Wasp Nest Removal for Landlords and Rental Properties in East Ardsley
Between one tenancy ending and the next beginning, a wasp nest can turn a smooth changeover into a complaint, so a quick fixed-price treatment is worth building into the routine.
A nest and a changeover do not mix
Every landlord knows the pressure of a changeover: the old tenants leave, the property is cleaned and repaired, and new tenants are waiting to move in. A wasp nest found during that window needs dealing with before the keys change hands. The treatment is a fixed £90 per nest, with £35 for any additional nest on the same property. The price is confirmed on the phone, and the work is done in a single visit.
This article looks at how to fit that visit into the changeover timeline for rented homes in East Ardsley and the wider area.
The easiest way to avoid a clash is to put wasps on your changeover checklist for the months from spring to early autumn. It takes seconds to tick, and it can spare you a difficult call from new tenants.
Spotting a nest during check-out
The check-out inspection is a good moment to look for wasps. Walk the outside of the property and watch the roofline, walls, shed and garden for a few moments. Listen at the loft hatch. Look at the window frames and sills for dead wasps. Ask the leaving tenant whether they have noticed anything.
Do not go close to a suspected nest, and do not open a loft hatch directly beneath one if you hear a loud buzzing. Note the spot and move away calmly. Wasps start nesting from late April, depending on the weather, so a changeover from late spring to early autumn is the time of year when you are most likely to find one.
Neighbours can be a useful source of information. If a neighbour tells you that wasps have been busy at the property for some time, take that seriously and have the area checked from outside.
Where the treatment fits in the timeline
Treatment is best slotted in after the outgoing tenant has left and before cleaners, decorators or the new tenants arrive. That way, nobody working in the house meets the nest, and the property is clear for the visit.
- Check out the tenant and note any sign of wasps in the report.
- Book the visit by phone, confirm the price and arrange access.
- Hold back contractors from the affected area until the treatment is done.
- After the visit, carry out cleaning, repairs and redecorating.
- Do a last walk-round before check-in, outside and in.
Because the service offers same-day treatment and runs seven days a week, you can often fit it in without moving the move-in date. If the window is tight, say so when you call.
The owner of the property may want to approve every expense. With a fixed price, a landlord can tell the owner exactly what the visit costs, and approval can be given on a single phone call.
What to tell the incoming tenants
A new tenant opening the door to a wasp problem will not be impressed, and one who finds out later that you knew may be more annoyed. If a nest was found and dealt with, say so. A short note in the welcome pack saying that a nest was treated before they moved in, and giving them a number to ring if they see wasps, is honest and reassuring.
Make it clear that wasps in summer are not unusual and that they should report any nest they see rather than tackle it themselves. A tenant who knows the landlord reacts quickly is more likely to report promptly.
If you use a letting agent, ask them to include a line about wasps in the tenant information pack. Then the new tenant has the booking number to hand from the first day.
Pay attention to the first few days. A new tenant is still learning the house, and may not realise that a steady stream of wasps at one corner of the roof is unusual. A friendly check-in call after a week, asking whether everything is working and whether there are any problems outside, gives them an easy opening to mention it.
The inventory and condition report
A wasp nest does not usually appear on an inventory, but a note on the check-out or check-in report is useful. Record the date, the location of the nest and the date of treatment. If a technician’s visit meant access to a loft or cupboard, note it. If damage is found, such as chewed plasterboard or marked wallpaper, mention it too.
Whether any such damage is the responsibility of a tenant or a landlord depends on the tenancy agreement and the circumstances, and we cannot give legal advice. Record facts, photograph the result and take advice if there is a dispute about a deposit.
Take dated photographs of the outside of the property at check-out, including the eaves, shed and garden. If a nest appears later, you will be able to see what the property looked like at the start.
The empty nest and any clearing up
After treatment, ask at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down, so you know before the visit. A cleaner or contractor should not remove a nest themselves unless you have been told it is safe to do so. If the technician has advised leaving it for a while, follow that.
Look afterwards at how the wasps got in. Gaps around soffits, loose tiles, missing air-brick covers and cracks in pointing are separate repair jobs, and they are best done before spring. To book a visit, phone 0113 347 0014 or use the online booking form on the contact page. Wasp Exterminator Leeds covers East Ardsley and nearby villages.
Keep the tenants’ forwarding details and the date of treatment together, in case anything about the property’s condition is queried later.
Wasps on your property in East Ardsley?
Fixed price £90 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.