Wasps' Nest In The Loft

[thegirlfrommarz]

We think there's a wasps' nest in the loft of the house we moved into two weeks ago. I've noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out of the gap between the frame of the window and the wall, and I suspect they're going into the loft where they probably have a nest.

I spoke to the letting agent who first asked me to call the council as they will get rid of wasps for free. I checked with the council, who now charge £50, and reported this back to the agent. The agent said that she would sort it out, but called me back to say that wasps' nests are the tenant's responsibility.

I'm going to check my contract when I get back home, but in the meantime I wondered if any of you know whether it's usually the tenant's responsibility to get exterminators out. I admit I'm a bit annoyed about this as we've only been in the house two weeks, so chances are the nest was there when we moved in.

[Matt Henson]

We think there's a wasps' nest in the loft of the house we moved into two weeks ago. I've noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out of the gap between the frame of the window and the wall, and I suspect they're going into the loft where they probably have a nest.

I spoke to the letting agent who first asked me to call the council as they will get rid of wasps for free. I checked with the council, who now charge £50, and reported this back to the agent. The agent said that she would sort it out, but called me back to say that wasps' nests are the tenant's responsibility.

I'm going to check my contract when I get back home, but in the meantime I wondered if any of you know whether it's usually the tenant's responsibility to get exterminators out. I admit I'm a bit annoyed about this as we've only been in the house two weeks, so chances are the nest was there when we moved in.

Its the tenants responsibility I am afraid, the general rules goes back to the words of Lord Denning in the 50's which imply the a tenant has to do the day to day jobs that a house holder would normally do like changing bulbs, tap washers and pest control.

Look at this way, if you had mice you would buy mice traps, if you have wasps, it is only you that suffers and so you need to deal with it.

[JohnnyB]

We think there's a wasps' nest in the loft of the house we moved into two weeks ago. I've noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out of the gap between the frame of the window and the wall, and I suspect they're going into the loft where they probably have a nest.

I spoke to the letting agent who first asked me to call the council as they will get rid of wasps for free. I checked with the council, who now charge £50, and reported this back to the agent. The agent said that she would sort it out, but called me back to say that wasps' nests are the tenant's responsibility.

I'm going to check my contract when I get back home, but in the meantime I wondered if any of you know whether it's usually the tenant's responsibility to get exterminators out. I admit I'm a bit annoyed about this as we've only been in the house two weeks, so chances are the nest was there when we moved in.

If the nest was already there then it seems fair they should pay for it. Problem is it will be hard to prove it was already there. Suggest you get up there in some protective clothing and take photos, then post them to yourself and leave the envelope sealed as proof of date.

If the nest is large and established then you can argue that it couldn't have been constructed in the small time you have lived there.

Otherwise it is your responsibility to sort it out i'm afraid. We had mice in a house I lived in at uni. A few mousetraps in the kitchen eventually got the two mice that were living there, though the second one evaded me for some time after its buddy succumed to a crushed skull.

[thegirlfrommarz]

Thanks, Johnny and Matt. I wouldn't mind at all if we'd been living there for longer - it's just the fact that I suspect the wasps have been tenants for longer than we have that's irritating! Anyway, the agent has found someone who can sort it out for £40, which is £10 cheaper than the council, so I'll give them a ring.

[Matt Henson]

Thanks, Johnny and Matt. I wouldn't mind at all if we'd been living there for longer - it's just the fact that I suspect the wasps have been tenants for longer than we have that's irritating! Anyway, the agent has found someone who can sort it out for £40, which is £10 cheaper than the council, so I'll give them a ring.

Pain isn't it, but it is just one of those things... better that being stung by the little terrors

[cartimandua51]

We think there's a wasps' nest in the loft of the house we moved into two weeks ago. I've noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out of the gap between the frame of the window and the wall, and I suspect they're going into the loft where they probably have a nest.

I spoke to the letting agent who first asked me to call the council as they will get rid of wasps for free. I checked with the council, who now charge £50, and reported this back to the agent. The agent said that she would sort it out, but called me back to say that wasps' nests are the tenant's responsibility.

A pain, I agree; but just be grateful it's not bees - as they're protected the exterminators won't have anything to do with them so you have to hunt down an enthusiast who wants them...

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

If it is up to the tenant to resolve pest problems, why do manchester council take this stance with mice?

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/...mp;pageNumber=3

*Please note

We do not treat the homes of private tenants for mice. Private tenants should report mice problems to their landlord. If the landlord or housing association is not prepared to carry out the treatment, then the tenant should contact us, providing us with all the landlord/housing association details, and we will write to the landlord or housing association.

FWIW they did a bloody good job, they came out to our flat 4 times to check and charged under £20.

Edited July 28, 2008 by daiking

[Matt Henson]

If it is up to the tenant to resolve pest problems, why do manchester council take this stance with mice?

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/...mp;pageNumber=3

Council housing is a very different story...!

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

Council housing is a very different story...!

Private tenants?

[cartimandua51]

Private tenants?

Probably just local variation. When our tenants reported mice I went & dealt with it, but if it had been a longstanding tenant I would probably have expected them to do it.

[Live_in_hope]

In my experience the landlord paid, as their was clear damage to the facia boards allowing the wasps easy entry to the property.

