Wasps nest in eaves of house is landlord responsible?

richardc1983

Hi there

I live in a converted victorian house that is made up of 4 flats.

I am on the ground floor flat and there are tennants in the upstairs flat, basement and attic flat.

Wasps have built a nest in the eaves of the house near the guttering. THey keep coming into my flat even though I am on the ground floor. Technically the people above me and the attic flat occupy the roof area. I think the Landlord should pay though? He is responsible for upkeep of the parking area etc.

We rang landlord this was his reply "You will be pleased to know that pest control is the tennants responsibility"

I disagree... if it was rats or something that I could have done to cause the problem then fair enough but this is in the structure of the building.

Who deals with it & can you give me any advice on how to deal with this problem.

Kind REgards
Richard.

jamie11

Wasp nests would be under tenant's responsibilities, just as an owner would have to deal with it himself. Your local council will have a pest control department. Call them.

richardc1983

jamie11 wrote: »

Wasp nests would be under tenant's responsibilities, just as an owner would have to deal with it himself. Your local council will have a pest control department. Call them.

I may call them and see what they say.

My landlord is so cocky when he is talking to you I would love to win one over on him.

theartfullodger

Odd: According to Shelter (& assuming this is in Engerland..)
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/pests_and_vermin

Insects and other small beasts

Most insects are harmless and many are beneficial. Leave them alone, or simply remove them from your home if they are unwelcome. But some insects are a problem, for example:

• cockroaches cause damage and can spread disease
• wasps can be dangerous if there is a nest in or near to your home
• clothes moths can damage clothes, curtains and other fabrics, but most moths are harmless
• woodworm and deathwatch beetle can damage furniture and even any parts of the structure of the building that are made of wood.

If you are the homeowner, you can use shop-bought control methods, or use a pest control company. If you rent your home, report the problem to the landlord, who should deal with it. If not, report the situation to your local council's environmental health department.

Suggest you point LL at this info/thread (I'm sure he'll be pleased to hear of your views of him.

My landlord is so cocky when he is talking to you I would love to win one over on him.

- he may already be browsing this anyway...) and/or seek clarification from council.

Logic (always a dangerous and uncertain analytic tool when dealing with landlords or tenants..) would suggest both a landlord and tenant would be keen to sort a wasp nest early rather than later...

prudryden

Is it a positive that they are wasps and not masonry or carpenter bees?

Owain_Moneysaver

Here is how to do it yourself for a tenner, if your council charges for pest control.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2070306#2070306

thegirlintheattic

Please warn the other tenants before getting rid yourself! The wasps that don't die on contact will become very aggressive so everyone should make sure windows/doors are closed etc. whilst the spraying is going on.

clutton_2

there is no definitive legal responsibility for this - its up for negotiation with your landlord - but i guess you know his answer already.

BitterAndTwisted

It's not going to be that expensive once the cost is shared between four flats. Get it done and share the expense between you.

prudryden

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Here is how to do it yourself for a tenner, if your council charges for pest control.

http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=2070306#2070306

It took an hour to stop laughing and that's probably just today.

hazyjo

Check with the council first. Some charge a very small amount £20-odd, and a neighbour told me a while back that some do it for free (obviously only heresay!).

Jx