Before you buy a home, it is recommended that you have a timber pest inspection report prepared to make sure the property is not infested by termites or other timber pests. Including a timber pest inspection condition on your offer The standard buying/selling contract for the transfer of property has two sections, the:

• Contract for the Sale of Land by Offer and Acceptance (commonly called the "O & A"); and
• Joint Form of General Conditions for the Sale of Land (also referred to as simply the General Conditions).

The General Conditions cover important contractual obligations for both buyer and seller. This is a formally printed document and not usually varied. The O & A form, however, provides greater flexibility and special conditions can be added to it to meet the needs of both buyer and seller by documenting specific points of agreement over and above the standard general conditions.

Special conditions may cover issues about property inspections such as building or pest inspections; who pays for necessary repairs; or anything else important for either buyer or seller. Any special conditions made to the O & A should be as precisely worded as possible and you may wish to seek legal advice to ensure this. If the offer is accepted, these conditions must be satisfied, or the sale may not be completed.

Because timber pests can cause costly damage to a property, it is recommended that you as a purchaser put a special condition in the contract requiring that a timber pest inspection report be prepared. In order to make the terms of the inspection clear and verifiable, it is best to put your requirement for a timber pest inspection report in the contract as a special condition, rather than relying on verbal agreements with the seller.

The special condition should state that if termite activity is sufficient to cause, or have caused, damage then the contract of sale can be cancelled or the seller made liable for any loss incurred. The Sale by Offer and Acceptance fact sheet can provide you with further information on the offer and acceptance process. Content of your timber pest special condition Your special condition should identify the standard to which the timber pest inspection should be carried out and report prepared.

For instance, you can specify in the O & A that the timber pest inspection is carried out in accordance with Australian Standard 4349.3 - 1998. Australian Standard 4349.3 is a nationally accepted standard for timber pest inspections and reports. This type of inspection includes roof and floor timbers, outbuildings and fencing.

Timber pests can travel 50 metres underground, so fencing checks are necessary in a thorough inspection. An inspection and report prepared to Australian Standard 4349.3 will inform you about any current infestation, previous damage, areas likely to be infested in the future, and areas where additional inspections are recommended to maintain effective physical and chemical timber pest barriers.