AIBU to ask the housing association to remove birds from my wall? And if I'm not BU, how can I make them do it?

[BirdwomanofAlcatraz]

There are birds in the outside wall of my bedroom. I first became aware a couple of weeks ago when I heard them scratting around in the early morning and saw them flying back and forwards, also that there is bird poo on the inside of my window.

I phoned the housing association and told them but they knocked me back on four fronts: 1) that they don't believe the birds are in the walls, I need to have footage of them going in and out of the wall (I'm on the third floor, they're quick, I've tried standing outside with my phone and pressing record but they're too quick for me, really I stood there for a long time like a crazy person but it's split second movements when they go in and out)
2) that the marks on the window are just marks. They're not just marks. It's actual bird poo dropping down the window on the inside
3) that there's a pandemic on. Yes I know this but this is an infestation and I am concerned if fleas etc are also dropping down the window
4) the birds are probably in the eaves. Well if they were I wouldn't be concerned, but they're not. They're in the space directly above my window. I have seen them with my own eyes going in and out and so have my neighbours. There is a gap in the wall that they're getting in and out of.

What can I do? I've submitted a complaint after they dismissed my request for maintenance but not heard anything. As far as I know landlords do still have a duty to ensure their properties are not infested, even at this time. I pay my rent every month and haven't asked for a repair before. This is driving me crazy.

Either way op, no housing association is going to send anyone out immediately. Disturbing nesting birds is illegal, you can’t move an active nest and even if you could hire someone yourself, no contractor will risk the penalties for doing what you are asking.

You should take photos of the mess inside the window, so that once the neat is empty and the pandemic over, you have the proof that repairs are necessary.
Until then, you are stuck with taping the vent and cleaning the window and sill regularly. Hopefully not for too long.

OP, this sounds absolutely horrible and I would hate it too. I don’t know why so many people are feigning bemusement at your reaction.

@ifigoup because if you'd read the full thread and seen the op's deleted comments you will understand that the op has got peoples backs up.

YABU. Infestation! Put your pearls down pet.
OP you are bird shit crazy.

I’m genuinely trying to understand what’s happening

The birds must pop on the outside of the window and it comes in the vent?

If not there’s a hole to the outside in ops wall and the birds are hanging their arses into the room to poo?

So surely closing and taping the vent is the logical response until a more permanent solution can be found 🤷🏻‍♀️ Or am I missing a huge reason for drama here?

Op do you have holes around the window that could at least be filled? Could you take a picture of the gap where the poo is coming from and we can see what we can suggest ?

I put the complaint in two weeks ago. They're supposed to respond within 10 days but they haven't.

Two weeks is ten working days.
I expect they are taking longer due to the situation at the moment.

Birds aside this sounds like a really bad gap. I’m surprised you don’t get water coming in. It needs fixing. Try contacting the HA again.

They nested in a wall outside my bedroom wall in my old house for years. It happened every springtime and they’d be gone by summer, they just kept their babies there. Really didn’t fuss me tbh, the scratting noises were slightly irritating in the morning but could live with it.

They won’t be there forever and the fleas thing is just silly.

Well, when the pretty birds have flown, you can ask the housing association to inspect the wall cavity, maybe after the pandemic has calmed down a bit. Sometime after Brexit. When we're in a major economic depression. But yeah, those damn swifts ... gotta get your priorities right.

I can't believe all the people thinking the OP is being unreasonable. If they were mice I bet the answer would be different! I don't know what you can do OP but you are being totatally reasonable not to want birds inside the house!

@LostDesire we will fundamentally disagree about this so I'm gonna leave it. I personally very strongly believe in doing as little harm as possible. I do actively step out the way of as much as possible when walking. Things like birds and mice are welcome to all areas except my internal living areas, it's not safe for them or us. I just firmly believe they choosing to end an animals life if fundamentally wrong. Accidentally stepping on a snail is entirely different. I dont believe in humans having any right to land beyond in reference to other humans. You can easily stop the poo coming in, so it's only a small inconvenience

@totallyyesno birds nest and leave. Mice stay and breed. Massive difference.

When the babies have fledged, hang some old Shiny CD’s on string sa a deterrent when they move in the wind?

Beat me to it!

We had starlings nesting in the cavity wall. They got in through a broken air-vent tile. We left them till autumn, when we were sure they weren't in residence, then my ex removed the air vent and replaced it.

