What is a termite letter or wood infestation report?
A termite letter is a report that a pest control company
will create after doing an inspection of a house. Some states have actual
forms that this is supposed to follow by state law. Georgia is a prime
example - they have the "Official Georgia Wood Infestation Report" which is
required for any home sale in the state. South Carolina requires a wood
infestation report called the CL-100. The termite inspection letter will
disclose everything that was found by the inspector, whether the house is
currently infested with termites or has been in the past, and will also
usually note if any parts of the house were inaccessible for inspection.
If you are the buyer, your bank may require you to have a termite letter
before you close on your house. There can be restrictions, and they may
require it to have been within a certain time period before the loan closes
(so they essentially "expire"). One very important piece of advice: get your
termite letter done in advance of the closing date. Some lenders will not
allow the loan to go through if certain things show up in the inspection.
You want to make sure that you give yourself time to deal with anything that
comes up. If you have the inspection done a couple of days before you're
planning on closing on the house, you might find the whole process delayed
over something that came up in the inspection.
You can see an example
of the South Carolina version
here. Remember also, I'm not your lawyer, and your state law may vary.
So if you have a legal question about these, you should contact a local
lawyer.
If you have a question about termites you want answered, submit it here.
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I'm not your lawyer, and your state law may vary from what is stated here, so be careful and consult a local lawyer for any legal questions.