1. Some agents conduct their own due diligence on the home and ask the vendor if there are any known present or previous termite damage to the home. They then get permission to mention this to all potential buyers. It may cost a sale early on - but if the buyer is keen and the price is right then the termite inspection report shouldn't spring too many surprises. Pre-warning a prospective buyer helps to prevent problems later on. This is a good approach. There are quite a few 'weekend renovators' who are interested in these types of homes because they are usually substantially cheaper than what they would be if they didn't have an unfavourable termite history.
   Some years ago we conducted pre-auction reports for a lady who only bought 'fixer-uppers'. She especially liked homes with serious termite problems because few other bidders would show an interest once word got out about the termites. She bought the homes in prime positions for a song and paid a top crew to gut and fix the house. Then she'd resell them for a handsome profit.
2. Some agents suggest to the buyer that they use a 'trusted' company which they recommend. This is very dangerous ground. Termite inspectors may be influenced to write their reports to suit the agent, or to 'word things softly', or maybe even overlook things. It happened a fair bit in the past but this unethical practice is just about wiped out now due to the potential litigation for all parties involved in the deception. Our advice: Never use a termite inspector recommended by the selling agent. If you are using a solicitor recommended by the agent, then never use the termite inspector recommended by the solicitor either. Be smart - pick your own.
3. As mentioned earlier, some agents are now keeping records of termite inspectors who are notorious for over zealous reports. Every house fails. Every house has some termite risk. Every house needs that inspector's company to come out and do expensive rectification work for termites if the buyer wants to proceed with the purchase. These pest control companies think that a report is a great excuse to sell an expensive termite treatment. We all know the story of the boy who cried 'Wolf'. We agree with the agents, and suggest you avoid these scare mongering companies.
4. If the home has known termite problems then the agent may advise the vendor to sell it 'as is'. In other words sell it at auction. If you are a serious bidder at an auction then get your own termite report before you bid. Don't rely on any third party termite reports. Don't just accept a verbal report on the termite problems of the building from the selling agent either. Find out for yourself. Use your own pest controller to establish the extent and nature of the damage and a builder to estimate the cost of repairs.
5. Some agents say to the vendor "Don't tell me if there is any termite damage. Say nothing, I don't want to know." This leaves them free to answer the question, "Are there any termite problems?" with "Not that I know of!" or "As far as I know, the house doesn't have any termite problems." It may be the truth but it is deceptive.

1. Advise the vendor to consult a termite inspector before any potential buyers are shown the house. Have the inspector list all the areas that will need attention and then do what it takes to remedy as many of the problems as possible.
2. Make sure the home has adequate termite protection in place. A fully monitored termite bait system should take care of this. It's simple, no fuss, easily installed and satisfies the need to provide an ongoing means of termite management.
3. If a full perimeter treated zone is installed (instead of a bait system) ensure that the pest control company provides a statement that the treated zone was refreshed as a precaution and not installed as part of a termite treatment. A termite treatment usually implies the existence of termites in the house whether it's true or not, and this may prove to be a serious dampener on the sale because the buyer (or the buyer's termite inspector) will errantly ASSUME that the home has had termites. Why do we make this assumption? Simply because very few people actually install a full perimeter treated zone for termite prevention around their home (at a cost of thousands of dollars) UNLESS they actually have termites.
4. Be present when the termite report is conducted and be alert to any problems discovered by the inspector. The report is in confidence to the purchaser so don't expect the termite inspector to elaborate on his findings. However you are entitled to watch him work and see what he sees and possibly become aware of any problems that he detects. Make a note of how long he takes to actually check the house excluding the time to fill in the report. It should be at least one hour and closer to 2 or more. Many pesties use the 'out clauses' in the report to take shortcuts and avoid taking the time to be thorough. They are only too well aware that the report is not worth the paper it is written on. Their insurance companies have cleverly worded the document to provide maximum protection to the insurance company first, the pestie second and. the buyer??? Well just have your lawyer read the fine print and he'll tell you what it's worth to a buyer.
5. If the termite inspector does detect genuine problems and the sale falls over for legitimate reasons then it's time to remedy the problems before the agent shows the home to the next buyer, or else bring the problems to the next buyer's attention right from the start.
6. If the sale falls over for the wrong reasons (e.g. a few termites found in the garden) then the agent might suggest to the buyer that it's the report that needs addressing rather than the home . It's not uncommon for people to get 4 or 5 bad reports from the same company on several home s before they wake up to the fact that the reports are all basically the same and the company they are using will automatically find fault with every home . Here's the logic. If the termite inspection company reports that every home is potentially high risk and every home should have a full termite treatment in accordance with the Australian Standards then they have got themselves covered. If you buy the house anyway and it has problems later on, they can simply point to the report and say "We told you so!" The fact is that if everyone actually followed the Australian Standards to the letter, we'd need thousands of pest controllers permanently employed to carry out this work for nearly every home in the country every 5 - 10 years. It would cost billions of dollars. Mission impossible.

