To try and force my neighbour to pigeon proof?

[HeadFairy]

Originally posted in property/diy but I want some forthright opinions, so give it to me straight

I live in a top floor flat at the end of a terrace of converted houses. Most of the houses are converted in to flats, and most of the top floor ones have roof gardens (as do we) Last summer, after complaints from neighbours, I spent nearly £2000 pigeon proofing our roof garden (there was a space under the decking where the pigeons could nest) putting spikes everywhere, blocking off access to the space under the deck. We had to lift all the decking, remove all the nests (and dead birds - yeuch) spray using industrial pesticide, all of which had to be done using a cherry picker which cost lots to hire.

Now two doors down have got the same problem, there's a space under their deck where the pigeons can roost so they've set up home there. There are pigeon droppings absolutely everywhere, there are birds all over the place. It took me two days this week to scrub our deck to get rid of the droppings, but they're going to come back because they're roosting so close.

I think the flat is tennanted, there always seems to be different people in there every few months, but surely the landlord has a responsibility to sort this out? Does anyone know what my rights are? The pigeon fouling is obviously a health risk.

Well i am totally phobic about pigeons so yanbu!

I suppose it depends though if the property owner has the money/inclination to do the work. Can you talk to environmental health and your other neighbours to gather some support?

Or get a nice man with a hawk to come round? Sorry, but i really, really don't like pigeons.

Not too sure, but you could try the council. We proofed our roof terrace a couple of years ago (spikes only) and it has been a huge success. Pigeons still all over the place, but not in my back yard .

I do feel for you as they are disgusting. Before there was pigeon poo on teh door step every day - every 5 mins infact.

I hate them too traceybath.... I had lovely fantasies of spending last summer up on our roof terrace with ds but we couldn't because the whole place was covered in poo, so hideous!

If it's a health risk, can't I force him to do the work regardless of whether he's got the money or not. I mean, I didn't have the money really but because it was a nuisance to my neighbours (and us of course) I had the work done.

If he doesn't have the money, and i mean really can't afford it, how exactly are going to force him?

what sort of health risks do pigeons pose?

The council will do it but they do charge for it mumof2, just rang them but it's an answer machine but they do list their prices on the council website.

mysterymoniker, bird droppings can pass on Cryptococcosis, Histoplasmosis and Psittacosis all of which are more dangerous to children and the elderly, but are also pretty yucky for healthy adults.

cryptococcosis

histoplasmosis

psittacosis

Yuck

Tamarto, won't he just have to borrow the money as I did? I'm not being deliberately obtuse, but if you have a responsibility to do something, and the council say you must do it, then you have to find the money don't you?

Is it a place accessible to a cat?

Masses of cats round by me and no pigeon problem at all.

Lots of cat shit though.

I always thought it was a myth

Sadly no myth mysterymoniker.. the guy who did my roof said the diseases were really nasty too, often causing other problems later in life or ongoing lung problems.

I don't think cats could get up there herbeatitude... they're private roof terraces three floors up. I've got a fake owl, but it doesn't seem to work.

The chappie who came to do my roof said they're really persistant and that you have to proof anywhere they can roost. Currently they're squeezing through a tiny gap in my neighbours deck. I could barely get my hand in there I reckon.

Not everyone can borrow money though, and not everyone finds it possible to find a few thousand pounds.

The way banks etc are now, the fact that he may have no family, the fact that he may be in debt etc, etc, are all reasons why it isn't always possible.

If it is something that has to be done, why did you wait until someone complained?

Also why wasn't it done ages ago or is it a new rule that means it must be done?

I didn't realise the extent of the problem until a neighbour with a garden below ours pointed it out. We could hear them scratching about in there, but the neighbour had sat in her garden one day and watched loads coming and going, so she pointed out the extent of the problem.

The problem was in part created when we had the decking replaced on our roof, the stupid builders left a whacking great hole the length of the deck for the pigeons to get in, so although I've lived here for 12 years, the pigeon problem only really arose a couple of years ago, then when my neighbour noticed the problem it was causing I had it fixed immediately.

probably the lung problems are when people live with birds, indoors, I'm going to ask a friend in public health how much sleep they lose over pigeons! am sure the risks are overstated by pest control companies

the shite must be grim to live with whatever the dangers

I'm sure you're right mysterymoniker, but it is still grim, esp as ds keeps picking up the droppings and attempting to eat them

Tamarto, I'm playing devil's advocate slightly here (it is the aibu board after all ) but if a landlord had a building that was unsafe and was ordered to make it safe, even if he didn't have the money, he'd have to find it surely, esp as it's a public safety issue?

No the council would make it safe and bill him.

You haven't explained why none of you have been made do it before though. It seems you are irritated because you forked out the money after people moaned, but he wont.

Tamarto,

October 2007 our decking was replaced, stupid builders left access to the roof underneath so from that point onwards (though it wasn't immediately obvious) the pigeons started nesting.

Early summer 2008 - my neighbour noticed the large numbers of pigeons nesting under there and the damage they were causing.

Late Summer 2008 - we had the whole area pigeon proofed. It took a couple of months for pest control companies to come and have a look and give me some quotes.

Is that clearer? I fixed the problem as soon as it became apparent and yes I am a bit irritated that they are leaving the problem unfixed while I was responsible enough to fix it. Is that wrong?

No i would be too, but this is AIBU and you asked were you being u to force him to fix the problem, and so i answered the Q

Speak to your local council and ask does he have a legal obligation, if he doesn't you're just going to have to suck it up really.

Oh I see... sorry for confusion. It's so blooming annoying. I know if he's a landlord he's not going to be around much, but it has been brought to his attention but I guess his tennants haven't complained. I would have done if I was living there. Their garden is totally splattered with bird droppings.

Speak to them, find out how to contact him, explain the problem, he may be totally reasonable especially if as you say he has no idea there is a problem.

Were the pigeons not nesting in his decking before? I understand how it sudden;y became a problem at your house, but what has changed at his place?

I don't understand that either bubbaluv, maybe they moved on from mine to the nearest hospitable place, ie his. Their decking is much older than ours.