Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Allerton Bywater? Here's What to Do
If the loft belongs to a rented or managed property, the practical steps are the same: keep clear, tell whoever is responsible and arrange a treatment for the nest.
The nest needs treating whoever owns the loft
A wasp nest in a loft needs a trained technician to treat it, and that is true whether you own the house, rent it or look after it on someone else’s behalf. If you are a tenant, the simplest approach is to tell the landlord or letting agent straight away, keep the hatch closed and stay out of the loft. If you own the property, you can book directly.
Questions about who has to arrange and pay for the work depend on the tenancy agreement or the terms of any policy you hold, so it is worth reading those or asking the agent rather than assuming. We are not able to advise on who is responsible, but we can confirm the price and arrange a visit once someone has agreed to it.
Delays often happen because everyone assumes someone else is dealing with it. In the meantime the colony continues to grow, so a quick decision is better than a long exchange of emails.
What to tell the landlord or agent
A short, clear message gets action faster than a vague complaint. Include these points.
- Where you have seen wasps: the room, the window or the outside wall.
- How long it has been happening, and whether it is getting worse.
- That the loft hatch is closed and nobody has been up there.
- Whether anyone in the household is allergic to wasp stings, or has young children.
- The fixed price of £90, with £35 for any additional nest on the property, for reference.
- A photograph taken from a safe distance, if you have one.
Keep a copy of your message and note the date. It can be useful later if there is any discussion about the timing.
If the agent asks for a quote, you can tell them that the price is fixed and confirmed on the phone before any visit, so there is no need to wait for several estimates.
What you can do in the meantime
While the arrangements are being made, keep to the same sensible rules that apply to any household. Keep the hatch shut and do not block the entrance used by the wasps, since that may send them into the property. Do not use aerosols, poke or tap the ceiling. Open a window in any room where a wasp is loose so it can leave.
If a wasp stings someone, wash the area, remove the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Call 999 if there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or trouble breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.
For shared buildings such as flats with a communal roof void, speak to the managing agent or whoever holds the keys to the loft. Do not try to get access to a shared loft yourself.
Letting a technician in
If the tenant is not the person booking, the practical details need sorting out beforehand. Someone has to be there to give access to the house and the hatch, and the person on the phone to us should be able to confirm the address, the best contact number and how to reach the loft.
The price is confirmed on the phone before the visit, at a fixed £90 with no call-out charge, and nothing starts until the customer agrees. For landlords with several properties, each nest is treated per property, and a second nest at the same address is £35. We cover domestic and commercial premises, and the staff are trained and fully insured.
Do mention any allergies in the household when booking. The technician will then know what to expect.
After the treatment
Once the nest has been treated, you may see some dead wasps near the hatch and in the rooms below. Vacuum or sweep them up, wearing gloves. Leave the paper nest where it is until you have asked the technician whether it can be taken down; they can tell you at the visit.
Landlords may also want to check the roofline for the gap used by the wasps, so a different queen does not settle there next spring. A builder or roofer can usually deal with that.
To arrange a visit in Allerton Bywater, phone 0113 347 0014 or fill in the form on the contact page. We open seven days a week and can often offer same-day service.
Commercial premises and shared roof voids
The same rules apply when the loft belongs to a shop, an office, a workshop or a block with several occupiers. A roof void in a commercial building can be large, partly shared and full of cabling, and it is not a place to send staff to have a look. If you manage the building, the first step is to make sure nobody goes up there, and that a notice or a quiet word keeps people clear of the access point.
Tell the technician how the void is reached, whether it is through a ceiling tile, a fixed ladder or a hatch in a stairwell, and who holds the key. If the premises are open to the public, say so, so that the visit can be planned around staff and customers. We treat commercial nests at the same fixed £90, and an extra nest on the same property is £35.
For a business, it is also worth thinking about food areas. Wasps that stray indoors are drawn to bins, kitchens and staff rooms, so keep waste covered and wipe up sweet spills until the nest has been dealt with.
Record the date you first noticed the problem, and who you told. If more than one tenant shares the roof space, it helps to agree who will make the booking so that the technician is not given conflicting instructions on the day.
Wasps on your property in Allerton Bywater?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.