1. Do your due diligence. Start by asking the agent and the vendor if they are aware of any termite history on the property. Ask the agent if there have been any previous contracts on the home that have fallen over due to a poor assessment on a termite inspection report. Look people in the eyes when you ask the question and ladies, use your intuition to assess the truth of the answer. It's a powerful tool.
2. Choose your own termite inspector. How? The following is reprinted from our April 2005 newsletter: We suggest you shop around for a good termite inspector.  Look for an owner operator with lots of experience who has a caring attitude.  It starts with the phone call.  Avoid the big companies, as staff rarely have the same care as an enthusiastic owner operator.  Seek a report that includes photos of any areas of interest. A full discussion about termite reports can be found in our March 2005 newsletter here:
   http://www.greenpest.com.au/newsletter_march2005.html
3. Ask both the home owner and the agent for a signed legal statement (statutory declaration) that they are unaware of any pre-existing termite damage to the home. They will probably say no, but you might learn a lot from their reaction. Vendors with nothing to hide who honestly don't know of any pre-existing termite problems will usually have no problem agreeing.
4. Be tough, remember if you buy a house only to find out later on that it has termite problems, then these very same problems have now become the monkey on your back. If you knowingly buy a home with pre-existing termite damage then you will face the same problem yourself in the future when you are ready to sell the home .
5. Look for a bargain. Some homes with termite damage are going for a song. If you can do the repairs in such a fashion that the home will pass a termite inspection in the future then you might be able to make some handsome profits. Ask your agent to show you homes that they know have termite problems, or homes where several contracts have fallen over due to the termite report. Make a very low offer if you think it'll be profitable to fix it up or if you plan to live in it yourself for many years and fixing it on the run doesn't faze you.
6. Talk to the neighbours or have your termite inspector talk to them. You'd be surprised how much they know about the termite problems next door, or in the area. They can often give you a complete history.
7. If the house is a rental then ask the tenants.
8. Check the meter box for termite treatment notices. Notices must be placed there by law by the pest controller and it is against the law to remove them.
9. Look for drill holes in the concrete around the perimeter of the house. They are usually spaced every 200mm, but pre-1996 they may have been as far apart as 1 metre.
10. If you like the home but your pest report is ambiguous or unsatisfactory - ask for specific clarification or even seek a second opinion, even if it means paying a bit more. If you walk away from the contract based on the original pest report alone you've still 'done your money' anyway.
11. If possible, attend the inspection with your pest inspector and ask him to advise you on his findings as he proceeds. Make sure you are clear in your understanding about what he's finding and whether he feels it presents a low or high risk. You may want to advise him you wish to be there during the inspection when you make the booking. If he objects to this - find another inspector.
12. Finally you can ask your inspector a simple question which should provide you with a good summary. It is, "Would you recommend this home to your best friend?" "If not, why not?" and "What is the major area of concern if any?"

