Family still rebuilding six years on from buying termite-riddled home

Zara Sarson had to demolish their newly purchased family home after finding it was infested with termites, despite passing pre-purchase inspections. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Zara and Shaun Sarson thought they were buying a forever home for their family, but were left with nothing but a mortgage to pay off.

The Gold Coast couple is up to $400,000 out of pocket and still rebuilding six years after purchasing a property so riddled with termites it had to be demolished.

Ms Sarson said she hoped others could benefit from new seller disclosure laws aimed at avoiding disputes by giving buyers essential information before exchanging contracts.

“Maybe our case helped to push it through,” the mother-of-three said of the reforms, coming into effect in Queensland in August.

Ms Sarson hoped the new laws would protect other buyers. Picture: Glenn Hampson

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But despite a raft of tough new requirements, sellers still don’t have to reveal pest infestation or asbestos, among other items.

The couple had carried out due diligence before buying their $660,000 Elanora home in 2019, obtaining pest and building reports which did not identify any evidence of termite activity or damage.

But three months after moving in, they found live termites crawling out of a power socket and engaged another pest inspector who confirmed structural damage.

“Shaun and I bought a house that we thought would be our forever family home but we were left with nothing but a mortgage to pay off,” the 42-year-old said.

Zara and Shaun Sarson pictured with their two older children after they bought the house. Picture: Jerad Williams

“We got told it was a good solid house by our building and pest inspector so we bought it.

“Every single beam was eaten out by termites.”

The couple tried unsuccessfully to sell the land, but had to take out a second mortgage to build a new house on the same block.

The ordeal has left them battling to make ends meet, despite a confidential settlement with the pest inspector behind their pre-purchase report.

“We spent the past six years working like crazy just to try to somehow get on top of it again.

“And we’re still finishing off the build.”

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