Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Sorry but another whinge. I rang the council for advice about a suspected wasps nest in an elderly ladies house. They couldn't give me any advice but that's not my whinge. She is old, alone, unsteady on her feet, diabetic, has various other medical probelms and has also had a stroke in the past. This poor lady was scared stiff and had spent all day trying to get wasps out of her house. Me... well I'm scared of wasps too and didn't fancy zapping them myself hence I called the council. Yes, their pest control department could treat the nest and rid her of her unwanted visitors but they charge £50 and there ARE NO CONCESSIONS !!!! Concessions were removed a year ago apparently. What a rip off and I wonder if they get any work. Surely the council could and should offer concessionary prices to the elderly and vunerable !!! Whinge over Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 You should have contacted Environmental Health, they usually sort it FOC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Aren't they part of the council Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Yes they are part of the Council and they have always responded promptly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 ... and as such, being part of the council, they must now charge then ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 The trouble we had was with rats which it seems is a health hazard and therefore was dealt with by the Council, I note that with regard to wasps there MAY be a charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Stop trying to confuse me Eagle. I have no idea about rats and don't ever want to have to find out thanks... cute but not something I'd want in my home thanks. As for wasps there is DEFINATELY now a charged by the council and like I said no concessions. Anyway all irrelevant now as I rang a local pest control company who I found listed at the back of this months Warrington Worldwide magazine (Gary will be impressed). They have been round and searched the loft space, eaves and everywhere else and have determined that there is actually no wasps nest in the house after all Little waspies must just be flying in from outside and having a group meeting. Anyway they were fantastic, very thorough and didn't actually charge her anything. Had they found one the cost would have been £39 to treat and destroy the nest. Simples.... Thank you Atlas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 If memory serves me well, there has been a charge for some years re. Wasp nest removal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 If memory serves me well It is better than mine then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 I like your new avatar Eagle Anyway I seem to have a 'bee in my bonnet' now over their excessive charges now and I've also been told by Mr Pest Killer that there is about a one month wait for the council too. I'm not for one minute saying the council should do it for free for everyone at all and yes they should charge something but what I am saying is that their charges seem way OTT and that concessions should be made for certain people who can't afford £50. (actually I think it was £50.17p but I've rounded it down for ease.) I certainly wouldn't pay that much and I'd probably take the advice shown on the council's website where it says to pop along to a local DIY store and buy some wasp/nest killer. Sounds easy enough.... but then again did you know if you use wasp nest killer and just ONE of the little waspies gets a strop on and tries to sting it gives off a pheromone which then causes all the other wasps in the nest to swarm. :shock:EEK Anyway I'm digressing as usual. In April 2003 the council did indeed start charging for wasp nests for the very first time as like Eagle has already said they dont actually pose health hazard as such. Sounds reasonable to me. In 2006/7 (the only info I can find) their charges for wasps was £41 +VAT but it was free for people on certain means test benefits. So really the price hasn't gone up much in 5 years but WHY during the last 2 years have they stopped all concessions? Is it important... no not really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Surely the home owner is the one who should be solely responsible for the upkeep of their own property - whether it's wasps, rats, or anything else causing the problem. So it'd be the landlord if rented, or the householder if owner occupied. If they can't do the job themselves then they'll just have to pay a contractor to do it. No different than any other form of property maintenance really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Good points and I guess you are right there Inky. I think my little issue is merely because they DO actually advertise as offering the service and as such maybe their charges shouldn't be so high. Maybe elderly people like the one I mentioned just get 'stung' by the council's excesive charges and pay if they can or more worryingly try to do it themsleves as they are wary of phoning other companies and people they don't know and being older they tend to trust the council more. They are probably helping to subsidise all the people in council rented accomodation who probably will get it done for free as the council are thir landlords. It would be a good little earner for the council though if they did reduce their prices as apparently there are loads of wasps nests appearing at the moment. On the other hand, and credit where credit's due, with the Council charging OTT amounts they are actually helping other private businesses to survive and also freeing up their own pest control staff to deal with other issues and bigger pests than wasps. I wonder how much they do make a year from their pest control service though and wether it is a viable chargable service or wether they would be better saving on wages ? Only kidding incase WBC pest man is reading as I don't want all the rats deposited by my front door thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Since the private company in this case were cheaper and provided a far superior service (turned up in a lot less than a month, and then didn't charge when no real problem was found)then I'd say that it's better to leave it in the hands of the professionals than get some council numpty in a month later. I'd also hope that since the council no longer HAS any tennants of it's own, that they're charging Golden Gates Housing a full market rate for any and all services supplied to that company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 I forgot that Golden Gates housing is no longer part of the council. Yes of course you are right and the local company were cheaper and very good which was great but you are still missing the point.... How old are you Inky and if you are old do you have anyone to help you and do you trust people and are you sometimes a little confused and unsure of what to do in an 'emmergency'. Had it not been for me finding out this poor old lady whould have either tried to do it herself and if not sucessfull (or had she hurt hurself trying) she would then have either had to put up with the wasps nest (that she didn't have ) or would have somehow waited in fear and paid the council somehow. She would not have rung anyone else as she has been conned by people in the past and read and seen so many scare stories she is very wary these days. Bit odd that she trusts the council.. I must have a word. I wouldn't like to be old