Who is Responsible for Termites in Your Home?

The soundness and integrity of your home can be compromised by an act of neglect or ignorance. Regardless of which part of the home ownership journey we are at; we can be potential victims of living in a home with termite activity.

How is termite infestation and damages impacting homes and users?

If you are purchasing a resale home

• Failure to disclose existing infestation and damage – The seller might fail to disclose details of the home condition or any prior infestation, due to non-awareness, ignorance or integrity. You may validate with detailed reporting on termite activity in your home.
• Negligent treatment of infestation – In some cases, treatment may not be priority or treatments are done with compromised efficacy, resulting in passing on some of these infestation consequences to the owner upon settling in.
• Unawareness of the termite infestation – Most of the time, the seller may not even be aware of the infestation that is happening in his/her property. Termites are 1 pest that is less obvious and visible to identity and in some cases, they might be mistaken them for ants which are trivial matter compared to termite infestation.

Your Responsibility as a Resale Owner

It is with the above scenarios on why inspecting a home prior to purchase is crucial as factors including the age of the property, the volume of wood materials used, and the moisture level in the area can all play a role in termite infestation.

By adopting proper checks, it can potentially save you from these troublesome cases and avoid issues that go alongside them.

As a homeowner, what you should take note is that homes in Singapore that have undergone pre-construction termite treatment, may likely last for 10 years. However, that alone may not be enough and you should consider taking additional protection.

Here are some other proactive steps you can do

You may check with the previous owner on the last termite treatment date conducted for the home.  In addition, you should find out what methods of treatment were used. (Credible and trustworthy termite protection comes with minimum 5 to 7 years of warranty for a landed property)

Have a pest control specialist to inspect the property for termites prior to moving in. Read here to read more on termite treatments 

If you are renting out a home

Landlords should consider the health and safety of the tenants. This is because of the potential risks termites can cause. This includes eating into the structures of home and render it inhabitable until the damage is repaired.

It is a tenant's best interest to ensure that the place is livable. Particularly if you’re staying with kids or elderly, you should take the initiative to ensure the safety of your household.

Adopting a comprehensive termite protection programme

A comprehensive termite inspection is the best protection anyone can have against termites as the first step. By providing early detection of termite activity, you can save yourself from serious issues including:

• Damages to the home
• Health and safety risks
• Repair and replacement hassles
• Renovation costs
• Potential conflicts & negotiation complications
• Possible decline of rental or resale value

Schedule a professional termite inspection with Rentokil Pest Control Singapore, call us at (65) 6347 8138