TL;DR: Act quickly: check for chewed wiring and other safety risks, alert the owner and tenant, and call a licensed wildlife controller. Photograph everything, get written reports and quotes, and arrange exclusion work and repairs before listing to avoid delays.
Key Takeaways:
Possums turn up in suburbs all the time, but finding one in a roof or wall can derail an inspection or spook a buyer. If you act fast and keep everyone informed, you stop small problems becoming big ones.
This short guide gives busy agents a simple checklist: how to spot immediate risks, who should pay, and how to get humane, legal removal and follow-up repairs.
Read on for clear, ready-to-use wording and a printable checklist you can use today.
Possums in a property are more than a wildlife problem.
They can chew wiring, ruin insulation and ceilings, create persistent odours and spook buyers or tenants, and in some cases force urgent repairs under tenancy rules.
How you respond as the agent affects your client, your reputation and whether the sale or lease goes ahead without costly delays.
Dealing with the issue promptly and professionally usually saves time and money later.
Check the roof, cavity or garden for these easy-to-spot signs:
If you see chewed wiring or notice a strong ammonia smell from droppings, treat it as an urgent safety issue and arrange for a licensed electrician and a wildlife controller to inspect straight away.
Take dated photos, note times, and log tenant or owner reports. A short written file keeps actions transparent and protects you if questions arise later.
As the agent, you must disclose any known issues that materially affect the property’s value or safety, and an active or hidden possum problem often counts as such a defect.
The safest course is to notify the owner, record the issue and arrange a professional assessment with a written report before marketing the property.
Most Australian residential tenancy guidelines treat pests and vermin as maintenance matters. If a possum is present at the start of a tenancy or due to structural issues, the landlord usually has to fix it.
If the infestation appears during a tenancy, advise the landlord promptly and manage the repairs process so tenants remain safe.
Where a possum has taken up residence in common property such as a shared roof void, the strata body often carries responsibility.
Get the strata manager involved quickly and follow the committee’s instructions on hiring licensed wildlife controllers or permit holders.
If there are signs of electrical damage, strong odours from droppings, or aggressive animal behaviour, treat it as urgent.
Arrange an inspection with an experienced possum controller or a licensed electrician if wiring is involved.
Tell the owner and tenant exactly what you found, what steps you will take and a realistic timeframe for fixes.
Keep all messages concise, factual and logged, and if viewings are happening tell prospective buyers or their conveyancers when the issue materially affects the property.
Many possum species are protected across Australia, so removal needs to be humane and may require a permit or licence.
Do not attempt to trap or evict them yourself; call a licensed wildlife controller, or for fast, agent-friendly service and written reports see possum removal services.
Removing the animals is only half the job.
Hire a professional to seal entry points, replace damaged insulation and repair gaps in the roof or eaves, and keep before and after photos as proof of the work.
After removal, properties usually need droppings cleared, odour treatment and minor repairs. Offer to organise these jobs for the owner so the property can be listed or re-let faster.
A buyer or inspector may flag wildlife signs as a defect. For rental applications, tenants may delay move-in or request urgent fixes.
If you handle the issue quickly and professionally, you reduce the risk of contract delays or bargaining down the price.
Keeping these documents tidy makes it easy to show due diligence during sale negotiations or tenancy disputes.
Short answer: no, not normally. Get owner approval for contractors and costs, unless the tenancy rules or local emergency laws allow urgent work without prior consent.
If a tenant faces an immediate safety risk, local tenancy law may permit urgent repairs, but always notify the owner as soon as possible.
For a clear run-down of why DIY removal can be illegal, see this guide about removing the possums yourself.
No. Promising a permanent solution is risky.
Instead, explain what was done, provide the exclusion warranty if available, and offer recent reports that show the problem was handled.
For practical, step-by-step possum-proofing tips agents can share with owners, see the possum-proofing guide.
1800 Possums Removal is a family-run wildlife control team providing humane possum removal and property protection for real estate agents, landlords and homeowners across Australia.
We focus on fast turnaround, clear evidence of work completed and sensible pricing that helps properties sell or re-let faster.
Agents and strata managers find our reports save time during negotiations and reduce questions from buyers and tenants. possum removal real estate agent
If you need fast, licensed help with a possum issue on a sale listing or rental, we offer agent-friendly reporting, same-day or next-day site visits in most metro areas and step-by-step paperwork to keep your sale or lease on track.
