Wasps in rented flat. Can I ask landlord to pay for exterminator?

Dts91

Thank you for your replies everyone.

Unfortunately the problem has not stopped and I still haven't heard back from my landlord. It sounds like the consensus is that this isn't the landlords problem anyway so I'm just going to call someone out myself. I had a look and my local council will deal with pests for a fee so I'll contact them.

Unfortunately we're not just talking about a few wasps. I've counted all the ones I've managed to kill and theres been over 30 since Friday! I'm allergic to wasp and bee stings. Just one of these wasps stinging me could land me in the hospital. So whether it's a temporary or not this is a big problem for me!

The majority of them are definitely queens, they are huge! There have been a few workers and the size difference is instantly noticable. According to Google there could be over a thousand queens leaving a nest by the time it's abandoned. If they are all going to end up in my flat then that is definitely not a small problem! Hopefully it can be taken care of soon.

Dts91

martindow said:

It is very much the end of the season and wasps do not reuse nests, so this problem is not going to last.  This is the time of year when queens are looking for places to hibernate so maybe that is what you are seeing.  Queens are a fair bit larger than normal wasps.  Worker bees do not survive over winter.

After hibernating in the spring the queens fly off and start new nests. 

Thanks for replying. Any chance you know how far the queens tend to fly after hibernation? Before choosing a new spot.

I know they won't return to the same nest but I'm worried they will just find another spot in the building to build a new nest and the problem will repeat itself.

Dts91

robatwork said:

I wouldn't see the wasps as the kind of issue that the landlord should sort out. But the hole - yes. So I'd keep on to the LL to fix the hole asap, but deal with the wasps yourself.

As others have said, wasps tend to disappear and get very docile in autumn so this problem will sort itself out soon anyway.

Thank you. When I alerted the LL to the wasps I pointed out that they were coming in the hole so hopefully that will remind him to get it sorted. If not I'll just have to keep on at him. 

Oh really,  that's good to hear! I've always been told that wasps are more aggressive in autumn so I'm glad that's not always the case. Thanks!

nyermen

They're not more aggressive - they're dozy at the end of season. They are however more prone to stinging as a result, so stay safe.

Dts91

Mojisola said:

onylon said:

I would get the hole covered up. A bit of cardboard and some gaffer tape would do as a temporary measure.

Wasps could chew through cardboard so something stronger would be better.

I would never have known this so thanks for pointing it out. My brother was able to come round and cover it (I was too scared to get close incase I got stung) but unfortunately cardboard was all we could get. He tried putting a double later of cardboard down but it clearly wasnt enough to stop them. Ill try to find something stronger to use until it get sorted.
Thanks

Dts91

user1977 said:

Generally, I would regard wasps as being for the tenants to sort out. Wasps aren't likely to start building a new nest at this time of year. But it sounds like you haven't even identified where the nest is - if it's in somebody else's flat then it's them who needs to deal with it, if it's in a common area then it's whoever is looking after those (if anyone).

That's a good point! I didnt think about that. I've never had to worry about who is responsible for what before. I've only rented 2 other flats. My first 'flat' was really student accommodation which is obviously different to standard rentals. Then in my last place the landlord owned the whole building so they dealt with everything, no matter which flat it was. 

Do you know how I would find out where it is? Would it just be a case of knocking on doors and asking if they have had wasps? I suspect it's somewhere within the back exterior wall of the property. I looked outside and saw them going in and out of a crack in the wall but i don't know where they go once they are inside the wall. Any idea how I could find that out? Thanks

user1977

Dts91 said:

user1977 said:

Generally, I would regard wasps as being for the tenants to sort out. Wasps aren't likely to start building a new nest at this time of year. But it sounds like you haven't even identified where the nest is - if it's in somebody else's flat then it's them who needs to deal with it, if it's in a common area then it's whoever is looking after those (if anyone).

Do you know how I would find out where it is? Would it just be a case of knocking on doors and asking if they have had wasps? 

Would seem more useful than asking the wasps

Skiddaw1

OP, if you're arranging for an exterminator via your local council to come out I'd be pretty confident that he/she will track down the nest. They have heaps of experience.

martindow

Dts91 said:Thanks for replying. Any chance you know how far the queens tend to fly after hibernation? Before choosing a new spot.

I know they won't return to the same nest but I'm worried they will just find another spot in the building to build a new nest and the problem will repeat itself.

They will need to find a dry place like a loft and I imagine they could easily go some distance away to find the ideal place.  I had a wasp nest in the loft one year and although there was plenty of space there to make new nests they never came back.

We need a wasp psychiatrist to investigate their thinking.

theartfullodger

I can ask the criminal Johnson to pay for damage his regime has caused the country.  But I doubt he'd cough up.

Suggest you write/email landlord, copy agent, calm and polite letter outlining position and making request.  A sensible landlord wants properties cleared of such pests

But sadly being sensible is not a requirement for being a landlord.