Three Months After We Moved In, the Door Frame Crumbled in My Hand. It Was Termites

A reader writes:

We bought our first house in March, a three-bedroom in Mandeville with a timber roof and a lot of old wood trim inside, which was part of what we loved about it. My husband and I saved for nine years. We had it looked at before we bought. The man who came walked around for about forty minutes and gave us two pages that said the roof needed “attention in the medium term” and mentioned “some evidence of past pest activity, treated.” The seller’s agent said the previous owners had it sprayed. We didn’t think more about it.

Last month I was hanging a curtain rod in the back bedroom and I leaned on the door frame and a piece of it just crumbled in my hand like cake. Inside it was all channels and dust. We called a pest control company and the man went up in the roof and came down quiet. He says there is active termite damage in part of the roof structure and in some of the skirting and frames, and that some of it looks like it has been going on for years. He is recommending treatment and says we need a carpenter or engineer to look at the rafters before the rains.

I have not slept properly since. We have almost nothing left in savings after the closing costs and moving. My husband is angry at the seller and wants to “take them to court”. I am angry at the inspector, and honestly at myself, because I remember thinking the report was very short and not asking any questions. My mother says it is God’s test and we should pray and not make a fuss. I am praying. But I also want to know what we should actually do, and whether we have any comeback, and how bad this could get.

— Tanya, Manchester

Our response

Dear Tanya, we’re so sorry. After nine years of saving, this is a painful thing to discover, and it is completely understandable that you are frightened, angry and not sleeping. Please be gentle with yourself. Many first-time buyers accept a short report without questioning it; you trusted people who were supposed to know more than you did.

It may help to think in three stages: stop the damage, understand it, then decide what to do about responsibility.

1. Stop it getting worse

Active termites keep eating. Get a second quote for treatment from another reputable pest control company so you can compare what each proposes, the guarantee offered and the cost. Ask them to put their findings in writing, with photographs. Then act reasonably promptly.

2. Find out how serious it is

The key question is whether the roof structure is still safe, particularly with rain and storm season in mind. A structural engineer or an experienced carpenter should inspect the rafters and any other affected timber and tell you what needs replacing now and what can wait. Ask for a written report. It may turn out to be less extensive than you fear, or it may be serious; either way, knowing will help you plan.

3. Gather the paperwork

While this is happening, collect everything from the purchase: the sale agreement, any seller disclosure or replies to questions, the inspection report and any terms that came with it, your correspondence with the agents, and anything you were told about past treatment. Photograph the damage clearly, with dates, before it is repaired.

4. Get legal advice before anyone threatens anyone

Whether you have any claim against the seller or the inspector depends on the facts, the documents and the law where the property is. An attorney-at-law can look at what was disclosed, what the report promised, and whether anything was concealed. They can also tell you whether any time limits apply. We would gently suggest that your husband holds off on angry calls or messages until you have that advice; they rarely help, and could make things harder later.

5. Check your insurance, and your budget

Read your home insurance policy. Many policies exclude insect damage, but it is worth confirming. If the repairs are more than you can manage, talk early to your lender about options, and ask the engineer which work is urgent and which can be phased over time.

Prayer and action together

Your mother is right that you should pray. But prayer and practical action are not opposites. Nehemiah prayed, and he also posted guards and kept building (Nehemiah 4:9). Asking for professional help and seeking fairness is not “making a fuss”; it is taking responsible care of the home God has given you. Pray together as a couple, too, because a crisis like this can drive a wedge between two tired people. You are on the same side.

This is a setback, and possibly an expensive one. But it is very likely fixable, and you do not have to work it all out tonight. One step at a time.

This article is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Please speak to a qualified professional about your own circumstances.

Reader letters may be edited for length and clarity, and names and identifying details are changed.

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