In summary, there is certainly nothing unlawful about keeping track of the reasons why sales contracts fall over. If it reveals a trend showing that certain termite inspection companies are crying wolf on every home, then it's a good tool for the real estate agents to use to help a prospective buyer avoid engaging the wrong company for their pre-purchase report.

Due to conflicts of interest and legal liabilities, it's unwise for real estate agents to suggest using a specific pre-purchase termite inspection company, however it is probably a good idea to offer a purchaser a black-list of companies to avoid engaging, so long as it is backed up by hard evidence in a well managed database.

Is it legal? Plainly we are not lawyers, so we'd be very interested in any feedback from our readers as to the legality of this practice.

We hope this has been helpful to everyone interested in the housing market. Happy house hunting if your are buying and good luck if you are selling!

Note: Green Pest Control and Green Termite Bait Systems do not carry out pre-purchase reports. The above article is for comment and information only. The source of our information is confidential.

Hi Mike,

We are certain that many of the readers of this monthly newsletter can readily identify with your situation. At least two or three times a week we receive phone calls from people who are upset in similar ways about their termite treatment or the conflicting advice they are receiving from a range of 'professional' pest controllers. Our staff have often been gruffly greeted at the door with, "Hi, come on in. Firstly, I just want to say that I think all pest controllers are crooks! Okay, now that I've made my feelings clear, here's my problem.." The client then shows us the areas of concern followed with, "Now prove to me that you guys are different. What can you do to help?" It's not always easy. On occasion we have seen people who are so badly confused that when you give them what you consider to be your very best advice, they simply scoff at it.

It's also very frustrating from a professional's point of view, to know what is needed to solve the customers problem, do your best to give someone honest advice and steer them in the right direction, only to realize that they are aren't prepared to do what it takes to fix it.

It usually boils down to 3 reasons.

1. Not enough money
2. Or confusion from other conflicting advice.
3. Impatience. Wanting a quick fix when the best fix may require several weeks.

So, how do you choose a good pest controller?

1. Ask for testimonials.
2. Talk to your friends and see if any of them recommend a company that they are happy with.
3. Ask the technician that comes to the job how long he has been treating termites. Then ask to see his licence - check that he is endorsed for termites. (Not applicable in all states). Inexperienced technicians should be supervised or guided by a seasoned senior technician.
4. When you ring a company on the phone, are they helpful and friendly?
5. Do they sound knowledgeable?
6. Is the salesman/technician pushy or helpful?

Try to find at least three companies over the phone that sound good and genuine and invite them to give you a quote.

1. Quotes should be free.
2. Beware of companies that want to charge you hundreds of dollars to check you home first before they give you a quote. Their report is likely to be a terror report designed to frighten you into using their overpriced treatment method.
3. If you suspect that you have a significant termite problem then it is best if you get an independent company to do a thorough inspection on your home first. Get a written report that outlines the extent and level of termite activity in your home.
4. Show this report to all the pest companies that come to do your quotes for the elimination of the termites.
5. Don't ever settle on the first quote without seeking further information from other companies. People who panic are usually victims. They grab the first quote and pay top dollar for what is often a less than satisfactory job.
6. Expect conflicting opinions and a wide variance in price. Don't let it faze you. Pick the quote and the company your like the best and have them explain why their quote is superior to the other quotes. Does it make sense? Maybe you need to ask the other companies who quoted the same question. You'd be surprised how revealing their answers can be. It will certainly help to give you a more informed decision.

At Green Pest Control we are delighted when people have sourced other quotes before calling us. Why? Well, there is no way of saying this without sounding like a big headed smarty-pants - but other company's quotes usually make our approach and our prices look pretty darn good.

It's simply because we have two criteria that we consider when we quote:

1. What is the least that needs to be done to fix the problem.
2. And what is the best and cheapest way to achieve this.

Our staff are all on straight wages. No commissions. No incentives. They don't need to persuade you to choose us. They have one mission and that is to find the best solution to your problem then work out the cheapest way to achieve it.

