Woodworm and the compromis de vente

[Linden Arden]

Not the title of the next Harry Potter book. This may be in the wrong place but please be gentle with me as I am very new....

Buying a 1950s townhouse with original chestnut floors throughout, there is evidence of woodworm in some places but it doesn't look too bad.

As we want to keep the original floors, 2 questions:

1) People have told me that woodworm won't get into the heart of chestnut, only the surface - are they making it up ?

2) Is the checking of woodworm one of the kinds of things you should put into the compromis as a clause suspensive (excuse my spelling) ? Termite certificates are not compulsoty here (87)

[Nick Trollope]

Welcome!

Chestnut is very hard & woodworm will tend only towards the surface. However, tell that to the woodworm in the chestnut boards in my attic! BUT, of perhaps 75M², only a few boards are badly affected......

The best bet is to get an expert to look at it. You could try to put a CS into the CdV about woodworm, of course the vendors may not accept it, as woodworm is a) treatable and b) rarely critical. If you are going to add a CS, then make it a "subject to survey" one, and get the whole lot checked! However, I doubt if the vendors will move on the price (such things are not done here!) if anything serious is found, but it could give you an out should you need it.

Have fun!