The lender has asked for a termite report and somebody has used the letters WDI or WDO. In Oklahoma this is not the national form most articles describe, the requirement may or may not apply depending on which county your house is in, and your general home inspector cannot do it however thorough they were.
This article covers what the report actually is, the Oklahoma form, when a lender requires one, what the four findings mean, and what a seller should do about any of it.
We buy houses, so read the last section knowing that. We are not pest control operators or lenders. Forms and procedure are set by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and they do change, so confirm the current requirements with ODAFF and with the lender in your transaction rather than relying on any article.
What the report is, and what it is not
A wood destroying insect inspection is a narrow, specialised inspection looking for evidence of termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees and reinfesting wood boring beetles, for visible damage from them, and for conditions that encourage them.
It is not a structural report, it is not a guarantee that the house has no insects, and your general home inspector cannot produce one.
Only a licensed pest control operator can carry out the inspection and sign the report. Lenders will not accept a general home inspection in its place, however clearly the general inspector wrote about the damage they saw. Our article on what a home inspector checks covers what the general inspection does do.
The report also records limitations. Areas that could not be reached, because they were sealed or full of stored items, are noted as inaccessible rather than as clear, which matters if the house is full. Our article on selling a house after a hoarding cleanout covers that situation.
The Oklahoma form
Most articles on this subject describe the national NPMA-33 form. Oklahoma is one of the states that uses its own.
The Oklahoma Official Termite and Wood Destroying Insect Report is issued under the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry as Form ODAFF-1. There has also been a follow-up form, ODAFF-2, historically used to record alterations or corrections completed after an ODAFF-1 was issued.
ODAFF's own material records a problem with that follow-up: it could legally only be completed by the company that had issued the original ODAFF-1, and in practice the company doing the corrective work frequently was not that company, which did not comply with ODAFF's Combined Pesticide Law and Rules.
The practical consequence for a seller is worth taking from that: if corrective work is required, who does it and who documents it are connected questions. Ask before you engage anybody, and confirm the current forms and procedure with ODAFF, because this is an area the department has actively revisited.
When a lender actually requires one
It is not required on every loan, and the Oklahoma answer is unusually specific.
On a VA loan an inspection is required in moderate to heavy termite probability zones, or wherever the appraiser notes evidence of insects or damage. Oklahoma has counties falling across more than one probability zone, which means the county your house sits in can decide whether the inspection is mandatory on your buyer's loan.
That is why two sellers in the same metro get different answers and both are correct. Do not assume from a neighbour's experience.
On other loan types the trigger is usually the appraiser or the general inspector noting evidence, or the lender's own overlay. The reliable move is to ask the buyer's lender early rather than to find out in the last fortnight.
On who pays: the fee frequently falls to the seller on VA transactions. It is worth confirming for your specific deal rather than assuming either way.
The four findings, and what each means
Reports record findings in categories, and sellers frequently panic at the wrong one.
Active infestation. Live insects or fresh evidence. This needs treatment and it will need to be documented before closing.
Previous infestation. Evidence of past activity with nothing live now. Very common in Oklahoma, and by itself it is history rather than a problem. What a buyer wants alongside it is proof of treatment.
Visible damage. Recorded separately from infestation, and this is the one that matters most, because damage is a repair question rather than a pest question. Where structural members are involved, expect a further evaluation to be requested.
Conditions conducive to infestation. Wood to soil contact, moisture, debris under the structure, poor drainage. Frequently the cheapest and most useful part of the report, because these are the things that caused the problem and will cause it again. Our articles on crawl space against slab and drainage, guttering and foundations cover two of the commonest.
Treatment, warranties and what transfers
Where treatment is required, or has been done before, the paperwork around it is worth as much to a buyer as the treatment itself.
Ask what kind of treatment is proposed. Liquid soil treatment and bait systems behave differently in cost, in disruption and in what ongoing service they need. A bait system in particular usually carries a continuing monitoring agreement, and a buyer inherits a decision about whether to keep paying for it.
Establish whether any existing warranty transfers. Some do automatically, some transfer for a fee, and some end when the property changes hands. Ask the company that issued it rather than assuming, and get the answer in writing while you still have their attention as a paying customer.
Find out whether it is a repair warranty or a retreatment warranty. They are very different things. One pays to treat again if activity returns. The other also contributes to fixing new damage. Sellers frequently believe they have the second and have the first.
Keep the whole file. Original treatment records, graphs or diagrams of where treatment was applied, annual inspection reports and renewal receipts. On an older Tulsa house with a crawl space, that file is the difference between a buyer treating past activity as history and treating it as an unknown.
If work was done years ago by a company that no longer exists, say so plainly rather than leaving a gap. An honest gap in the records is a smaller problem than an unexplained one.
