with. Scratching in the walls at night. Beyond the stress, pests carry real health risks. Cockroach droppings and debris are a known asthma trigger, especially for children, and rodents can spread disease.

HUD's NSPIRE inspection standards treat pests as a real problem, not a housekeeping complaint. Signs of roaches, bedbugs, mice, or rats fail an inspection, and your landlord is responsible for treating them. But pest control is one area where tenants play a big part in whether treatment works. This post covers both sides.

How NSPIRE scores pests

Moderate · 30 days
Signs of pests
Evidence of cockroaches, bedbugs, mice, or rats, such as live insects, droppings, gnaw marks, or shed skins.
Severe · 30 days
Heavy infestation
An extensive cockroach or bedbug infestation, or a major rat problem on the property.

Both levels fail inspection. Both carry a 30-day deadline once an inspection documents the problem. And because pests travel between units, especially in apartment buildings, getting treatment started early matters for you and your neighbors.

Know the signs

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Cockroaches
Look for
Live roaches, especially at night. Droppings that look like black pepper or coffee grounds. Egg cases. A musty smell in cabinets.
Where
Under sinks, behind the fridge and stove, inside cabinets and drawers, near drains.
🛏️
Bedbugs
Look for
Small, flat, reddish-brown bugs. Tiny dark spots on sheets or mattress seams. Itchy bites, often in lines or clusters.
Where
Mattress seams, box springs, bed frames, headboards, couch cushions, and cracks near the bed.
🐭
Mice
Look for
Small droppings shaped like grains of rice. Chewed food packaging. Nesting material like shredded paper. Scratching at night.
Where
Kitchen cabinets, pantries, under appliances, along walls, behind furniture.
🐀
Rats
Look for
Larger droppings, about half an inch. Gnaw marks on wood or wires. Burrows outside. Grease marks along walls.
Where
Around trash areas, foundations, basements, crawl spaces, and gaps under doors.
A note on health The CDC and EPA note that cockroach allergens can trigger asthma attacks, and rodents can carry diseases through droppings and urine. Bedbugs aren't known to spread disease, but their bites can cause itching, skin infections from scratching, and real stress and lost sleep. If someone in your home has asthma, mention it in your report. It adds urgency.

Who does what

Your landlord is responsible for treating infestations. But treatment only works when everyone does their part, and under voucher program rules, families are responsible for problems they cause. Here's how the work usually splits.

Your landlord's job
  • Hire licensed pest control and pay for treatment
  • Seal gaps, holes, and entry points
  • Fix leaks that give pests water
  • Treat neighboring units if pests are spreading
  • Follow up until the problem is gone
Your part
  • Report pests early, in writing
  • Follow the prep instructions before treatment
  • Give access on treatment days
  • Keep food sealed and trash taken out
  • Don't bring in used furniture without checking it
Prep instructions matter For bedbugs and heavy roach problems, pest control companies often give a prep list, like bagging clothes, clearing out closets, or moving furniture away from walls. Skipping prep is one of the main reasons treatments fail and have to be repeated. If you can't do the prep yourself because of a disability, age, or health, tell your landlord in writing and ask for help. Many will arrange it.

Mistakes that make pest problems worse

💨
Using bug bombs or foggers for bedbugs
The EPA warns that foggers don't work on bedbugs, which hide in cracks and fabric. They can also push bugs into other rooms and neighboring units, and they can be a fire hazard.
🧪
Using outdoor or farm pesticides indoors
Products made for outdoor use can be dangerous inside a home, especially around children and pets. Only use products labeled for indoor use, and follow the label exactly.
🛋️
Moving infested furniture without wrapping it
Dragging an infested mattress or couch through the building spreads bedbugs. If something has to go, ask your landlord how to wrap and label it first.
🤫
Waiting and trying to handle it alone
Pests multiply fast. A few roaches or a handful of bedbugs can become a heavy infestation in weeks. Report it the day you notice, since early treatment is faster and easier.

What to do if you have pests

1
Document what you see
Take dated photos or video of live pests, droppings, damage, or bites. For bedbugs, you can catch one with clear tape and stick it to paper, or seal one in a plastic bag. A sample helps pest control confirm what it is.
2
Report it in writing, right away
Send your landlord a text, email, or message saying what pest you're seeing, where, how often, and when it started. Mention if anyone in your home has asthma or other health concerns.
3
Cooperate with treatment
Follow prep instructions, give access on treatment days, and keep records of each visit. If pests are still there after treatment, report that in writing too.
4
Call your Housing Authority if nothing happens
If your landlord doesn't respond or treatment never happens, contact your PHA and ask for an inspection. Once an inspector documents the problem, the 30-day deadline applies.
5
Don't withhold rent
Stopping rent on your own can lead to an eviction filing, and rules vary by state. Your PHA is the stronger tool. It can stop its payments to the landlord once an inspection confirms the problem and the deadline passes. Talk to legal aid before withholding anything.
📋 Copy, fill in, and send
Hi [Landlord name],

I'm reporting a pest problem at [address, unit #]. I'm seeing [roaches / bedbugs / mice / rats] in [where, for example: "the kitchen cabinets and under the sink"]. I first noticed them on [date], and I'm seeing them [daily / several times a week]. I've attached photos.

Under HUD's NSPIRE standards, this is a condition that needs to be treated. Please let me know when pest control can come out, and send me any prep instructions so I can get ready. [Optional: "Someone in our home has asthma, so this is urgent for us."]

Thank you,
[Your name] · [Phone]
The bottom line Signs of roaches, bedbugs, mice, or rats fail a Section 8 inspection, and heavy infestations are Severe. Your landlord must treat them. Report early, document what you see, follow prep instructions, skip the bug bombs, and bring in your Housing Authority if treatment doesn't happen.
📞
Need help?
If someone has a serious asthma attack or trouble breathing, call 911. If a child swallows a pesticide or bait, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. For problems with your unit, contact your Public Housing Authority. For local assistance, call 211.
Source: Pest deficiency classifications and the 30-day correction timeframe are drawn from the HUD NSPIRE HCV/PBV Inspection Checklist (OMB No. 2577-0289), available at hud.gov, and HUD's NSPIRE standards at hud.gov/reac/nspire. Guidance on foggers and bedbug treatment is from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Health information is from the EPA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exact classifications depend on the extent of the problem. Family responsibility for household-caused conditions is set out in 24 CFR Part 982. This article is general information, not medical or legal advice.

Keep a record of every report and every treatment

Perfect Tenant Innovation gives renters one place to store dated photos, send maintenance requests in writing, and keep a timestamped record of every report, treatment visit, and follow-up. With pests, that record shows whether the problem is really getting fixed. PTI also reports your on-time rent to all three credit bureaus and lets you earn toward rent. It's free for tenants.

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