Wasp Nest Removal for Landlords and Rental Properties in Navestock

A nest below ground can go unnoticed until someone mows over it, which makes quick tenant reporting and clear garden rules especially important for landlords.

A nest you cannot see

Most people picture a wasp nest hanging from a beam or tucked under eaves. Many are nothing of the kind. Wasps also build in holes in the ground, using an old burrow or a gap beneath turf, and from the surface the only sign may be a small hole with insects coming and going.

That makes ground nests awkward for landlords. The tenant may not realise anything is wrong until a child plays near it, a dog digs, or the mower goes over. By then the colony, which grows from late April and peaks in August, may hold anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 wasps or more.

A rental house in Navestock with a lawn, a bank or a flowerbed can have a ground nest just as easily as one with a loft. This guide explains how to spot the signs, what to tell tenants and how to arrange the visit so the garden is safe again quickly.

Signs of a ground nest

Tenants should be told what to look for, because they spend more time in the garden than anyone.

• A small hole in the lawn, a bank, a flowerbed or beneath a hedge, with wasps flying in and out.
• A steady line of wasps heading to one spot at ground level.
• Wasps hovering low over a patch of grass.
• Loose soil around a hole that was not there before.
• Wasps appearing when the lawn is mowed or when someone walks across a particular patch.

Stress that nobody should stand near the hole to watch, poke it, pour anything into it or cover it. A live nest can swarm and sting if it is threatened, and a covered entrance only sends wasps looking for another way out. Mark the area from a distance if possible, for example with a stick or a cone, and keep children and pets away from the whole patch.

Garden rules until the visit

While a ground nest is active, the garden needs a few temporary rules. Write them down and send them to the tenant.

1. Do not mow, strim or dig anywhere near the nest.
2. Keep children, pets and visitors away from the marked area.
3. Keep paths to the shed, washing line and bins away from the nest if possible.
4. Keep food, drinks and bins covered when sitting outside.
5. Tell the landlord immediately if anyone is stung or if the activity increases.

If someone is stung, wash the area, remove the sting if it is visible and use a cold pack. If there is swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or difficulty breathing, dizziness or a widespread rash, call 999. Those who know they are allergic to stings should talk to their GP.

Tell any gardener or contractor you employ to keep away from the area until the technician has been.

Booking the treatment

You can call 01245 327274 or send a request through the online booking form on the contact page. The business is open seven days a week, can offer same-day service and deals with domestic and commercial work. The technician is fully insured, and the work is described as safe and effective.

Tell the office where in the garden the hole is, roughly how far from the house, and how the technician can get to the garden without going through the home. If there is a side gate, say whether it is locked. Tell the office about any sting allergy so the visit can be prioritised.

The fee is a flat £90 per nest, and the graphic showing the price also says one visit guaranteed. If a second nest turns up on the same property, it is £35 more. The price is the same whatever the location or time of day.

A tenant is often reluctant to let someone into the garden when they are out. Give written permission to the tenant if you are arranging it, so they know the visit is genuine.

Cost, responsibility and the garden clause

Because the nest is in the ground, the question of who deals with it often turns on the garden clause in the tenancy agreement. Read what it says about the garden, grounds and pests. This is not legal advice, and the wording of your own agreement is the only guide; if it is unclear, ask whoever drew it up.

Given the modest fixed price, it is usually better to arrange the visit first. Then, with the agreement in front of you, decide who pays and write it down together with the tenant.

Check any insurance policy you hold if you wonder about pest cover. Whether it responds depends on the terms, so check the document directly rather than guessing.

Afterwards: the lawn and next year

Once the technician has been, ask the tenant to tell you if wasps are still using the hole. If they are, tell the office and describe what is seen. Ask the technician at booking whether any further advice applies, such as when the area is safe to use again; do not assume.

Keep a note of the visit with the date, the position in the garden and the amount paid. In April next year, send tenants a reminder to look out for small holes with wasps going in and out, and to report them rather than investigate. Remind anyone who mows to look first and stop if they see wasps. A small habit, repeated each spring, will keep most ground nests from becoming a problem.

If the tenant reports a new hole after the visit, treat it as a fresh report. Wasps may establish a second nest in the same garden, and the additional nest rate of £35 applies to a second nest found on the same property at the same visit.

Frequently asked questions

More wasp advice for Navestock