Our senior termite technicians will usually offer a multi-solution along these lines:

• Part 1 - This is the very least you MUST do to solve the immediate problem.
• Part 2 - This is what you SHOULD do to prevent the problem from coming back.
• Part 3 - And this is what we RECOMMEND you do to reduce the risk of the problem occurring again in other areas of your house.

In ballpark figures this may equate to a quote that goes from $200 - $500 for part one, up to $1,000 for part 2, and $1,000+ for the complete job.

We try to explain in simple terms (face to face) what we do and why we need to do it. Our general solution (individual homes will always need a specific solution) to the majority of termite problems falls into a sensible set pattern:

1. Use the active termites that are already inside the house to transfer a non-repellent termiticide back to the nest with the reasonable hope of eliminating the nest.
2. Carry out a partial treatment on the area where it is suspected that the termites gained entry to the home .
3. Put in an effective bait system or a chemical treated zone to minimise the risk of termites regaining entry to the home in the future.

There are several variations on this depending on the species of termite, the extent of the activity, available access to the termites, the style of home, the general risk level of the home and the client's budget. When it comes to termites there is never one simple option. Never. So it's often the range of choices that leads to the confusion.

We find that the old expression "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," is applicable on some occasions. We've seen people make the absolute worst choices and can only shake our heads in dismay knowing that some other company has conned them into a procedure that is overpriced and unlikely to work. Whether the salesman/technician is working from ignorance or greed is a matter of conjecture. The eventual repercussion is that the customer not only wastes money and time, but when the smoke clears they still the same or worse termite problem than before they started.

It's no wonder that many people have become disillusioned with pest controllers and our industry. All industries have the same problem. What do you do for a living? Are there some who are hopeless and others who know their stuff? Whether it be doctors, lawyers, mechanics, electricians or simply a waiter who serves you - some know and practice their trade and profession soundly and others. well, the others make the best look fantastic!

We say it over and over again. When it comes to termites:

• Buyer beware.
• Shop around. Seek advice and filter it by checking it out on the web.
• Ask the opposition why their system is better than their competitor's method.
• Don't panic. Termites take months to do damage. If you spend a week or two shopping around it won't change the overall level of damage to your home , but don't take this advice the wrong way and wait too long either. Act straight away but decide slowly.

Okay Mike, you are still waiting for us to advise you personally on what to do next, so here's what we suggest:

1. Complete the internal Exterra treatment.
2. Get rid of the external Exterra system and have either a full perimeter treatment to the Australian Standards done using Termidor termiticide, OR a partial perimeter treatment to the known termite entry points using Termidor PLUS install a Green Termite Bait System. We suggest you contact Pro Pest Management Service in Adelaide for further advice. They are a very professional company, lovely people and they will do a good job for you.
3. Recheck the house for termites in 6 months after the above work is completed.

You also asked whether it is advisable to put a bait directly in the path of termites - disturbing them. That was well asked, because your question contains the answer. In our experience it has proven better to place the bait alongside known termite trails rather than directly into the trails.

Why? We suspect that the huge disturbance of putting a bait directly in their existing path causes them to mark the intercepted trail with pheromones that in effect say "Warning, warning, danger Will Robertson, don't go here!" We lifted a paver a few years ago (July 2003) at a house in Ashmore (still on our full service plan) and got a surprise to see a few Schedorhinotermes termites in the compacted bluemetal bedding sand. We popped the bait in anyway and thought "It won't be long before we get a strike on this one." but we never did. It worried us for a while. Where have they gone? Where is the activity now? Five months after the installation we got a strike on the next nearest bait. It was treated and there has been no further activity since.

Knowledge and information about termites and their behavior is constantly being revised and updated around the world. Treatment methods continue to improve and new products are regularly tested.

Hopefully your story has been of help and interest to many of our readers and we are sure that quite a few people will appreciate any interesting updates you may have in the months ahead.

P.S. Thank you for your kind words about our web site.