A Maryville couple is has filed suit against their realtor and a termite control company that allegedly failed to unveil a termite problem in a home they purchased.
Terry and Camille King filed a lawsuit March 11 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Helen Froncheck, Remax Preferred Partners and Granite City Termite and Pest Control.
In their complaint, the Kings allege they discovered significant termite problems at their recently purchased home at 7331 W. Main St. in Maryville. Despite hiring various inspectors before buying their home, the Kings did not learn of the issues until they had already closed on the home, according to the complaint.
“The plaintiffs began some repair work at the house including scraping off wallpaper border,” the suit states. “At that time the plaintiff noticed the wall was very soft and the scraper pushed right through the wall. The plaintiffs then tore off a portion of the dry wall to determine the problem, at that time live insects flew out and the plaintiffs noticed severe termite damage on the wall joists.”
The plaintiffs hired an additional termite inspector to come to their house. The inspector found significant termite damage in a crawl space beneath the house, which revealed the home to be uninhabitable due to its unsound structure, the complaint says.
Before they purchased the home, the plaintiffs had hired Granite City Termite and Pest Control to inspect for any invaders. However, in his report, the inspector did not report on the presence of the termites, according to the complaint.
They accuse the defendants of fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duties, violating the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act, recession of contract and unjust enrichment.
They are seeking a judgment of more than $321,000 and actual and consequential damages of more than $100,000, plus pre-judgment interest, costs, attorneys’ fees and other relief the court deems just.
The are being represented by Kelly A. Walsh of Blake Law Group in Belleville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 14-L-387.