Florida is home to many dangerous insects, fish, lizards and mammals. For homeowners, this can mean that it’s necessary to disclose the animals that they see most often on or around their properties if they want to sell their home in good faith.
In a previous blog, we mentioned that it is a good idea to disclose alligators on your property or, at the very least, to put up a warning sign or list of wildlife control companies for others to contact upon seeing one. Sellers who know that there are risks on a property should, in general, disclose those risks and hazards. If they do not disclose those hazards, then they could be accused of failing to disclose hidden hazards.
Wildlife is a unique challenge, so it’s smart to talk to your attorney to determine if a disclosure is needed.
What kinds of wildlife could be hazardous on your property in Florida?
Some of the possible dangerous wildlife that could be on your property includes:
- Fire ants
- Spiders, like the brown recluse and Southern black widow
- Black bears
- Alligators
- Sharks, if you have a dock or access to open water
- Snakes, such as the dusky pygmy rattlesnake or Southern copperheads
These and other animals may be dangerous on or around your property. While it’s really hard to control what animals and insects do, letting someone know that there is a potential that a dangerous animal or insect will be on the property is important. This is even more important if you have encountered them on your property before.
Wildlife is everywhere, so sellers should take action to protect their interests
Wildlife is just a part of life in Florida, and there is no way to be sure that wildlife will or won’t be on a property. Sellers shouldn’t have to worry about buyers coming back and accusing them of lying about potential hazards, so a disclosure is important any time you know that there could be a hazard on your property. While you may never see another hazardous animal in Florida again, disclosing the potential helps you protect yourself against liability.