Do Local Councils Remove Wasp Nests in Cambridge?

Why There Is No Single Answer

Pest control is not a service councils are required to provide to householders. Each authority decides what it offers, which pests it covers, whether it charges, and who can use it. Those decisions get reviewed, so what was true a few years ago may not be true now.

The Cambridge area also has more than one council. Cambridge City Council covers the city itself, while villages around it fall under South Cambridgeshire District Council, and other parts of the county have their own district councils. Which one applies depends on your address, not on the fact that you think of yourself as living in Cambridge.

How to Check in Two Minutes

• Find which council collects your bins. That is your district or city council.
• Search its website for pest control or wasps.
• Look for which pests are listed, whether there is a charge, and whether the service is limited to certain residents.
• If the page is unclear or missing, phone the council and ask directly.

If your council does offer wasp treatment, ask how soon they can attend. A nest by a front door in August does not always suit a waiting list.

Council Tenants, Housing Associations and Renters

If you rent from the council, the question is really a repairs question. Report the nest to your landlord's repairs line and follow their process. The same goes for housing association tenants.

In a private rental, tell your landlord or letting agent in writing. Who pays for the treatment is between you and them, and it is usually set out in the tenancy or agreed at the time. What matters on the day is that someone deals with it, particularly where the nest is by a shared entrance.

Nests on Public or Council Land

A nest in a park, a playground, a council-owned verge or a public building is the landowner's responsibility, not yours. Report it to the council or whoever manages the site. Keep children and dogs away from it in the meantime, and do not try to treat it.

For a nest on a neighbour's property, the owner of that property is the one who arranges treatment. A friendly word is usually enough. Our post on wasp nests on the boundary with a neighbour covers what to do when the nest is next door.

If It Turns Out to Be Bees

Honey bee swarms are a different matter. Local beekeepers will often collect a swarm, and the British Beekeepers Association has a swarm page that can point you towards someone nearby. Councils generally do not treat bees and neither do we. Our guide on how to identify a wasp nest helps you tell the difference before you ring anyone.

The council question is worth two minutes of checking, not two weeks of waiting.

If the Council Does Not Cover It

Then the choice is between treating it yourself, leaving it, or calling a private pest controller. Our post on removing a wasp nest yourself is honest about when DIY is reasonable and when it is not.

Our wasp nest removal service is a £90 fixed cost per nest, with no call-out fee, and the price is confirmed before anything is booked. The cost page sets out what that covers. Every treatment is guaranteed, meaning that if the problem comes back within 14 days of treatment, we return and re-treat free of charge. Call 01223 902388.