Homeowners stung with a six-figure bill as pests make a costly meal out of their property!

Buying a home is often the culmination of years of saving and dreaming, especially for those who have reached a stage in life where they are looking to settle into their forever homes.

However, in a sobering revelation for homeowners, a costly oversight has emerged, leaving some individuals grappling with unexpected financial burdens.

This alarming development serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant maintenance and proactive measures to safeguard properties against potential threats.


Ben and his wife thought they had found their dream home in June 2023—a multi-million dollar property on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland that seemed perfect for their needs.

However, their joy quickly turned to dismay when, just days after moving in, they discovered that a part of it ‘was at risk of collapsing’ due to extensive termite damage that had been overlooked in a pre-purchase building pest report.

This oversight has led to a financial nightmare, with repairs costing the couple nearly $100,000—and counting.


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A couple was burdened with nearly $100,000 in repair costs due to extensive termite damage in their newly bought home. Credits: Shutterstock


The couple had done what many of us would consider ‘the right thing’: they hired a well-known company to conduct a thorough pest inspection.

‘We took time off work to attend the inspection with them. We walked around, and they raised no issues at all around termites,’ Ben said.

‘They sent us the report afterwards which said nothing about termites—that everything was ok. We relied on that to go and finish the purchase of the house.’


The discovery of the termite damage came as a shock to the couple.

‘We went through every panel in the garage, and found that it was so extensive that it was in every single panel,’ Ben recalled.

‘They had to stop working and leave the site as a safety precaution. That's how serious it was. It was everywhere.’

Termites are a well-known hazard in Australia, causing over $1.5 billion in damage to homes annually, according to a study by the University of Technology Sydney.

While the couple was fortunate that the damage was isolated to the garage, which was detached from the main house, the financial and emotional toll has been significant.

‘Most of that cost was in demolishing and rebuilding parts of the garage. We had to replace everything except the roof and some of the roof truss,’ Ben explained.

‘We had to replace the walls, the plaster, all the framing, everything had to be replaced and we even had to drill into the garage floor to put beams up to stop the roof falling down.’


Initially, the pest inspection company seemed cooperative, reinspecting the property and saying they’d ‘put it through as an insurance claim’.

However, the situation quickly deteriorated, with the company having ‘never admitted liability’, and communication breaking down.

‘They've pretty much refused to talk with us and left us in the hands of their insurers, who have done everything they can to avoid the claim,’ Ben claimed.

‘We're now having to go to court to recover our cost, which is obviously super stressful for the family.’

The company, in their defence, stated that a ‘large amount of stored goods in the garage’ caused ‘limitations’ on their inspection capabilities, making them unable to do an ‘internal cavity inspection’—a point they claimed to have been communicated to the couple.

Ben, however, disputed this, saying no such limitations or risks were mentioned during the inspection.


‘No termite activity was detected in the areas we were able to inspect,’ the company stated.

‘However, we noted to [Ben] the risk of termite activity was high, and made several recommendations in person on the day of inspection,’—a point also claimed by Ben to be untrue.

‘Our inspectors undertake their work with great consideration and skill, and while it’s unfortunate that termite activity has occurred on the property, we are confident we have acted in line with our contractual obligations and limitations,’ the company added.

Ben expressed that the circumstances have inflicted considerable stress on his family, and expressed his desire that no other family undergoes a similar ordeal.

‘I think the hardest part for us is that we trusted the pest inspection company to warn us if there was going to be anything seriously wrong, and they missed something that was so serious,’ Ben said.

‘The stress it's caused us to get it corrected, and the worry that we've then had about it extending to the rest of the house has been really significant. But, I think above that, is that once we realised that they'd missed something, we expected that they'd do the right thing and fix the damage.’


After already paying nearly $100,000, the couple described it as a 'hard decision' to pursue legal action against the company due to the expenses involved.

However, Ben said, ‘In the end, I think we decided on it based on doing what we think is fair, and we just think it's fundamentally unfair that you can make a mistake and not fix it.’

‘We so genuinely feel that we've done nothing wrong and have been taken advantage of.’

‘The main thing is that just be so careful with who you engage to do these reports. It can be so expensive if you get it wrong,’ he added.


As this incident highlighted, it is important to detect these kinds of problems to address them immediately.

