Cheap Wasps

[abarrett 461]

I totally agree what I'm getting at is even the lads that don't know about decent products or where to get them are still having ago

Your right armed with washing up bottles and ant powder

I watched a so called pest controller doing a wasp nest in a hedge with an old piece of net curtain on his head

And a can of plumbers pipe freeze spray in one hand and wd40 in the other

The lady said for £20 I don't care what he is uses as long as he gets rid of them

What chance we got

[outandabout 27]

I remember last year, my local council "secured a deal with a pest control company to provide discounted rates" for local residents.

 

It was one of the nationals, and they were offering a price £16.50 per nest!

 

This year their price is £47 for the first nest, and £15 for each additional....

 

So much for unfair competition law!

[Mr Muddy 141]

I remember last year, my local council "secured a deal with a pest control company to provide discounted rates" for local residents.

 

It was one of the nationals, and they were offering a price £16.50 per nest!

 

This year their price is £47 for the first nest, and £15 for each additional....

 

So much for unfair competition law!

 

What’s more; I’m told – and I’m happy to be proved wrong about this – council pest departments usually all run as a massive loss!

[abarrett 461]

They do because rats and mice roaches,fleas,bedbugs,and IDs are free

We got in the region of 900 no charge calls a year

You see some great things though

[budgie123 163]

I number of years ago our manager was tasked with making pest control self sufficient receiving no council budget funding to support it.

 

Unless this was achieved the department would be closed. Due to budget constraint's it is as simple as that.

 

Something a neighbouring authority was also tasked to do to survive and I am in no doubt are so many others.

 

We charge a realistic fee for all treatments and contracts and are at break even point.

 

A council pest control department has such a varied remit being involved in a diverse number of issues which would never be resolved by any private company as they are investigated and resolved for nothing to protect the public. You would be amazed at how much of this type of work is undertaken.

 

Thankfully there is still strong links within my department to public health and trying to improve people lives whilst providing a service at a realistic price to ensure the department survives and treatments are not costed out of peoples reach.

 

My manager has a strong social consentience and the service will never be costed to make profit just break even for it to survive.

 

I don't want or expect any sympathy I just get sick of reading misinformed statements about local authority pest control.

[Matt 160]

There is nothing that LA pest controllers do that couldn't be done by the private sector.

 

That's why more and more authorities are stopping providing the service all together

[outandabout 27]

I must stress that I'm talking about a contractor - one of the nationals, not the council's own department.

[abarrett 461]

We're not a national company and we managed any situation for our council contract with no problem

As far as contracts are concerned why should a LA pest control service take them on and break even

What's the point in that you can sweep the m6 for nothing

The trouble with having something that makes nothing is it gets no priority

I know lads that work for 3 in house LA pest control departments

All of them have a week long wait for a pest control visit

[Mr Muddy 141]

You can see my gripe though re: LA’s being in direct, and unfair, competition with the private sector.

 

And please don’t get me wrong here; I appreciate someone needs to do free or subsidised jobs for all the poor sods on benefits.

 

What I’m saying is, if it’s going to exist, it should be a ‘public service’ like buss-passes etc – or sweeping the M6 - not a business, and certainly not a business actually competing against the very people who are paying tax to fund its losses!

[abarrett 461]

I agree we are a company based on the district we worked we charged the LA for our work they just never passed the charge on it kept two local lads in work and paying taxes

It worked well a LA employing a local small company

It went to tender every 2 years so every one had a chance

After 6 years I lost it April to a national who saved then a couple hundred quid

[budgie123 163]

I have just been involved with a job where we received a report about rats around some properties.

On investigation rat holes were visible around a lamp post.

These were tested with die which was visible in an inspection chamber.

From YW sewer plan it was their responsibility a visit was made with their technician who will camera drain and repair as required.

 

I have just investigated rat activity around some garages on a housing estate.

On investigation one garage was full with household waste and infested with rats.

Owners were identified made aware of the responsibilities and we will monitor and enforce on this issue if it is not resolved.

 

I have just visited another area today with YW staff to resolve an issue where redundant drainage which is allowing rats onto the surface. Drainage will now be capped of.

 

I have investigated rat activity around a supermarket recently and located rat activity in shrubs around site.

With EHO involvement a meetings was arranged with contractor covering site and treatment undertaken.

 

I was not saying we do anything the private sector could not do but all the above type of work is the service to the public element of public sector pest control which no private company would undertake as it is non income generating.

 

This is a small snap shot of this type of work and on last years figures we had nearly 1000 non income generating jobs investigating member of the public reports on varying issues.

 

Honey bee swarms has been significant issue this year and on public land swarm investigation and removal is resolved with no income.

 

On a recent bedbug job activity at a semi detached property indicated to me their was an issue next door.

The owners at the adjoining property refused access but with EHO involvement access was gained and the property was infested both upstairs and down.

Treatment was undertaken at both properties and issue was resolved.

 

As a private pest controller if you came across this type of situation what would your options be if the owner at adjoining semi would not undertake treatment.

 

Another officer has a treatment on-going for rats on a terrace block where there is a property on the block which is a in a terrible state of repair and appears to be the source of the problem.

Again with EHO involvement access was gained into this premises to determine if this is the issue.

 

As a private pest controller what would you be able to do other than treat in the property who had requested treatment.

 

What I am trying to illustrate is the service to the public and public health a council service strives to provide and if this type of service is removed no private company would pick up any this non income generating work.

 

With regard your comment matt about why local authorities are stopping doing pest control you are wrong.

 

Within an Environmental Health Department having an in house pest control department is a non statutory duty.

