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Just wondering what your ideas are on the following. We have a tenant on an acerage property who has been there for 18months. At the last general inspection carried out late last week, we found a live wasp nest located on an exterior wall of the property. Who is responsible for the removal of the nest? The tenant want the landlord to do it but we feel that due to the tenants being there for a while and that the property is rural it should be the responsibility of the tenant as if it were a mouse/cochroach problem. Could anyone help us solve this matter?
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As a general rule, it's the Landlord's responsibility to ensure that the property is pest free at the time that the occupancy commences, and to keep it that way unless the nature of the problem is something to which the tenant has contributed.
For example, a mouse / cockroach infestation is typically contributed to by tenants' poor housekeeping, so initial attempts at rectification is their responsibility. I say “initial” as there may be external factors such as in a Strata Building.
So under this criterion in a stand-alone property, the presence of a wasp's nest would not be due to anything that your tenant may or may not have done, so rectification is your responsibility as Landlord.
Don't delay though, as now that you're aware of the problem, if anyone at the property is badly stung, that may make things difficult for you.
Also depends what sort of wasp. Many species are innocuous but interesting members of the local fauna.
Im on an acreage and I am renting it while I have my apartment in the city is rented to tenants and funnily enough we too have had a few wasp nests on our property. I was actually stung last year while hedging but we had a huge wasp net right outside the bathroom window. I would say without any authority whatsoever that the tenant should just get rid of it and I cant believe they would say its your responsibility. They are very easy to remove.
In the darkness armed with a torch and scissors and a plastic bag approach it with the nest to fall in the plastic bag after one snip at it.
Tie the bag and dispose.
Done.