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.

This is going down as ‘Bird infestation’ I can feel it.

A house I lived in had starlings and sparrows in the roof and blackbirds in the ivy.

They leave after a few weeks.

I know you don’t want to tape up the vent and wait a few weeks, but legally (and realistically given the current world situation) you’ve no other option. Sorry.

We have robins this year. I'm so proud of them. Trying to hand tame mum and dad

We have two robins, and we think we have two nests, as they go in and out of the hedge in completely different parts of the garden. They are cheeky little buggers and very bold.

@Ulver, people are allowed to kill rats because they DO carry disease (leptospirosis, which can be fatal, and salmonella, among others), they live in all sorts of places in a house and they are dangerous and destructive.

Fires have been caused by rats gnawing through electric cables in floor voids and they gnaw through timber and through plastic plumbing.

They are a completely different thing from birds.

Aw. My robin here is jumpy. But the sparrows... Very cheeky.
Starling above main entrance gets cagey when nesting so we can't stand and chat in that area😂

@JacobReesMogadishu, My former neighbour and I got someone's building work stopped because they had bats in their attic.

We used to see the lady when she was out walking her dog, and she moaned to us both about some busybody getting on to "the authorities" and getting building works to her extension stopped for several months.

I struggled to keep a straight face.

OP I don't really have any advice on the birds but the amount of abuse you've had on this thread is ridiculous. Good for you for giving it back and not disappearing from the thread. No doubt the nasty cows commenting are living in detached houses with gardens to escape to. Best of luck love

OP Baby birds grow really rapidly (I know this as I have bred caged birds) Hopefully they will be fledged really quickly and the hole/gap that they have got into can be filled before next spring.
I think you are going to have to suffer for the time being, but I promise you it won't last for long and in the meantime clear the poo up before it hardens!
Rubber gloves and disinfectant are your friend.
Please don't be anxious about it.

I know you don’t want to tape up the vent and wait a few weeks, but legally (and realistically given the current world situation) you’ve no other option. Sorry.

This. And Gorilla tape is brilliant. We did a temporary fix on our old motorhome with it and it was still there 6 years later.

It will deal with the immediate problem of bird crap coming in and you can ask environmental health to get involved while the birds are rearing their young.

Take some pictures of the crap on the windows, though, just in case they don't believe.

Op I'm sorry you're having such a tough time. Life is really not easy at the moment.

In the HA's defence, the government directive is that they should be carrying out emergency and urgent repairs only - gas problems, fire risk etc so they would not be allowed to look at something that wasn't an emergency.

I suspect they would say it's not an infestation - even if it were, a lot of HAs expect pest control to be the responsibility of the tenant, just the same as it would be for someone in private rental. For example, I know my landlord wouldn't be sorting out a mouse problem if I had one.

I think your anxiety and the obviously difficult time you are having is making this much harder for you to cope with but I think you're going to have to just keep cleaning it until they bugger off - I do feel for you.

The nesting season is long to cover different species and possible multiple broods. An individual brood won't be there much longer.

And why on earth would she glue wood over her windiw/wall vents permanently? They are there fir a reason.

They are there to allow trickle ventilation without having to have an open window. There is absolutely no reason they can’t be blocked up. But even with them blocked the problem is still happening so it clearly isn’t a problem with the vent.

I’m surprised there hasn’t been a problem with wet weather getting in in the past if nesting birds are causing shit to come in through the windows.

Thurmanmurman

If I told you to fuck off, called you a wanker, said you were jealous etc would I be a “nasty person”. No one has said anything like that to her.
If she talks to her kids or the Housing officer like she does to people on here I think OP is the nasty person.

But even with them blocked the problem is still happening so it clearly isn’t a problem with the vent I strongly suspect the problem is with the half-arsed measures used to try to block it so far. And I bet the tape used was Sellotape. She just needs a proper tape - any duct tape for example. And yes, Gorilla tape is perfect for the job.

If the nesting birds are proven to be a health & safety risk then the landlord would need to apply for a licence to remove the nest & birds, probably from NaturalEngland.Itwould probably require Environmental Health and the Housing Association to work together to assess the level of risk and go through the proper procedures

By the time all this would take place, the birds would be gone and a piece of chicken wire (fine grade) could be put over the access. Or the hole filled in or whatever needs doing.

Also for OP gorilla tape or duct tape is really good but easy to peel off after. I've got duct tape over a down pipe that needed it for a temporary repair. Its been there 6 years now, still holding the pipe together.

I've got a herd of buffaloes next door to me.

Ulver. I agree nobody should be telling people to fuck off but I imagine the OP was already stressed with her situation and it was a reaction to a load of people sticking the boot in instead of helping. I think with everything going on folk are more sensitive than usual. I hope she gets it sorted.

How is it putting the boot in to state facts? The fact is wild birds are protected, they are not vermin or an infestation.
The fact is that her HA are not going to do anything about it atm, or in the near future.
No one here is in control of that.
She didn’t like the responses and became abusive. Now it’s a pity party. Enabling someone to lash out and be overly aggressive to people who are trying to help isn’t going to change OPs situation.
She needs to calm down and Listen.
If she can’t cope with working from home and the kids health issues she needs to ask for help.

Someone I know used to work for a local housing association, they deliberately went out of their way to be as unhelpful / inaccessible to difficult or aggressive customers ; they were marked on any notes/ communications as SG ( shitty git )

Or labelled as vexatious when simply being concerned about safety. Happened to the Grenfell residents.

Yes, OP, contact environmental health if you can. What was the time period the HA gave you for responding to your complaint? (sorry if you've already stated this and I've missed it!) If that time has passed, there's no harm in getting back in contact.

Regarding the woman you spoke to initially, is it possible you could get through to someone else at the HA? At my HA everyone is working from home and you get through to different people on different days.

Good thing buffalos don’t tend to nest in walls, JamieLee imagine cleaning all that shit.

Some people will only be content when they have removed all vestiges of wildlife from the world.
Live and let live OP.

A lot of unhelpful people here.

Question 1: Whose responsibility is pest control? Your tenancy agreement should say.

As mentioned, most birds can't be removed anyway. RSPB says only pigeons can be removed in Britain and those only by "authorised persons".

If there are gaps or holes that shouldn't be there and are allowing bird shit, or any other dirt in, then personally I would consider filling them myself. It'll have to be from the inside since you can't get to the outside. Silicone for narrow gaps, wall filler or expanding foam for larger holes.

Unfortunately housing associations aren't rich and are often a bit crap with repairs. We have to take on more responsibility ourselves, compared to tenants in private rentals.

We have to take on more responsibility ourselves, compared to tenants in private rentals.

Safariboot - you think tenants in private rentals get more done for them than tenants with HAs?

OP is most definitely, completely, fully, and again extremely definitely to the upmost definitelyness 😁 a complete