#12992
Sir Humphrey
Strataguru

    Termites could be a tricky issue where the approach differs from place to place. I live in a large set of class B townhouses with a lot of common ground that depends for its character on lots of trees. I also have an amateur interest in termites so I have read up about the biology of the local species, their behaviour and identification. We regularly remind owners to have private termite inspections done. ECs over several decades have had a consistent policy of paying for the treatment of any nest of a damaging species found on common property but not funding termite hunting expeditions. The main damaging species in our area typically nests invisibly in the base of trees of which we have very many. Finding the nests would require drilling into the trees and the expense would be large to cover them all. On might argue that we should do that as maintaining common property but drilling all the trees on a regular basis could also increase the risk that our trees get fungal infections and become damaged, perhaps a greater risk and in any case damaging to common property. So, if a unit owner finds termites on their unit area, and obtains permission to test trees in the vicinity, in an inspection at the owner's expense, the OC will fund the treatment of any nests found. Living with termites is part of what we have to accept to have the environment we have, just like we sometimes have snakes and always have possums. 

    We regularly provide advice about precautions one can take to minimise the risk of termite infestation and encourage private inspections. 

    In our area (inland and cool winters) the main damaging species of termites generally do not do a lot of damage in one year. They can and have done a lot of damage where inspections were not carried out for many years. On the coast, especially in warmer areas there are species that can do a lot of damage in a few months. For us regular private inspections seem a sufficient precaution and purging the common property of termites is not practical. Even if we got rid of every nest new nests would be established by adults that fly in every year. In contrast, on the coast a zero-tolerance policy on common property or mandated inspections might be appropriate and perhaps the OC should be held liable. In doing so I would hope the decisions would be based on a subtle appreciation of local conditions and species and not result in blanket rules. 

    Another issue is getting accurate identification of species. I have found half a dozen species on our site but only two of those are generally a concern for structural timber. The others tend to have only small nests without the extensive foraging to remote feeding sites (IE the units) and/or only eat well rotted timbers, if you have the latter sort you had a serious problem before the termites arrived!