Q. I am in the process of buying a top floor flat. I have asked an inspection of the roof for woodworm. I have just received the result it says: ‘The timber revealed evidence of an infestation by the common furniture beetle, Anobium Punctatum, to ceiling and joists and roof rafters’. So a proper treatment will be carried out. Regarding this result should I ask an inspection of the floors as well, although the present owner told that a treatment was done 4 years ago, is it possible that the infestation has spread to the floor?

Submitted by: CD 

A. With regard to the inspection of the roof is there any documentary evidence (guarantees, previous reports etc.) to suggest that the roof may have been treated in the past? There may be 'evidence' of an infestation but is it definitely active?
 
Why did you just have the roof inspected? If your surveyor noted the 'evidence' then the chances are that previous owners before also saw the same evidence and did something about it. If it does need treating get your solicitor to check who is responsible for doing this. There is a very good chance that the cost would be shared between the numbers of flats in the block - check the lease.
 
With regard to the floors if the present owner has told you that they were treated four years ago then he should be able to produce the report, estimate, receipted invoice and guarantee to prove this. If a 'friend' did it or he did it himself then he has wasted his time and money and you should proceed as if no treatment has taken place at all and request that the floors are inspected. If the floors have been professionally treated then it should be impossible for any new infestations to occur in the floors for at least twenty years irrespective of whether or not an active infestation is present in the roof.