Pigeons unleash £15,000 of damage on UK flat after patio door left open

11 September 2023 , 23:23

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An open patio door allowed the flock of pigeons to take over the house in East London

A landlord has returned to his flat to discover £15,000 worth of damage inflicted by pigeons after his tenants left a patio door open.

The flock of messy birds found their way inside through the partially open door, before proceeding to take over every room in the two-bed East London flat. Over the next few weeks the pigeons left every visible surface splattered with excrement, with the the living room and kitchen worst hit.

Pest control experts said the flat resembled the island of Roca Partida in Mexico, known as ‘bird poo island’. The tiny uninhabited island is coloured almost completely white, due to the sheer amount of ‘bird guano’ from nesting birds.

Bird poo covered every part of the kitchen, with the landlord saying his 'eyes popped out' when he discovered the damage

One grisly photo from inside the home in East London shows bird poo covering all parts of the kitchen, including the drying rack, toaster, kettle, worktop and floor. Pest control bosses meanwhile described the living room as a 'sight to behold', with the sofas, carpet and television all left totally covered.

The landlord - who has asked not to be named - called experts at the London Network for Pest Solutions after speaking of how his 'eyes popped out of his head' when he saw the extent of the mess. The mammoth clean-up operation means the landlord, who admitted that he should have checked the property after it was vacated, will be left a whopping £15,000 out of pocket.

London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard

The cleanup is estimated to leave the property out of action for a month and cost the landlord £15,000

While the door was believed to have been left open by a previous tenant, the landlord admits they should've checked after they left

Paul Cooper, the MD of London Network for Pest Solutions, said: “The landlord took one peek inside and called us immediately. The pigeons had redecorated throughout leaving the home in a complete mess. It took the pigeons just four weeks to wreck the place.”

He revealed that the firm’s pigeon expert even had to put on a protective suit and two masks to mask the ‘overwhelming stench’ inside, adding: “Our pigeon surveyor was sent in suited and booted. He said the stench was overwhelming and he had to double mask using both a dustmask and a PureFlo mask [and air purifying respirator]."

Asked about the cost, he said it would cost around £15,000 and that the property would be left out of action for the "best part of a month" whilst it is cleared, cleaned, redecorated and refurnished.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas