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Original poster

Woodworm..?

11 replies

Newyearnewus · 14/06/2023 10:56

Currently selling out Victorian cottage. It’s been extremely well maintained and luckily we found buyers quickly.

Buyers had a survey done which picked up suspected woodworm in the loft. We had never had an issue with this in our time there (8 years) but the wanted to send a contractor round to take a look and price a potential repair. All good.

Contractor came over and confirmed the woodworm is in fact historical and pre dates our time here. Previous owners must’ve had it and got it sorted. However the company are recommending the buyers get a preventative treatment done for assurance. This is costly, as you can imagine. The buyers then reached out to the company who did the initial survey, they confirmed they were unable to tell if it was historic or not.

Buyers want to have the treatment and are expecting us to pay. But there isn’t any woodwork active! What do we do?

OP posts:
AP5Diva · 14/06/2023 11:05

I would think you either pay for it or reduce the sale price by the cost of the treatment (as stated on a quote for the work). I say this because as it stands, two sets of professionals have looked and

  • Contractor thinks it’s historical and is recommending treatment
  • Surveyor has positively identified woodworm but cannot say if it is recent or historical- so would presumably also recommend treatment

You don’t have a single professional report or survey that says it is definitely historical AND no treatment is recommended.

You could call for a 3rd professional opinion, but even if it says what you want, the consensus (2:1) would still be in favour of the treatment being advised.

bilbodog · 14/06/2023 11:10

When we bought older houses 20 and 30 years ago that hadnt had woodworm treatment in the previous 10 years we paid to have it done as its obviously much easier to have it done in an empty house.

i wouldnt want to pay for it if moving on BUT buying and selling houses needs to be a compromise. I would find out how much it would cost to get the whole house done when the house is empty and if the buyers are threatening to walk over the issue perhaps meet them half way? They would have to arrange for it to be done once you have moved out and before they move in.

good luck.

Original poster
Newyearnewus · 14/06/2023 11:26

Thing is, if it was active of course I’d pay. Or I’d take something off the sale price. Afterall it’s my responsibility.

But the tradesman said it was historic therefore its personal choice to decide to have the treatment or not. Equally some self awareness on the buyers part of buying an older property should be considered.

For context the house we are buying has a structural issue that is actually a current problem. Not a well ‘this wall might collapse one day’

Am I being totally unreasonable?

OP posts:
Original poster
Newyearnewus · 14/06/2023 11:27

@AP5Diva I do have a report. The pest control people said it was historic. They are recommending the treatment as a preventative only

OP posts:
AP5Diva · 14/06/2023 11:28

Newyearnewus · 14/06/2023 11:27

@AP5Diva I do have a report. The pest control people said it was historic. They are recommending the treatment as a preventative only

As I said you do not have a report stating it is historic AND no treatment is advised.

Original poster
Newyearnewus · 14/06/2023 11:29

But surely this could just be an opportunistic ploy from the pest control team?

OP posts:
AP5Diva · 14/06/2023 11:32

Newyearnewus · 14/06/2023 11:29

But surely this could just be an opportunistic ploy from the pest control team?

It could, and you are within your rights to get more professionals in there for a 3rd, 4th or 5th opinion. But right now you have two opinions and only one of two say it is historic and neither of them recommend that no treatment be done.

pendleflyer · 14/06/2023 15:26

I stress I know next to nowt but how serious is woodworm? Used to be talked about a lot I think. But surely they don't munch through an entire house/cause serious structural issues?

AP5Diva · 14/06/2023 17:17

pendleflyer · 14/06/2023 15:26

I stress I know next to nowt but how serious is woodworm? Used to be talked about a lot I think. But surely they don't munch through an entire house/cause serious structural issues?

They will munch through timber - so for example the entire roof could be structurally compromised as even in new builds these are timber. If the OP’s Victorian house is timber framed, timber foundation, wood staircase, wood floors- they could munch through the entire structure and cause serious damage of left untreated. Woodworm likes cooler/draughty areas and usually start in lofts and under stairs before spreading. If you’ve had woodworm, but the damage wasn’t enough to cause structural damage so you haven’t had to replace timber structures, it’s best to do a treatment every ten years because new woodworms do move in and will re-infest homes if given the chance.

Reallybadidea · 14/06/2023 17:22

Personally, if it's a recommended preventative measure rather than treatment for an ongoing problem, then I think it's up to the buyers to pay for it. Ultimately though they may choose to walk away rather than do this.

How much are we talking?

Palmasailor · 16/06/2023 04:00

Ok lots of cobblers being spoken here.

Woodworm doesn’t like crafty places, they like places that are humid, and lofts are only humid if not properly ventilated.

you can tell if they’re recent because there are little piles of dust by the holes - and the holes are a lighter colour if there new.

the drugs to kill them are £20 for the average loft from screwfix, and you can either paint them on with a brush or spray them with a plant sprayer

how much were you quoted for this work?

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