Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Harlington? Here's What to Do
Roof spaces can run across more than one property, so a nest may sit above your ceiling but belong, in effect, to a wider problem. Here is how to approach it.
When the roof space is not just yours
In some buildings the roof space is divided by a wall, and in others it runs on, sometimes with only a thin partition between neighbouring homes. If you can hear wasps above your ceiling but see them entering the roof edge at the boundary with next door, you may be unsure whose problem it is, or whether your neighbour even knows about it.
This guide cannot say who is responsible for what, because that depends on the property and any agreements that apply. What it can do is help you work out the facts, speak to your neighbour sensibly and make sure the nest is treated without a row.
Wasps do not care about property lines. A nest in a roof void near the boundary can send workers out of an entrance on either side, and a hum above one ceiling can easily be coming from the other half of the building. Putting two sets of observations together is often the quickest way to find out what is happening.
Working out where the nest is
From the garden, stand well back and watch the roof edge. Note which section of the roofline the wasps are using, and whether it is above your house, the boundary or the neighbour’s side. Take a photograph from a safe position.
- Is the entrance on your side of the roof, or on the boundary?
- Are wasps appearing in your upstairs rooms, or only in next door’s?
- Does the hum seem to come from over your ceiling or the party wall?
- Can your neighbour see or hear the same things?
- Have wasps been seen on both sides of the fence?
If the answers point to the boundary, you may be dealing with a single nest that affects both homes.
Keep a written note of what you observe, and ask your neighbour to do the same if they are willing. Two sets of notes with times and places can show whether wasps are using one entrance or two. Do not lean over the fence for a better look, and do not stand where the flight path crosses the boundary.
Talking to the neighbour
The simplest approach is a friendly word at the door or a short note through the letterbox. Say what you have seen and heard, and that you are arranging treatment. Ask whether they have noticed wasps too, and whether they would like to be involved. Keep it factual. People tend to react well to a calm explanation and badly to an accusation.
Do not offer to go into their loft or ask them to go into yours. Both of you should keep the hatch closed until a technician has been. If the neighbour is away, mention it in the booking so the technician knows whether access to the other property is possible.
If your neighbour is reluctant or unreachable, you can still book for your own side. Describe the situation to the business. The technician will do what is possible from your property, and will tell you if the nest cannot be reached without access to next door. You are not expected to enter anyone else’s property or to persuade them against their wishes.
Who books, and who agrees
Whoever books must be able to agree the price, since no work is done without the customer’s agreement. If both households want the nest dealt with, one of you can make the booking and the other can tell the technician when they arrive. Work out between you how any cost is shared. That is a matter for the two households, and the business cannot advise on it.
The price is a fixed £70 per nest, with £30 extra for an additional nest on the same property. No call-out charge applies, and the figure is settled by phone ahead of the visit. Special access equipment might raise it if the nest is hard to reach.
A good record of who said what and when is worth keeping. A short message to your neighbour stating that you have booked, and on what date, avoids confusion on the day. If the technician finds that the nest is on the other side, you can then pass the details on, along with the phone number to book, so that the neighbour can arrange treatment for their own property.
Keeping both households safe
Whichever side the nest is on, wasps can find their way into either home. Keep windows closed on the boundary side, and keep children and pets away from upstairs rooms next to the wall. If wasps are indoors, shut the door to that room and open a window so they can leave. Do not swat.
If anyone has a sting allergy, say so on the call. The client’s advice is that it helps the booking to be prioritised. If a person is stung and has swelling of the face, lips or throat, breathing difficulty, wheezing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999.
Keep in mind that a nest which has been treated on one side may still be active on the other if there is more than one. Ask the technician to tell you honestly what they found and what they think might remain.
The visit and afterwards
Whoever comes out is fully insured and qualified for the work. Same-day service is offered, but a call early in the day gives the best chance, and evening and weekend visits can be arranged. Show the technician where you think the nest is, and where your neighbour has seen wasps, then leave them to work.
Afterwards, ask whether the empty nest can be taken down, and clear any dead wasps with gloves, a brush and a bag. The business takes calls on 07852 111 437, and requests sent by the booking form or contact page reach the same people. Tell your neighbour how it went, as they may still see a few wasps in the days that follow.
Wasps on your property in Harlington?
Fixed price £70 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.