Wasp Nests Under Roof Tiles – A Common Problem for Woolage Green Homes
A nest on the other side of the boundary can still affect your household. This guide covers how to approach the neighbour, keep safe and get it dealt with.
When the wasps come from next door
It is not unusual for the entrance to a roof nest to be on a neighbouring building, or on the wall that faces your garden but belongs to the other property. You see the wasps, you hear them, you are bothered by them, but the roof is not yours.
This can feel awkward. You may not know your neighbours well, they may be away, or the house may be rented out. But the nest will not wait while the awkwardness is settled.
Woolage Green households in this position have the same two aims: get the nest dealt with, and keep everyone safe in the meantime.
Roof nests do not respect boundaries, and wasps from a nest next door will happily forage in your garden, drink from your pond and investigate your kitchen window.
A friendly approach works better than a formal one, and most neighbours are glad to be told.
Telling your neighbour
Start with a friendly, practical message. Many neighbours are unaware of the nest, especially if the entry is on the side of the roof they rarely see. A short note through the door or a quick word at the gate works well.
- Say what you have seen, and where on the roof, as best you can from your side.
- Offer a photograph taken from your garden.
- Mention that it is a safety matter and best dealt with soon.
- Suggest the neighbour books a treatment, or offer to help arrange one.
- Leave your contact details.
Avoid blame. The neighbour did not invite the wasps, and a calm approach gets a quicker response.
Try to speak to the neighbour in person if you can. A conversation at the gate is more likely to lead to action than an anonymous note, and you can show them the wasps from your side.
If you cannot reach the owner
Sometimes the neighbour is away or the property is empty. A letting agent or a managing company may be named on a board or known to others on the street. Contact them if you can.
You can also ring the office and explain the situation. The technician treats nests at the property in question, so access and permission matter, and the office can advise on what they need. It is not for you to enter the other property or climb on its roof.
Whether you can claim a share of costs, or whether the owner is responsible for a nest on their roof, is a matter for you and the owner, and may depend on agreements and policies that neither of you has to hand. Do not assume.
If the neighbour is a business, such as a shop or a pub, the same applies. Speak to the manager, who may have a different person responsible for the building.
Protecting your side in the meantime
Even when the nest is on the other roof, you can reduce your own exposure. Keep windows facing the nest closed, move garden furniture and washing away from the boundary, and keep children and pets from that corner of the garden.
Do not try to deal with the wasps from your side. Spraying across a fence or leaning over a wall to reach the roof is a bad idea. You will be near the entrance, and the other property is not yours to work on.
When a sting happens, wash the skin gently, take out the sting if you can see it and apply a cold pack. Ring 999 at once if breathing becomes difficult, or the face, lips or throat begin to swell, or if dizziness or a widespread rash develops.
If your children play near the boundary fence, move the swings or the trampoline for the time being, and remind them not to go and look.
Do not seal anything on either side
A gap in your own wall or a join at the boundary may look like a way in, and the temptation is to fill it. But the colony is alive, and it will find another way out, sometimes through your side of a shared wall.
Equally, do not suggest to the neighbour that they fill the gap on their roof. The correct order is to treat the nest, wait until it is quiet, and then repair.
If wasps appear in your house, close the door of the room and tell whoever is arranging the treatment, because the nest may be nearer than you thought.
Keep a note of what you have done and when, which is helpful if the nest takes a while to be dealt with.
Price and booking
The charge is always the same at £120 per nest, with no extra for attending. Any second nest on the same property is simply £60 extra. The price graphic says one visit guaranteed, and nothing is added for working near a boundary or for an awkward position.
The office is open seven days a week and offers same-day service, with evening and weekend slots and a form for emergencies out of hours. Call 01622 410 019 or use the booking form on the contact page. If you or the neighbour are the one booking, say who will meet the technician and how the roof is reached.
After the treatment, a few wasps may linger. Once the roof is quiet, the owner can arrange the repair, and the technician can say if the empty nest can come down.
If the neighbour books a visit, ask when it is, so that you can keep your own family indoors during the work.
Wasps on your property in Woolage Green?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.