Maryland realtors and real estate agents have the responsibility to disclose all material defects they know of in a property that is being sold, including latent defects that cannot be seen by the eye.
Termite damage is one type of damage that is all too common. A buyer has the right to know when purchasing a home if there is termite damage or an active infestation. Unfortunately, some sellers try to hide the presence of termites despite having a responsibility to disclose their existence. Realtors have even more of a duty than sellers as they are members of a profession that is regulated by the Maryland Real Estate Commission.
Suing Maryland Real Estate Agents Who Fail to Disclose Termites
If a realtor failed to disclose the presence of termites in a Maryland home, you may be able to hold them financially responsible. The termite attorneys at Whitney, LLP have worked with victims statewide to recover settlements and verdicts for termite damage repair costs. The experience of one of our clients was reported by Barry Simms of WBAL. This couple purchased a home only to discover that their own real estate agent had told them a termite inspection had been completed, but actually no inspection had ever been done. Shortly after moving into their new home, they discovered tremendous termite damage from the basement to the roof. If you are facing structural damage and serious financial losses as a result of termite damage in your home that was not disclosed by a realtor, you can pursue compensation for your losses, including damage repair costs and emotional distress.
Whitney, LLP has a record of successfully recovering compensation from realtors, dishonest home sellers, termite damage contractors, pest control companies and other parties responsible for a termite infestation. In one 2019 case, our experienced attorneys secured $1,068,000 for our clients from a negligent and fraudulent Maryland termite inspection company that failed to disclose an infestation. Call us for your legal consultation.
A Realtor’s Responsibility to Disclose the Presence of Termites in Maryland
Realtors have a responsibility to disclose the presence of termites in Maryland houses. As members of a licensed profession, they must divulge all material facts that could affect a transaction. A real estate agent who represents the seller still has to reveal these facts to the buyer even if the client does not want them to. In some cases, realtors who represent buyers have been deceptive. In the drive to complete a transaction, they may not disclose information about a known termite infestation.
This could rise to the level of misrepresentation, fraud or a breach of the fiduciary duty realtors owe. A fiduciary duty is the highest level of legal responsibility that a professional can owe to a client, and realtors that fail to disclose termite damage are violating those responsibilities. If you are facing costly termite damage repairs thanks to a realtor’s failure to disclose, the termite attorneys at Whitney, LLP can help you seek accountability and compensation.
Maryland Termite Damage Lawyer
You should not have to suffer significant financial losses due to the negligent or fraudulent conduct of a Maryland realtor who failed to disclose termite damage to your home. Homeowners may find themselves paying thousands of dollars to termite damage contractors to mitigate their losses and exterminate the insects while dealing with structural harm to their home.
If you have been harmed by an undisclosed termite infestation hidden in your newly purchased home, contact the termite damage lawyers at Whitney, LLP. Our experienced attorneys can fight aggressively for the compensation you deserve from the parties at fault for your losses. Start today by requesting a legal consultation. Call Whitney, LLP at (410) 583-8000, or use our online contact form.