Be it a simple ‘mysterious trail’ in the cupboard, or an unusual pile of dirt in the bathroom, these signs often lead to bigger problems in homes, so proactive measures are really essential.
Key Takeaways

  • An Australian couple discovered extensive termite damage in their new multi-million dollar Sunshine Coast home shortly after purchase.
  • Despite having a pest inspection conducted by a reputable company, the damage was missed, leading to nearly $100,000 in repair costs.
  • The pest inspection company denied liability for the oversight, and the couple are now considering legal action to recover their costs.
  • The ordeal caused significant stress for the family, highlighting the importance of thorough property inspections, and the potential consequences of missed pest damage.
What are your thoughts on the couple’s situation? Do you think the pest control company should be liable? Let’s hear your insights and discuss them in the comments below.
 
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Pest inspections are the biggest rort. We had a pre-purchase pest inspection done and the report was clear. Upon moving in we found termite activity in the front room of the house. The company's response - the door to that room was closed. Not locked, just shut. Gobsmacked. Whilst it didn't cost us as much to rectify as the people in the story, it did take a long time and was a major disruption.

And to those scoffing at a multi million dollar house, there are quite a few around and there are quite a few people can afford to buy them.
Just most of us plebs can't.
 
Having over the last 30 years purchased 23 properties we have found pest inspections are always a problem.
Their contracts are full of loopholes, they basically have their backsides covered for every conceivable thing.
Excuses, excuses, excuses.
I wish you luck with your court case I would love to know the result. About time for them to have to face the music for not doing their job.
They are much the same as furniture removal companies.
They accept no responsibility for damage and you are expected to insure your furniture yourself, costing thousands of dollars, during the removal. Surely this is their responsibility??
My son lost everything in an interstate move when the truck caught on fire, they said he must have packed something flammable, which he hadn't.
Another company dropped and smashed 5 leadlight doors on a very expensive wall unit of mine. Refused to pay for it, said I should have had removal insurance. Surely this is their responsibility, most businesses carry insurance for damages???
 
Yes, the Company are at fault, so are the people who they bought the house from. They obviously didn't have the house inspected before selling, which I thought was compulsory.
 
Yes, the Company are at fault, so are the people who they bought the house from. They obviously didn't have the house inspected before selling, which I thought was compulsory.
No it's not. The responsibility for pest inspection is on the purchaser and at the purchasers cost.
However any damage found must'be fixed by the seller at their expense. If they are not prepared to do this you can pull out of the contract.
At least this is so in WA and SA.
I don't personally know about other states, but I would assume it is the same.
 
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Having over the last 30 years purchased 23 properties we have found pest inspections are always a problem.
Their contracts are full of loopholes, they basically have their backsides covered for every conceivable thing.
Excuses, excuses, excuses.
I wish you luck with your court case I would love to know the result. About time for them to have to face the music for not doing their job.
They are much the same as furniture removal companies.
They accept no responsibility for damage and you are expected to insure your furniture yourself, costing thousands of dollars, during the removal. Surely this is their responsibility??
My son lost everything in an interstate move when the truck caught on fire, they said he must have packed something flammable, which he hadn't.
Another company dropped and smashed 5 leadlight doors on a very expensive wall unit of mine. Refused to pay for it, said I should have had removal insurance. Surely this is their responsibility, most businesses carry insurance for damages???
I know about hiring a van to move yourself. The last move I made we hired a van to bring my stuff from Lismore to Grafton, which my friend drove. The van did not have any dents or other damage either when we collected it nor when it was taken back but the company accused us of damaging the van. Because they had my friends credit card they charged him for the "so-called" damage. If there is ever a next time I will take photos of the van before and after the move to prove we do not damage vehicles belonging to someone else!
 
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we had almost the same sort of situation not Millon dollar place but we were going to buy a property.in the Gold Coast and it had been done up to the max and it was nice inside and according to the owner it had. had a pest inspection before they did it up. well I'm so glad we got the pest inspection because i had put into the contract subject to pest inspection. they got up a in the celling and there was so much termite damage and they said don't worry we can have it fixed in a day and i thought no way i was going to trust that. the house would have fallen down around us.
 
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As I understand it, in Queensland it's not legal for a pest inspector, or building inspector, to move any property of the seller of a property. Nor can they open doors to access areas behind them.

If they haven't been given access to any area inspectors should report it, in writing, to the buyer advising of the potential risks.

However, lack of adequate legislation to support buyers makes resolving issues a costly legal minefield.
 

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