They also used to shit down the inside of the window, I think they used to perch on the bottom of the little fanlight window when they wanted a crap, the bastards. I just used to clean it off.

It was right outside the window of the room that I used as my office (job then was entirely WFH) and I'm bird-phobic. They used to freak me out flapping right be my desk and nearly bloody gave me heart failure.

Anyway, wait until autumn, when they'll be gone, then seal the gaps between the frame and wall with mastic window sealant.

If you can get in the roof space, check it out for nests. Because roof voids have to have a gap for ventilation, you can't block them totall, but you can buy mesh that goes between the soffit and the timber of the roof itself.

I'm really surprised at this thread and what a hard time OP has got.

Birds poohing on the inside of your bedroom window is disgusting. I can't believe all these posters telling her she's anxious and unreasonable. It is gross.

I'm really surprised at this thread and what a hard time OP has got.

I think you’d get it if you had been on the thread from the start and read the rude and aggressive replies the OP gave to people suggesting ways to solve the problem.

Her really unpleasant comments have been deleted but there are enough of the slightly less unpleasant ones to give you a flavour.

And the fact her kindred spirit is someone who suggests spraying toxic insulation foam into the nest to kill the baby birds should clarify things further.

But the point people have been making is if it’s coming in a vent, tape the vent up with duct tape and the problem is solved until nesting is over.
Once lockdown is over the maintenance people can take a look.

Stop being so bloody dramatic, it’s nesting birds you’re not ‘infested’. They’ll be gone soon, just tape up the vents or hole or whatever it is and wait

Haha I think it's funny the OP thinks it should be dealt with as a priority.

My sister's landlord couldn't deal with nesting seagulls in their chimney.

The bastard things dive-bombed the house residents every time they went in or out both front and back door. They had to use umbrellas.

And have you seen the size of seagull poo?

Once they'd gone, landlord got some sort of grid cover for the chimney.

But even in non lockdown times they had to wait for nesting to be over, even though the tenants were being physically attacked by the birds.

If they were mice I bet the answer would be different!

Yes it would. Councils will remove mice (often at no charge) as they are a health hazard. They won’t remove birds (except some may help with pigeons).

It's a pandemic. No one will come out now.
That's why people suggested to seal the vent temporarily.

clear it using my three storey legs?
That's why I said either you do it or get someone to do it. I don't know if your window opens enough. I have no idea what kind of window you have because looking at the upvc ones I always had, there is no way poop could get i to the vents to run in. If not, there are professionals who can deal with it.

When they fledge, and this lock out ends, just call HA again. This is not an emergency repair and no one will send out workers just to put proper tape over a vent.

If they were mice I bet the answer would be different!
Well, obviously 🤷🏻 Mice and rats would actually come inside. Birds don't... Also mice and rats are not likely to be on amber or red conservation status.

Have we established what sort of birds they are? Can’t see this on the thread.

We have quite a lot of rooks near us. Our old unused outdoor toilet has a corrugated roof and we often see them on there, tapping away, picking at the moss on there and we often find dropped moss on the ground in our yard. Past few days I've heard tapping at the front of the house and yesterday, our neighbour said he thinks theres a nest as he is being woken up by it and his bedroom.is at the back. We saw one trying to get in yesterday with twigs and today I've woken up to this! Bits of slate and twig and I've seen one up there, gloating at me! The noise is annoying but I suppose we have to leave it for now!

I do think the OPs situation is causing this problem to blown out of proportion. She’s got a lot going on and anxiety is probably high.
The reality of the situation is it’s nit an infestation and the HA or any tradesman will not remove the birds, they will wait until the chicks have left the nest before commencing any work.
The gap in the wall cannot be large so it must be small birds therefore the amount of bird poo on the window must be in proportion to the size of the bird.
OP please try and understand why this problem feels bigger than it is. Breathe. It will go away by itself but this terrible situation we’re in is making it seem worse for you.
There’s been good advice on here. Log the problem with the HA, daily disinfect and block the vent until the birds fledge.

I had a similar problem a few years ago. Nobody will do anything until the birds have left the nest. Once they had gone I got a post control firm out to block up where the birds were getting in. They have never been back. It cost £65 and I didn't need to bother my landlord with it. No drama.