What to Do After You Notice Possible Termite Activity

Do not probe, scrape, break open, drill or spray the material. Do not move timber, soil or debris that may conceal activity. Keep people away from unsafe areas and avoid altering the evidence before a qualified professional can inspect it.

Note the date, exact location, nearby moisture or building work and what you observed. Take a photograph from a safe distance if useful. Renters should notify the owner or property manager promptly in writing; owners should arrange a qualified local termite assessment. Keep copies of the report and communications.

Verify the inspector’s relevant qualifications or authorisation with the local regulator. Ask what parts of the building were accessible, what evidence supports the assessment, whether a separate structural review is needed and what further work is recommended. A pest inspection is not automatically a structural engineering assessment.

Treatment, timber repair, moisture correction and building work are separate decisions. Request a written scope, provider identity, credentials, price and follow-up terms before authorising work. Do not rely on a treatment sale as an independent diagnosis; seek a second qualified opinion for significant damage or a disputed recommendation.

Local pest-control rules differ. NSW residents can consult NSW Health public-health pest information for general context and the relevant state or territory regulator for local professional requirements. This general source does not diagnose a termite problem or define a property-specific treatment.