Wasp Nest Removal for Landlords and Rental Properties in Warmsworth

A void period is the easiest time to deal with a wasp nest. Here is how to fit treatment around cleaning, repairs and viewings.

A quiet property is an easy one to treat

Between tenancies, a property is empty, accessible and often being cleaned or repaired. That makes it simpler to arrange a visit, and there is no occupant to worry about. A wasp nest found during this time should be dealt with before the next tenant moves in.

This guide is for landlords and agents preparing a property in Warmsworth or the surrounding area, but the sequence works anywhere.

Treating at this stage also avoids the awkward position of arranging a visit while a new tenant is living in the property. It is one less thing to explain on the first day of a tenancy.

Void periods are also when you have the most freedom over timing. You can choose a morning or an afternoon that suits you, rather than fitting around a tenant’s working hours, and the technician can work without anyone needing to be shielded from the activity.

Spotting a nest during a check

Void periods usually involve inspections, and these are good moments to spot the signs. Walk round the outside and look at the roofline, soffits, vents, sheds and garden. In the warmer months, watch for wasps flying in and out of one spot.

Inside, look at the loft hatch from below and the upper ceilings for stains, and listen for a hum on warm afternoons. Do not go into the loft or open a shed that is showing signs of activity.

If the previous tenant mentioned wasps, take that seriously. A nest found early is easier to deal with than one discovered after the new tenants arrive.

Check the garden boundary and the outside of any garage or outbuilding that comes with the let. These are often missed during an inside-focused inspection.

If you find an old, grey, papery nest in a loft or shed during a winter void, it is likely to be from last season and inactive. Leave it alone, and ask the technician at booking whether it can be taken down.

Fitting the treatment into the schedule

The treatment is quick, so it can be slotted in around other trades. Book it before contractors begin working outside, especially anyone using ladders or tools near the roofline, since they could disturb a nest.

• Tell cleaners and decorators to avoid the affected area until it is done.
• Do not allow viewings in the garden near the nest.
• Arrange the visit before any outside painting, gutter work or hedge cutting.
• Keep the property secure and confirm who has the keys.

Because the service operates seven days a week and offers same-day visits, you can book it in the gap between trades.

If you are preparing a number of properties, keep the wasp visit near the top of the list. It is a short job, and the sooner it is done, the sooner the area is safe for other trades.

Remember to tell the cleaning contractor if the property has an indoor sign of wasps, such as dead insects on windowsills. A short note on the job sheet is enough.

Why not wait for the new tenants

Some landlords hope an unnoticed nest will not be a problem and leave it for the tenant to report. That can lead to a bad start to the tenancy. A new tenant who is stung in the first week is unlikely to be pleased, and a nest left until August will have grown.

Wasps begin nests in early April depending on the weather, and the colony peaks in August. Treating at the void stage means the property is ready to let with nothing to explain.

Wasps do not care that the property is empty. A nest left through a void period carries on growing, and the longer the gap between tenants, the larger it can become.

Of course, a void in winter is a different matter from one in summer. In the cold months wasps are inactive and there is nothing to treat, while from April through to the autumn a nest may be active and worth acting on.

Letting a property go to a new occupier with a known, untreated nest would be an unnecessary risk for everyone involved.

Price, agreement and records

A wasp nest is treated for a fixed £70 per nest, an additional nest at the same property is £25 extra, and there is no call-out charge. The price is confirmed over the phone before the visit and might be higher only if special access equipment is needed. Nothing is done unless you agree.

Who bears the cost between tenancies is a matter for you and your agent, and any former tenant’s responsibility depends on the old tenancy agreement; check it rather than assuming.

Keep a note of the date of the treatment with the rest of the void paperwork, in case a question arises later.

If the previous tenancy ended with a dispute, or a deposit question remains open, do not let that delay treating a nest. The safety of the property and the next occupant comes first, and the paperwork can be settled separately.

If a viewing is booked for the same day, arrange the order so that the treatment is finished first and the viewer is not walked past an active nest.

Booking

Phone 07798 792 774 or use the online booking form. Give the address, the position of the nest, who holds the keys and when the property is free. Domestic and commercial premises are both covered, and the technicians are fully insured and qualified.

Ask whether the empty nest can be taken down afterwards, which can tidy up the roofline or wall before new tenants move in.

A property with no wasps to worry about makes a better first impression at viewings, and the new tenant starts with one fewer concern.

Once the work is done, put the invoice or confirmation with the void file, along with the date, so the sequence of cleaning, repairs and treatment is easy to follow.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Warmsworth