Buyer Finds a Major Termite Infestation After Closing — Then Suspects the Seller Covered It Up

Buying a house is stressful enough when everything looks normal. You have inspections, paperwork, deadlines, seller disclosures, lender questions, and a long list of things you hope you are not missing. Then you move in, start learning the house, and realize something expensive may have been hiding there before you ever got the keys.

That is what one homeowner described after buying a house in June and later finding evidence of what they believed was a large termite infestation that clearly predated the sale. They shared the situation in a Reddit post on r/HomeImprovement, asking what they should do after discovering termites in their new house. The original Reddit post is here: https://www.reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/5fkwgz/bought_new_house_found_termites_need_advice/

According to the homeowner, the termite issue did not appear during the pre-purchase inspection. That is what made the discovery so frustrating. Before closing, the inspection had not reflected an infestation. After moving in, the homeowner said they found signs of a very large termite problem, and the termite company they called reportedly believed the infestation was at least two years old.

That detail changed the whole situation. This did not sound like a brand-new pest problem that showed up after the sale. To the homeowner, it looked like the house had been dealing with termites well before they bought it. They also suspected the previous owners may have known about it and covered up the evidence before the inspection.

Their suspicion came from what they found around the damaged areas. The homeowner said there was wood filler in the same surfaces where termite tubes were now coming out. To them, that looked less like an innocent old patch and more like someone had filled holes or damage connected to prior termite activity.

That is a pretty ugly feeling for a new homeowner. Termites are bad enough when you discover them on your own property. It is even worse when you start wondering if someone knew, hid the problem, and let you walk into it blind. Suddenly, the issue is not only “How do we treat the termites?” It becomes “Did the seller fail to disclose a known problem?”

The homeowner had already gotten an estimate from a termite company, and the treatment was going to cost a significant amount. They were trying to decide whether to go after the previous owners, absorb the cost, or treat it as one of those miserable surprises that comes with homeownership.

That is where the situation gets tricky. Proving termite damage existed before a sale is one thing. Proving the seller knew about it and actively concealed it is another. A house can have old damage, hidden damage, or pest activity that even a seller may not fully understand. But if there is actual evidence that someone patched, disguised, or covered visible termite signs, that can raise a different set of questions.

The homeowner believed the wood filler might be that evidence. From their point of view, if holes or damage caused by termites had been filled before the sale, that could suggest the previous owner knew something was wrong. The challenge would be proving when the filler was applied, what the seller knew at the time, and whether the contract or disclosure paperwork gave the buyer any leverage.

There was also the inspection issue. In many areas, a regular home inspection and a termite inspection are separate things. A general inspector may point out visible pest damage if they see it, but they may not be licensed or expected to perform a full termite inspection. Even termite inspections can have limits, especially when evidence is hidden behind finished surfaces, trim, furniture, stored belongings, or fresh patching.

For the homeowner, none of that changed the immediate problem. The termites still had to be addressed. The longer an active infestation sits, the more expensive and destructive it can become. Treatment, repairs, follow-up inspections, and replacing damaged wood can all add up fast.

The emotional part of the situation was just as clear as the financial part. The homeowner had bought a house expecting to improve it and settle in. Instead, they were trying to figure out whether they had inherited a known infestation and whether anyone could be held responsible.

Commenters gave the homeowner two main paths to think about: treat the termites quickly, and investigate whether there was any real proof the seller knew about the issue before closing.

Several commenters said the homeowner would probably have a hard time recovering money from the previous owners unless they had clear evidence of intentional concealment or a false disclosure. One user pointed out that even if the termite company believed the infestation was at least two years old, that alone would not necessarily prove the sellers knew about it.

Others suggested checking state rules and public records. Some commenters noted that in certain places, termite inspection reports may be filed with a state board or licensing agency, which could potentially show whether the previous owners had obtained a termite report before selling. Another commenter suggested calling pest control companies and asking whether they had previously given an estimate for that address.

A few users told the homeowner to review the sales contract and disclosure paperwork carefully. If the sellers signed a statement saying they knew of no termite issues, and the buyer could prove they actually did know, that could matter. But several commenters warned that legal action can be expensive, slow, and difficult without strong evidence.

On the practical side, commenters urged the homeowner to get multiple quotes from extermination companies and choose someone they trusted to fully handle the infestation. The advice was not exactly comforting, but it was realistic: even if the seller fight was worth exploring, the termites needed to be dealt with first.