and scared Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Since the private company in this case were cheaper and provided a far superior service (turned up in a lot less than a month, and then didn't charge when no real problem was found)then I'd say that it's better to leave it in the hands of the professionals than get some council numpty in a month later. I'd also hope that since the council no longer HAS any tennants of it's own, that they're charging Golden Gates Housing a full market rate for any and all services supplied to that company. Inky, Yes and NO. The normal homeowner can probably afford it, but in certain cases the elderly are not financially able to afford it or should only pay part of. Let's be fair about this. Does an OAP suffer the problem or get help from the council? Cut-backs are ok as long a they don't affect the vulnerable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 That's just what I was trying to say Peter... thanks for that, you worded it far more concisely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 A home OWNER has at least one very valuable asset. Of course they can afford £40 for a professional pest controller to deal with a wasps nest. They would have to pay for any and all other repairs or maintenance their property needed, it could be a burst pipe or a blocked drain - why is this situation any different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 How much is a weekly pension Inky... any idea ? Bust pipes and blocked drains are irrelevant anyway as insurance can cover those. Are you suggesting that an elderly person who is a HOMEOWNER and on a normal pension should sell up and release some equity from their asset (ie their home) for the eventuality of one day having to pay half of their weekly pension to get rid of a wasps nest? Good gried... have you no heart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 24, 2011 Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 The damage caused by burst pipes and blocked drains MAY be covered by insurance - if the homeowner has chosen to take it out. But the homeowner will still have to call out a tradesman to fix the immediate problem and then claim the cost back. For an OAP home owner there's loads of help available from SAGA, Age Concern and the CAB to assist in locating trustworthy tradesmen. If a home owner does not have the ability to do things for themselves, or the income to enable them to pay for the day to day maintenance costs of their home, then maybe they do need to think about their options - regardless of their age. If the home owner is elderly then equity release is definitely a useful option which can enable them to stay in their home AND enjoy a greater income. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2011 Ok I'll start again... this unlucky homeowner (I say unlucky as she and her late husband worked from being in their early teens, and both paid their taxes from then until past retirement age but she now finds herself to be "old, alone, unsteady on her feet, diabetic, has various other medical probelms and has also had a stroke in the past.....This poor lady was scared stiff and had spent all day trying to get wasps out of her house." I didn't say she was incapable of living alone, she is more than capable but unlike you and me who could run from the room if scared she walks slowly and with a stick at times etc etc. Do you think I should get her some roller skates to speed her up a bit next time? Yes there is probably help available from SAGA, CAB, Age concern etc but we are taling about wasps here and I bet they would love all the wrinklies phoning up and taking their valuable time over things like wasps. At the end of the day the council provide a service, people know they do and they should be able to act and offer reduced rates for the elderly who are in need and who can manage on their pensions but not if they have to pay £50 to get rid of a simgle wasps nest. And if the council have a months waiting list or whatever it is then they should have a list of recommended local and trustowrthy companies themselves to speed up the process. As for these caring equity release companies well many of thse are con merchants according to the news and other reports in the past. God help you when you are old and need some help once in a while Inky... you can get rid of your own wasps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inky pete Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 But my point stands. What if it hadn't been wasps? What if it had been a burst pipe, blocked drain, hole in the roof, electrics not working, heating broken, tree fallen down, or any of the hundred and one things that can cause an emergency when they go wrong with a house? OK, the cost of SOME of them can be reclaimed - after the event - if the the householder has the right insurance. But the householder does still have to deal with the emergency, and to organise and pay tradesmen and contractors in the first instance. I just don't see what's so different about wasps that they merit special attention and funding from the council (who have proved that they're pretty useless at dealing with wasps promptly anyway!). As you say, maybe the council should just maintain lists of approved, recommended and insured contractors who they know from feedback don't go round ripping off little old ladies, and leave the actual doing of the work to those who's businesses depend upon delivering quality service at a good price. But then, I happen to know that SAGA and Age Concern both spend lots of their valuable time maintaining exactly these sorts of lists - because helping out older people is kind of what they exist for. And I know who I'd rather trust to keep such lists fair and accurate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted June 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 Fair enough Inky and most of what you say is absolutely right, like I said I just had a 'bee in my bonnet' and some of your comments seemed to have prod my hive yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleopatra Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 It wasn't a bee - it was a wasp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
algy Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Inky, all those things such as - burst pipes, blocked drains fallen trees etc. are not going to kill you (unless the tree fell on you then your problem ceases to exist), wasps in the extreme can kill you, they are not a nuisance they constitute a hazard and in my view should be dealt with by the relevant council department with no charge and yes I do know that the council charge for dealing with a wasp's nest (which incidentally is not a nest but a 'vespiary') however that does not make it right to do so especially when you are dealing with members of the public who can least afford to pay for the service. We are all guilty of believing that because OUR council decide to operate in any way they feel fit to do so that they must not be challenged, WRONG, we put these people there in the first place and as individuals you have the right to consult your local councilor regarding any point of local practice that you do not agree with, so don't forget - NO CHALLENGE, NO CHANGE. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Good post Algy. These things matter to the old dear living on her/his own who has no-one to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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