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Original poster

Who should pay in this scenario

16 replies

SpeckledlyHen · 18/08/2022 14:44

I moved into a new house a few weeks ago. The previous owners had said they had wasp nest and got it treated. Within a few hours of being here I noticed there were lots of wasps around a particular section of the house and called out pest control. After a bit of digging we found a nest in the garage, it didn't look active and wasps were not particularly around that area but in the absence of anything else the pest control guy treated it anyhow.

He came back today to check on the wasp situation. The wasps were really bad today, there was obviously another nest somewhere. They seem more aggressive. He turned up in the garden fully dressed in his suit as he said as soon as he got out of the car he was attacked by a swarm. They were all on one side of our house and over the wall in the direction of our neighbour, so effectively between the two houses and therefore in the road.. After extensive searching it turns out it was in my neighbours roof. Luckily neighbour was in and she said she had noticed the wasps but didn't think it was an issue. Pest control guy points out that a swarm attacked him and it was dangerous for passing public as they are aggressive and people could be allergic etc.

He treated the nest, he is going to bill me as I called him out initially. But my question is should the neighbour pay?

OP posts:
ChipsRoastOrBoiled · 18/08/2022 14:51

I'd expect to go halves in this situation and just be thankful the problem has gone.

girlmom21 · 18/08/2022 14:53

I would expect to pay halves as it's her nest but you wanted it dealt with

doilookremotelyinterested · 18/08/2022 14:56

I'd hope she'd agree to pay half as it was on her property but as you'd called the guy out, and as she'd noticed the wasps previously and hadn't thought it worth taking action, then I think you are the one liable.

PuttingOnMyBestBra · 18/08/2022 14:58

Id hope that they would offer to pay but ultimately you called them out

pinkyredrose · 18/08/2022 15:09

Halves

Original poster
SpeckledlyHen · 18/08/2022 15:10

I will pay it and not mention it to them but I would hope they would offer at least to go halves, even if I said no, not to worry.

It's an odd one. But then again I suppose if the nest was in a tree or wall that belonged to no-one and were bothering us then we would pay regardless.

OP posts:
Talipesmum · 18/08/2022 15:13

I think you pay, and while it might be nice for them to offer halves, it wasn’t something they’d planned for or budgeted for, and it hadn’t been bothering them so they probably wouldn’t have called anyone out. So I don’t think you’d have the right to feel a bit grumpy if they don’t offer.

DownNative · 18/08/2022 15:15

Commonsense would suggest half and half. Is your neighbour willing to?

Pest control guy still needs paid regardless.

themimi · 18/08/2022 15:20

If the nest is in you neighbour's roof, she should pay

UnagiForLife · 18/08/2022 15:23

I’d pay it but hope they would offer to pay half in all honestly but you don’t know their financial situation and if it wasn’t bothering them then I’d just suck it up.

zurala · 18/08/2022 15:29

I think she should pay, and if I were her then that's what I'd do. But you called him out and were going to have to pay anyway, so maybe just ask her for the difference between a call out and the treatment if you feel awkward or she is being difficult.
Surely she had to authorise the treatment in her property so will be expecting to pay for that?

OldTinHat · 18/08/2022 15:45

I would expect to go halves. When my neighbour had a rat infestation, I called out pest control, paid for it for my house as a deterrent but paid half of my neighbours bill because I benefitted from not having them come back.

Original poster
SpeckledlyHen · 18/08/2022 16:01

DownNative · 18/08/2022 15:15

Commonsense would suggest half and half. Is your neighbour willing to?

Pest control guy still needs paid regardless.

He will definitely be paid by me as soon as the invoice arrives. He is coming once a month to us now anyhow as a regular visit as we live rurally and have issues...

OP posts:
ny20005 · 18/08/2022 16:04

I've had this before. Nest was on garages at the back of our house. The council wouldn't tell me who rented the one with the nest & they also refused to deal with it.

I had to pay to get it removed as the wasps were all in my garden & I wanted it gone

IncompleteSenten · 18/08/2022 16:06

Ideally they would but you can't enter into a contract for them that requires them to pay without their prior agreement.
Hopefully they're sensible people and offer to pay or go halves.

Original poster
SpeckledlyHen · 18/08/2022 16:10

zurala · 18/08/2022 15:29

I think she should pay, and if I were her then that's what I'd do. But you called him out and were going to have to pay anyway, so maybe just ask her for the difference between a call out and the treatment if you feel awkward or she is being difficult.
Surely she had to authorise the treatment in her property so will be expecting to pay for that?

Yes she was there when we did it and agreed for us to go in and sort etc. She has not been funny or anything like that, it was more a question of what is the right thing to do in this scenario. I personally would offer to pay if I was the neighbour, and she may still do that I guess, but she did not offer at the time and has not said anything about it. I did try and check with pest control guy if there was a difference in price to the call out and wasp nest treatment but I don't think he understood what I was trying to say. :-)

OP posts:
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