Selling a House With Termite History
Having an infestation in your property can be expensive to remedy. Among all types of infestation you can get in your property, termites might be the most dangerous. That is because they can cause significant damage to any wood and timber in homes, and remedying it may be expensive. Getting rid of this problem might not be enough since you may have to replace the timber destroyed or other affected areas.
Termites are small, pale, soft-bodied insects living in large colonies, normally within a mound of cemented earth. The mounds can become quite large, sometimes more than a metre in height. There are many different castes including blind workers, soldiers and queens.
The damage is caused as workers and soldiers find nearby wood and timber sources and use these for food. They have been known to strip whole houses in 2-3 years.
Some common types include:
- Dampwood Termite (Zootermopsis and Neotermes)
- Drywood Termite (Cryptotermes and Incisitermes)
- Formosan Termite (Coptotermes formosanus)
- Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes, Coptotermes and Heterotermes)
- Conehead Termite (Nasutitermes Corniger)
Although termites aren't necessarily considered a threat in the UK, global warming and trade are causing their geographic range to increase. Termites still pose a risk to your property, so it is best you get a RICS surveyor to check your property.
Is it hard to sell a house that has had termites?
Selling a house with termite history shouldn't be difficult. You are allowed to sell the property, but you are liable to disclose this information to any potential buyers. It would be best to make sure that the problem has been permanently solved before trying to sell. The value of your property might be decreased by this.
If your surveyor concludes that you have a termite infestation, they can refer you to a specialist. However, you do have other options. You can:
- request the help of your local council, if they provide pest control services (this might be chargeable)
- seek help on your own
How do I permanently get rid of termites?
When trying to eliminate a termite infestation, it is best to ask for professional help. Termite infestation can be a recurring problem, so an expert will be able to advise you on how to handle this best.
If you're interested in selling a property with termite history, you must ensure that the infestation is cleared first. You can do this through:
Targeted chemicals | A specialist inspects the termite infestation and places protecting chemicals appropriate to the species around areas vulnerable to attack, such as within the foundations. |
Dry foam | This can be used to fill voids and spaces in walls, under slabs and around pipes, which protects against infestation but is of sufficiently low moisture content so it doesn't damage, for example, dry walls. |
Bait with poison | It can be introduced into at-risk locations around your home such as old tree stumps which interferes with a termite's ability to moult which stops it growing. |
Andrew Boast FMAAT is a qualified accountant, conveyancing specialist and author with over 25 years of experience in the UK property sector. Since beginning his career in 2000 within established SRA and CLC-regulated conveyancing solicitor firms, Andrew has overseen the legal journeys of more than 75,000 clients.
He is the author of the property guide 'How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone' and a frequent contributor to mainstream UK media on legislative updates, property law, first-time buyer guides, conveyancing best practices, and stamp duty changes. Andrew specialises in resolving complex title issues, property conflict disputes, and property tax options, streamlining the enquiry process to reduce transaction times and maintaining a client-friendly focus.
Caragh Bailey is a Lead Property Content Specialist at SAM Conveyancing, having joined the firm in 2020. With a portfolio of over 150 technical conveyancing, house survey and mortgage guides, she has become a primary authority on the end-to-end sale and purchase process.
Caragh specialises in complex legal workflows, including Help to Buy redemptions, equity transfers, shared ownership structures, trust deeds for tax planning, and joint ownership disputes. Her expertise extends to leasehold reform and RICS home surveys, where she provides clear, factual guidance on independent legal advice for specialist mortgage products and intricate ownership structures.