If the facia boards etc are in good order wasps would not be able gain access

[thegirlfrommarz]

In my experience the landlord paid, as their was clear damage to the facia boards allowing the wasps easy entry to the property.

If the facia boards etc are in good order wasps would not be able gain access

Hmmm, interesting. The wasps are getting into the house via a gap between the frame and the wall (all the other windows seem to be properly fitted). Unless the landlord blocks it up, we could potentially have this problem again next year.

[Wad]

I rent a house and the LL did a couple of nests for me last year.

However, I noticed wasps going up to the roof a week ago and guessed there was a nest growing. I got in the loft myself dressed in rubber glooves and a cagool. I did the hood done up tight over my head, tucked the sleeves in the rubber gloves and tucked my trousers in my socks. ONLY MY FACE EXPOSED but I could have worn goggles and a face mask too.

I first sprayed the surface of the nest liberally with wasp spray to kill those I could see on the surface to eliminate the risk of being stung immediatley. I then got closer and sprayed a liberal coating of ant powder on the surface and around the entry hole. I then retreated for two hours while the wasps went mad. The secret is to get them to carry the ant powder back into the nest as that kills all the other wasps inside as well as the eggs, grubs and the queen.

I then went back two hours later and broke open the nest with a long pole and sprayed more ant powder into the broken nest. I will go up next week and scrape out the dead nest into a bucket. In fact wasps never return to a used or abandoned nest so I do not really need to but it is a bit of a mess. It was about the size of football but I have seen ones three times as big.

The Council will only send a man with a bag of ant powder to spray on the nest anyway so I thought why wait.

Of course this is a bit of a risk if you are allergic to wasp stings so if you wanted to copy me THIS IS ALL AT YOUR OWN RISK. It can be very dangerous in confined spaces if you are particularly sensitive to the effects of stings.

As a child I used to set wasps nest on fire with diesel and run away as fast as possible. That is NOT recommended.

Edited July 29, 2008 by Wad

[evictee]

We think there's a wasps' nest in the loft of the house we moved into two weeks ago. I've noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out of the gap between the frame of the window and the wall, and I suspect they're going into the loft where they probably have a nest.

Have you actually noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out, or have you just noticed a wasp coming in and out a lot?

[19 year mortgage 8itch]

As a child I used to set wasps nest on fire with diesel and run away as fast as possible. That is NOT recommended.

Certainly not in your loft

[Wad]

Certainly not in your loft

No definitely not. However, I did once set a grass field on fire doing it!

[Guest anorthosite]

I had a wasps nest in my attic once. They started getting into the house. I had a couple of Sarracenias at the windows, and they were very effective at getting rid of them

[Matt Henson]

Certainly not in your loft

Ever read the Wasp Factory by Ian Banks....! great and varied ways to kill wasps

[thegirlfrommarz]

Have you actually noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out, or have you just noticed a wasp coming in and out a lot?

There's usually three or four coming in and out at the same time.

I've got the pest control guys coming round this afternoon to sort it out - I hope they aren't planning to use diesel (could be a little bit difficult to get our deposit back...)

[Guest happy?]

There's usually three or four coming in and out at the same time.

I've got the pest control guys coming round this afternoon to sort it out - I hope they aren't planning to use diesel (could be a little bit difficult to get our deposit back...)

You should bypass the agent and tell the landlord direct as he may well want to charge you for subletting.

[pootle]

I had a wasps nest in a place I rented a few years back. Bought a can of this Wasp nest spray for a few quid. Wait until the evening until they are all inside and then spray the entrance. The jet is really good - fires a good three metres or more. Killed the nest stone dead with one application.

[The Ayatollah Buggeri]

Nippon Wasp Nest Destroyer Foam

Is this stuff called Nippon because the wasps are little yellow perils?

[Chrysalis]

We think there's a wasps' nest in the loft of the house we moved into two weeks ago. I've noticed a lot of wasps coming in and out of the gap between the frame of the window and the wall, and I suspect they're going into the loft where they probably have a nest.

I spoke to the letting agent who first asked me to call the council as they will get rid of wasps for free. I checked with the council, who now charge £50, and reported this back to the agent. The agent said that she would sort it out, but called me back to say that wasps' nests are the tenant's responsibility.

I'm going to check my contract when I get back home, but in the meantime I wondered if any of you know whether it's usually the tenant's responsibility to get exterminators out. I admit I'm a bit annoyed about this as we've only been in the house two weeks, so chances are the nest was there when we moved in.

my last summer in my old bedsit (which was top floor of building) I had a wasp nest I think was possibly in the loft and coming through a gap somewhere, very bad as I had no other room to escape to, got stung while in bed. They showed up late august so was around a couple of weeks or so. Wasnt loads of them but usually 1-3 in the room. I also kept the window shut so was boiling hot incase they had a way in that way.

[redwing]

Why do you want to kill the wasps?

What have they ever done to you?

Let them be. A wasp nest isn't going to do you any harm whatsoever.

Wasps are fantastic at clearing up the vegetable detritus of the summer, rotten fruit etc.

[Chrysalis]

unlike bees wasps are agressive, I certianly dont blame people wanting to get rid especially if they living in a confined space.