What a seller should do
- Find out whether your county triggers it for the likely buyer, by asking a lender or a licensed operator, before you list
- Consider inspecting before you list if the house is older, has a crawl space, or has had previous treatment. Knowing early converts a renegotiation into a disclosure
- Find any existing paperwork. Previous treatment records, warranties and any transferable service agreement are worth real money to a buyer
- Deal with the conducive conditions, which are usually cheap and remove the thing a buyer will otherwise ask you to fix
- Ask about who documents corrective work before engaging a contractor, for the reason set out above
- Disclose known infestation, treatment and damage. Our article on Oklahoma seller disclosure requirements covers the position
Where we come in
Previous activity with treatment records is not a reason to sell differently. A great many Oklahoma houses have had termites at some point. Documented, treated and with the conducive conditions dealt with, it is an ordinary sale to an ordinary buyer and you will net more than we will pay.
Where a cash sale genuinely fits: structural damage the report has flagged that you are not going to repair, an active infestation alongside other problems, or a buyer who has already withdrawn on the strength of a report and a timetable you cannot extend.
We buy with the report as it stands and take the treatment and the repairs on. Our page on selling a house that needs repairs sets out how the number is built.
The short version
- A wood destroying insect inspection is narrow and specialised, and only a licensed pest control operator can produce one. A general home inspection is not a substitute
- Oklahoma uses its own state form, the Oklahoma Official Termite and Wood Destroying Insect Report, Form ODAFF-1, rather than the national NPMA-33
- Follow-up documentation has been an area of difficulty, so ask who documents corrective work before engaging anybody
- On VA loans it is required in moderate to heavy probability zones or where the appraiser notes evidence, and Oklahoma counties fall across more than one zone
- Four findings: active infestation, previous infestation, visible damage, and conditions conducive. Damage is the one that matters most
- Previous activity with treatment records is history, not a problem
- Deal with conducive conditions early. They are cheap and they are what caused it
- Confirm current forms and procedure with ODAFF, because they change
Frequently asked questions
What is a wood destroying insect report?
A narrow, specialised inspection for evidence of termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees and reinfesting wood boring beetles, for visible damage from them, and for conditions that encourage them.
Can my home inspector do it?
No. Only a licensed pest control operator can carry out the inspection and sign the report, and lenders will not accept a general home inspection in its place.
Which form is used in Oklahoma?
The Oklahoma Official Termite and Wood Destroying Insect Report, Form ODAFF-1, issued under the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, rather than the national NPMA-33 most articles describe.
What about follow-up reports?
A follow-up form has historically been used for alterations or corrections, and ODAFF's own material records that it could legally only be issued by the company that did the original inspection. Ask who will document corrective work before engaging anybody.
Is a termite report required on every loan?
No. On a VA loan it is required in moderate to heavy termite probability zones or where the appraiser notes evidence. On other loans the trigger is usually evidence or a lender overlay.
Why did my neighbour not need one?
Because Oklahoma has counties falling across more than one probability zone, so the county can decide whether it is mandatory. Two sellers in the same metro can get different answers and both be right.
Who pays for it?
On VA transactions the fee frequently falls to the seller. Confirm for your specific deal rather than assuming either way.
What does previous infestation mean?
Evidence of past activity with nothing live now. It is very common in Oklahoma and by itself it is history rather than a problem, provided you can show it was treated.
Which finding matters most?
Visible damage, because that is a repair question rather than a pest question. Where structural members are involved, expect a further evaluation to be requested.
What are conditions conducive to infestation?
Wood to soil contact, moisture, debris under the structure and poor drainage. Frequently the cheapest and most useful part of the report, because these are what caused the problem.
Should I inspect before listing?
Worth it if the house is older, has a crawl space or has had previous treatment. Knowing early converts a renegotiation into a disclosure.
What paperwork should I gather?
Previous treatment records, warranties and any transferable service agreement. Those are worth real money to a buyer and they answer the question the report raises.
Does a full house affect the inspection?
Yes. Areas that cannot be reached are recorded as inaccessible rather than as clear, so a house full of stored items produces a weaker report.
Do I have to disclose past termites?
Known infestation, treatment and damage belong on the disclosure form. Treated and documented, it is a far better conversation than one a buyer's inspector starts.
Can a treatment warranty transfer to the buyer?
Many can, and a transferable agreement is worth mentioning. Check the terms with the company that issued it rather than assuming.
What if the report finds structural damage?
Expect a request for further evaluation by somebody qualified to assess structure, and treat it as a repair question with quotes rather than as a pest question.
Does treatment fix damage?
No. Treatment addresses the insects. Damage already done is a separate repair, and conflating the two is how sellers end up surprised at closing.
Is a clear report a guarantee?
No. The report states what was visible on the day in accessible areas. It is not a warranty that the property has no insects.
How long is a report good for?
Lenders generally want a recent one, so timing matters. Ask the buyer's lender how recent it must be rather than reusing something from last year.
Do you buy houses with termite damage?
Yes, with the report as it stands, and we take the treatment and the repairs on.
When should I not sell to you?
When it is previous activity with treatment records and the conducive conditions have been dealt with. That is an ordinary sale at an ordinary price.
Where do I confirm the current requirements?
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry for forms and procedure, and the buyer's lender for whether an inspection is required at all.
We buy houses, so read the last section knowing that. We are not pest control operators or lenders. Forms and procedure are set by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and they do change, so confirm current requirements with ODAFF and with the lender in your transaction.