Wasp Nest Removal for Landlords and Rental Properties in Houghton on the Hill
Tenants who take matters into their own hands often make a wasp nest angrier and the household more at risk, so landlords need a clear message from the start.
The tenant who has already had a go
Not every report arrives before the tenant acts. Some arrive afterwards: the nest has been knocked, the hole has been stuffed with newspaper, a bucket has been placed over the entrance, or a tenant has been stung and wants help. If you let property in Houghton on the Hill or elsewhere, you may well receive a message like this each summer.
The first thing to do is to stay calm and avoid blame. A tenant who tried something did so out of worry, and a landlord who responds with irritation will hear about the next problem later. The second is to book a professional visit. Treatment is a fixed £95 per nest, an additional nest on the same property is £35 extra, and no call-out charge applies. That price does not move because someone has already made an attempt.
Why DIY attempts tend to go wrong
There are good reasons to discourage tenants from handling a nest themselves, and it helps to explain them rather than just forbidding it.
- A nest holds a colony that defends it. By August it can contain thousands of wasps, and disturbing it can bring many of them out at once.
- Blocking the entrance can send wasps looking for another exit, which sometimes turns out to be a gap into a room.
- Working at height, on a ladder, next to an active entrance, adds the risk of a fall to the risk of stings.
- A partial attempt leaves wasps agitated and more likely to sting passers-by for some time.
- Anyone with an allergy in the household is at higher risk, and may not have mentioned it.
None of this is meant to alarm. It is simply the reason that treatment is left to a trained technician. Our technicians are trained and the work is fully insured, which is a different position from a tenant on a stepladder.
What to ask the tenant to tell you
Before you ring, collect the details that make the visit smoother. Ask exactly what the tenant did, and when. Ask whether the entrance has been blocked or covered, and with what. Ask where the wasps are now, whether any are indoors, and whether anyone has been stung. Ask about allergies and tell us at booking so we can take them into account.
Reassure the tenant that they are not in trouble. Explain that for the time being they should keep away from the nest, keep windows on that side closed, keep children and pets clear, and leave everything as it is, including whatever was used to cover the hole. Do not ask them to remove a blockage. Removing anything from beside an active nest is exactly the type of task that gets people stung.
If someone has been stung, give general first aid advice: wash the area, remove the sting if it is visible, and apply a cold pack. Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash mean calling 999.
Booking and the visit
Telephone 0116 214 9259 or use the online booking form on the contact page (/contact-us/). Describe what has been done to the nest in plain terms; the technician will find it more useful than a polished description. We are open seven days a week, with same-day service available. The price is confirmed over the phone before the technician visits, and no work is done without the customer’s agreement.
The visit is planned as one, in keeping with the 1 visit guaranteed message on the price graphic. If the tenant has to let the technician in, agree a time. If the nest is outside, access to the garden or the wall may be all that is needed.
We treat wasps. If the tenant is unsure what kind of insect they are dealing with, describe what they have seen. If it turns out to be honeybees or bumblebees, a local beekeeper or the relevant bee organisation is the right contact, not us.
Afterwards: prevention without lecturing
After the nest has been treated, send a friendly note: thank the tenant for reporting it, tell them it has been dealt with, and ask them to contact you first next time. A short sentence in a seasonal message works well, such as asking tenants to tell you about any wasp activity from late April and not to tackle it themselves. Most people will accept that, particularly if they remember how stressful the last attempt was.
The tenancy agreement determines who is responsible for the cost of pest control, and we cannot offer legal advice on it. If a tenant paid for a product or equipment of their own, that is a matter between you and them under the agreement; do not let it delay arranging the visit. Ask the technician whether the empty nest can be taken down, add the details to your records, and put the address on your list for an early look in spring.
Reimbursing a tenant who bought something
Occasionally a tenant has spent their own money on a product or a repair before telling you. Whether and how to deal with that depends on the tenancy agreement and your own judgement, and we cannot advise on it. Our practical suggestion is simply to keep it separate from the booking. A nest that is still active is a safety matter for the household, and it should not wait for a discussion about a receipt.
Ask the tenant to keep anything they bought, and to refrain from using more of it near the nest. Make a note on your record of what was tried, because it explains the state the nest was in when the technician arrived.
A nest disturbed on one side of a boundary can affect the next property, particularly in a garden or at a shared wall. If wasps appear to be using a gap that neighbours share, a brief word with the people next door is courteous and can save a second call-out. We do not need their permission to treat a nest on your property, but they may be glad to hear what is happening.
Wasps on your property in Houghton on the Hill?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.