Wasp Nest Removal for Landlords and Rental Properties in Dovercourt

Food businesses cannot easily trade around a wasp nest, so a landlord who responds quickly protects staff and customers as well as the tenant’s income.

A particular problem for food businesses

A nest at an ordinary shop is a nuisance. A nest at a café, takeaway or restaurant unit is a bigger headache. Wasps are drawn to sugary drinks, bins and cooking smells, customers sit outside, and staff carry plates past doorways. A tenant who runs such a business has every reason to want the problem solved straight away.

The timing is awkward. Wasps start building from late April, depending on the weather, and the colony peaks in August, which is also when many food businesses are busiest. A nest can hold from 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more, and the presence of food makes wasps bolder around people.

As a landlord of commercial premises in Dovercourt, you may not run the business but you own the building, and you have an interest in a quick, safe solution. This guide covers what to ask, how to book and what to keep in mind.

A quick, calm response also shows your tenant that the lease is working in both directions.

Questions for the tenant

A business tenant will want to move quickly, so make your questions short and specific.

• Where are the wasps entering – eaves, wall, roof, bins area, tree, ground?
• Is the spot near a customer entrance, outdoor seating, a kitchen door or a delivery area?
• Are staff or customers being stung?
• Does anyone working there have a sting allergy?
• When does the unit open and close, and who holds the keys?

Ask the tenant to keep staff and customers away from the area and to keep bins closed and food covered. Do not let anyone try to knock, block or spray the nest. Stay back, because a live nest can swarm and sting if threatened. Cones or tape at a safe distance can help with outdoor seating.

Avoid giving advice about food safety rules; that is a matter for the tenant and the relevant authorities. Stick to what you know: keep people away and arrange a technician.

Booking and timing

To make a booking, call 01245 327274 or fill in the online booking form on the contact page. The office is open seven days a week, offers same-day service and handles homes and commercial premises alike. The work is carried out by a fully insured technician, and the client describes the service as safe and effective.

Tell the office what kind of premises it is, where the nest is and when staff and customers are around. Ask your tenant what time would cause the least disruption, and pass that on, but do not promise a specific arrival time. Arrange who will let the technician in.

A nest is priced at a fixed £90 each, and the price graphic carries the words one visit guaranteed. A further nest on the same property is £35 on top of the first. The price does not change with location or time of day, so a commercial landlord can approve it in a line.

Mention any sting allergy among staff so the visit can be prioritised.

Who pays under the lease

Commercial leases tend to be detailed about repairs, maintenance and pest control, and they may divide responsibility between landlord and tenant for different parts of the site. Read the lease. This is not legal advice, and no article can say what your lease means; if the wording is unclear, ask whoever drew it up.

The sum is modest and fixed, so it is rarely sensible to let a disagreement hold up the booking. Many landlords and tenants agree that one will book, and the question of cost will be resolved afterwards with the lease to hand. Record the agreement in writing.

Check your own insurance documents and ask your tenant to check theirs. Whether a policy responds to a pest problem depends entirely on its wording.

During and after the visit

On the day, tell the tenant to keep staff and customers out of the affected area and to keep food and bins covered or inside. Outdoor seating near the nest should be closed off. The technician will advise when the area is safe to use again; do not assume.

Afterwards, ask the tenant whether activity has stopped, and keep a note of the date, the location, the booking, the visit and the cost. If a staff member or customer was stung, the general advice is to wash the area, remove the sting if visible and use a cold pack. Phone 999 straight away for swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash.

Ask the technician at booking whether the empty nest can be taken down if you would prefer it removed.

Preventing a repeat

You cannot stop wasps looking for a home, but you can improve your chances of spotting a nest early. Ask the tenant to check the outside of the building each morning from late April, from a distance, and to tell you about any regular wasp traffic to one spot. Add an exterior look to your own inspections.

A landlord who is quick to respond tends to keep good tenants. A food business that knows the owner will act promptly on a wasp report is a business that will tell you early the next time.

If your tenant is likely to be anxious about trading, give reassurance in writing: that you are arranging a technician, that the price is fixed and known, and that the visit will be planned around the business as far as possible. Do not promise a time. Most food businesses cope well with a short interruption when they know it is being handled. Ask the tenant to let you know once trading is back to normal, and note the date.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Dovercourt