Landlords held accountable in proposed termite laws

New laws on the way are set to force Queensland landlords to carry out mandatory termite and deck inspections, the Courier Mail reported. The team here at
Pest-Ex knows better than anyone that termite infestations can be difficult to detect – that’s why we have specialised knowledge and tools to identify termite ridden areas in the home – including damaged decks and wooden steps.

In light of recent injuries, most recently a stair collapse on Halloween affecting trick-or-treaters, advice to the government to strengthen laws and make changes to the Residential Tenancy Act have been recommended. The future implications for landlords are that they will be held accountable for the maintenance of their property when it comes to termite damage, including the upkeep of decking and the need for regular termite inspections from a qualified pest control company like Pest-Ex.

In response to a further incident where a baby girl died as she was dropped when her father’s leg broke through termite-infested wooden decking, a Rockhampton coroner has suggested mandatory building and pest inspections for all rental properties. The recommendations have since been taken on board from the Queensland Government and welcomed by other groups including architecture and construction bodies who also endorsed the need for regular inspections on ageing properties.

Because termite infestations can be difficult to detect, engaging a pest control company like Pest-Ex to carry out inspections is the only way to have peace of mind about possible infestations and mitigate risks of decking or stairs collapsing, especially in aging homes. For landlords, regular maintenance of a property is important to protect against the action taken by tenants for potentially unsafe and risky structures. Since termites can be the cause of such incidents as has been reported above, keeping aware of potential problems becomes of great importance.

Here at Pest-Ex, we can carry out regular pest inspections for your home whether you’re living in it or renting it out to tenants. Don’t get caught out with a similar disaster and possible tragedy occurring in your home – we think you’ll be surprised at how thorough we are with our inspections. To find out more about our pest control services on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & Brisbane, and to speak to one of our team, don’t hesitate to give us a call.