Pest infested property

Aj_newbie

Hello everyone

I have been renting this flat from June last year 2022, with my family including 2 children.

There were way too many ants and flying ants during last summer. So much so that I don't want to remember what I did last summer. They were literally in hundreds.

I eventually figured out they were coming from various gaps between carpet and skirting.

I informed my landlord, he visited a couple of times, applied masking tape on the gaps. Of course it didn't stop ants completely but eventually it was end of summer and end of those visitors.

I kept following up with the landlord about fixing it before 2023 summer kicks in.

He only discusses, but haven't taken any solid action in terms of repairs. And last week he replied saying " what's there to investigate, because the previous tenant who lived in the property never reported anything for 4 years".

I have all the photos, videos, whatsapp chat with the landlord.

What are my options now? 

(Pls dont suggest moving out as rental market is too tight where I live).

Kind regards

tacpot12

Have a read of this: Pests and vermin infestations in rented homes - Shelter England

Titus_Wadd

I used to complete the Flying Ant Survey here each year.  It's swarming queens(and short-lived males) so they all emerge when the conditions are right. (edited to add at my new house I haven't seen any flying ants for the four years we've been here; at my old house we had them every Summer, sometimes on two days a year.  We didn't have a problem with crawling ants in the house even though the flying ants emerged from the garden by the back door; we didn't get crawling ants inside, but you can deter them with a line of chalk drawn on a hard floor...weird but it worked!)

It's not something I'd equate with a long-term infestation like roaches or a wasps' nest.  I agree I'd prefer they don't come into the house, although it's usually on a warm day when the windows are open.  I don't have a solution to offer but if you can anticipate and keep them out it should be over in a few hours.  I think your LL's advice is probably what I'd do; try to block them from emerging into your home. 

Out in the open they're great food for birds.

If it's ordinary ants then you'll treat as appropriate.

Aj_newbie

Thanks  tacpot12 and Titus_Wadd for your inputs. 
I will fill out the survey, now I feel either the survey related page doesn't have updated info, or the insects that I see in my flat are not flying ants, however they are very similar.

Titus_Wadd, unfortunately, these ants are not a matter of 1 or 2 days, or even a week. They were there most of the summer, every freaking day. Initially, we thought they are coming from windows, but then once we went for holidays for 3 days, locking all doors and windows, and hundreds of them welcomed us back from holidays, some dead, many alive, crawling or flying or just resting.
For us too, crawling ants are not a problem, but flying ones will dive in our food while dining, or even dive in our beers.
My little one is terrified of the flying ones.

sheramber

Flying ants are young males or queens leaving the nest to start a new one.

Individually, the males on live for a couple of days but queens can survive for years.

If they are coming in from under the skirting board there must be a nest somewhere in the walls.

there is an article here about them  https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/gardens/a36785811/flying-ants/

You can get caulk to fill the gap between the skirting  board and the floor.  That would seem be more productive than waiting for your landlord to ct.

MultiFuelBurner

You could try and identify them, if they are carpenter flying ants they will be causing damage to the wood structure of the property if they are nesting in the property.

If I were your LL I would be trying to sort that out.

Yellowsub2000

Aj_newbie said:

Hello everyone

I have been renting this flat from June last year 2022, with my family including 2 children.

There were way too many ants and flying ants during last summer. So much so that I don't want to remember what I did last summer. They were literally in hundreds.

I eventually figured out they were coming from various gaps between carpet and skirting.

I informed my landlord, he visited a couple of times, applied masking tape on the gaps. Of course it didn't stop ants completely but eventually it was end of summer and end of those visitors.

I kept following up with the landlord about fixing it before 2023 summer kicks in.

He only discusses, but haven't taken any solid action in terms of repairs. And last week he replied saying " what's there to investigate, because the previous tenant who lived in the property never reported anything for 4 years".

I have all the photos, videos, whatsapp chat with the landlord.

What are my options now? 

(Pls dont suggest moving out as rental market is too tight where I live).

Kind regards

This is the sort of thing the ombudsman will be good for next year.

many LLs don’t want to deal with pest control because it’s so expensive and they try to get out of it or do a cheap job.

next year they will face £25K fines 👏 

chrisw

I've always found the Nippon ant bait stations to be really effective. The ants take the bait back to the nest. Worth a try considering how much they cost.

https://groceries.morrisons.com/products/nippon-ant-bait-station-2pk-409207011

elsien

We used to get them every year in a bungalow. They’d come up under the bath and shower tray, then aim for the windows. We used the nippon bait trays under the bath by removing the bath panel and had to use dethlac spray in the shower room because without removing the shower tray or working out where they were coming in the pest control person we called in said they couldn’t do much that would make any difference. 

The only positive was that as someone else said, the flying ones were trying to get out. 

Have you looked round the outside to see where they might be getting in? 

elsien

Yellowsub2000 said:

It’s the responsibility of the LL

next year when the new rules start to apply Pest control will be a good trade to have because LL will pay whatever it takes to get these problems sorted asap or risk £25000 fines

And as if by magic…how did I know you were going to pop up with your take on the ombudsman scheme?

MultiFuelBurner

chrisw said:

I've always found the Nippon ant bait stations to be really effective. The ants take the bait back to the nest. Worth a try considering how much they cost.

https://groceries.morrisons.com/products/nippon-ant-bait-station-2pk-409207011

Thanks for this we will try these this year👍

I suggest the OP does the same for their issue. Low cost potential fix by the looks of it.