Termite Inspection Services:
A Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) Inspection Report (Form NPMA-33) is a written report of an inspection on a home for visible and accessible evidence of an infestation or damage by wood destroying insects. Usually this means subterranean or dry wood termites, but may also cover wood destroying beetles and carpenter ants.
A WDI report is also commonly called a “Termite Inspection”, “Clearance Letter”, or “Termite Letter”.
A WDI inspection report is provided when a home or other structure is being sold and the mortgage lender or buyer requires the inspection as part of the transaction. If an inspection is done for these purposes, the inspection must be reported on a specific report form - NMPA-33 - as required by State or Federal Law.
The WDI Inspection and Report can only be done by a wood-destroying organisms identification cardholder or a certified operator with the wood-destroying organisms category licensed by the state. An individual must receive special training to be qualified as a WDI Inspector.
A WDI Report - Form NPMA-33 - tells the buyer if the pest control inspector saw any evidence of the following:
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Live termites or evidence of infestation by termites or other wood destroying insects;
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Evidence of previous infestation by termites or other wood destroying insects;
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Visible damage to structure or finishes by termites or other wood destroying organisms;
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Previous treatment for termites or other wood destroying insects
The inspector must also, on Form NPMA-33:
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Report the specific nature and extent - to the extent visible - of the infestation and/or damage and the location of the evidence;
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Designate any areas that were not accessible for inspection and the reason they are inaccessible;
See a copy of Form NPMA-33 on the HUD website
The NPMA-33 is frequently required for CT & NY pest inspections because it is authorized for the purposes of securing mortgages for FHA, VA, HUD, and Conventional loans. Few states require a specific state inspection form be used which is why the NPMA-33 is used for most real estate transactions purposes nationwide.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation requires any person who performs a Termite Inspection to undergo training and examination and to be Certified as a Pesticide Technician under Subcategory 7c.
Vincent Coakley; Pesticide Technician; Certification ID: T3898156
Inspections and Treatment:
Note that the inspection company cannot enforce any kind of treatment. If the parties involved in the transaction elect to have treatment, that is something that will be negotiated between them. We have no control over what takes place in the event that damage or live infestations are found. Most lenders however, will require treatment before they agree to close the transaction.
Wood destroying insects can infest any structure at any time. Also, a structure showing no visible evidence may have an extensive wood boring insect infestation and damage which remains undetected because it is concealed or hidden due to obstructions or inaccessible areas.
“Visual inspection of the readily accessible areas” means that the NPMA-33 is limited to a visual inspection of readily accessible areas as defined by: “easily approached and viewed without any hesitation or delay.”
The pest inspector is also looking for evidence of previous infestation and/or treatment.
If the property owner has appropriate documentation showing that the structure has been previously treated for termites using a liquid termiticide (a pesticide labeled for termites) within the previous five (5) years, he or she should provide the inspector with a copy. Whether or not the treatment documentation satisfies the transaction requirements is not up to the inspector. The property owner has the sole burden-of-proof regarding proper treatment and treatment verification.