This puts a pest control department in any local authority at significant risk as we have found out.

Any one employed within a Environmental Health Department who full fills a statutory duty FOOD IINSPECTIONS AIR QUALITY LAND QUALITY ETC receives the funding and once all these jobs are funded if there is anything left pest control would be supported.

But as is being seen all over the country a lot of authorities do not have the funding and their departments have gone

 

This is something my manager is critically aware of and why he has strived to reach the break even point.

 

Until going into pest control 10 years ago I was employed in engineering in the private sector and working within the public sector seeing the things I have seen my opinion is that an in house well run service is an asset to the authority and the community it serves. Something the longer I have worked here the stronger my opinion is.

 

In relation to your comment aberet about work load I can only speak about the authority I work with.

We have three officers and nearly every day we have between 8 and 13 jobs depending on the season every day and long may it continue.

 

The job is the best job I have ever had bar none.

Not income wise but money is not everything.

 

Every day is different the job is challenging and the job satisfaction is something no money can buy.

.

Edited July 17, 2014 by budgie123

[earth-thrower 490]

I totally agree what I'm getting at is even the lads that don't know about decent products or where to get them are still having ago

Your right armed with washing up bottles and ant powder

I watched a so called pest controller doing a wasp nest in a hedge with an old piece of net curtain on his head

And a can of plumbers pipe freeze spray in one hand and wd40 in the other

The lady said for £20 I don't care what he is uses as long as he gets rid of them

What chance we got

Ha-ha-ha-ha, i can picture this one mate,and it really made me laugh.

[Matt 160]

I have just been involved with a job where we received a report about rats around some properties.

On investigation rat holes were visible around a lamp post.

These were tested with die which was visible in an inspection chamber.

From YW sewer plan it was their responsibility a visit was made with their technician who will camera drain and repair as required.

 

I have just investigated rat activity around some garages on a housing estate.

On investigation one garage was full with household waste and infested with rats.

Owners were identified made aware of the responsibilities and we will monitor and enforce on this issue if it is not resolved.

 

I have just visited another area today with YW staff to resolve an issue where redundant drainage which is allowing rats onto the surface. Drainage will now be capped of.

 

I have investigated rat activity around a supermarket recently and located rat activity in shrubs around site.

With EHO involvement a meetings was arranged with contractor covering site and treatment undertaken.

 

I was not saying we do anything the private sector could not do but all the above type of work is the service to the public element of public sector pest control which no private company would undertake as it is non income generating.

 

This is a small snap shot of this type of work and on last years figures we had nearly 1000 non income generating jobs investigating member of the public reports on varying issues.

 

Honey bee swarms has been significant issue this year and on public land swarm investigation and removal is resolved with no income.

 

On a recent bedbug job activity at a semi detached property indicated to me their was an issue next door.

The owners at the adjoining property refused access but with EHO involvement access was gained and the property was infested both upstairs and down.

Treatment was undertaken at both properties and issue was resolved.

 

As a private pest controller if you came across this type of situation what would your options be if the owner at adjoining semi would not undertake treatment.

 

Another officer has a treatment on-going for rats on a terrace block where there is a property on the block which is a in a terrible state of repair and appears to be the source of the problem.

Again with EHO involvement access was gained into this premises to determine if this is the issue.

 

As a private pest controller what would you be able to do other than treat in the property who had requested treatment.

 

What I am trying to illustrate is the service to the public and public health a council service strives to provide and if this type of service is removed no private company would pick up any this non income generating work.

 

With regard your comment matt about why local authorities are stopping doing pest control you are wrong.

 

Within an Environmental Health Department having an in house pest control department is a non statutory duty.

This puts a pest control department in any local authority at significant risk as we have found out.

Any one employed within a Environmental Health Department who full fills a statutory duty FOOD IINSPECTIONS AIR QUALITY LAND QUALITY ETC receives the funding and once all these jobs are funded if there is anything left pest control would be supported.

But as is being seen all over the country a lot of authorities do not have the funding and their departments have gone

 

This is something my manager is critically aware of and why he has strived to reach the break even point.

 

Until going into pest control 10 years ago I was employed in engineering in the private sector and working within the public sector seeing the things I have seen my opinion is that an in house well run service is an asset to the authority and the community it serves. Something the longer I have worked here the stronger my opinion is.

 

In relation to your comment aberet about work load I can only speak about the authority I work with.

We have three officers and nearly every day we have between 8 and 13 jobs depending on the season every day and long may it continue.

 

The job is the best job I have ever had bar none.

Not income wise but money is not everything.

 

Every day is different the job is challenging and the job satisfaction is something no money can buy.

.

 

Still nothing that couldn't and wouldn't be done by the private sector

 

EHO's should be identifying problems and telling those responsible to engage the services of a professional (and private sector) pest controller

 

Pest controllers noticing problems should be able to inform Environmental Health departments so that they can enforce the law.

 

Still no place for publicly funded, subsidised pest control departments

 

Those unable to pay for a proper service have the social fund available to them

[Phil Lloyd 10,736]

Locally,..there has always been a wee bit of favouritism.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Phil Lloyd

[DKGPestControl 22]

Cheapies come and go.

 

Let them get on with it, if you match them at £10 they will go to £9!

 

Clients no exactly what they are truing to do and tend to have shite websites, which puts the customers off.

Clients that just want the cheapest price possible are usually clients that you don't want to deal with anyway!

 

Every company has different over heads and running cost, so we all need to charge accordingly. look at Rento £270 for a wasp nest!

We start at £40 for simple treatments within 10 miles which is a fair price and we earn enough money to cover costs and make a bit of profit on top.