Thousands of wasps invaded the apartment and kept the resident from sleeping for ten days

I can imagine what a nightmare that must have been! How do you even get rid of something like that? Is it the apartment owner's fault or the management company's? Who's supposed to pay for the pest control?

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The main thing is not to try to exterminate the wasps on your own if there really are that many of them: you can provoke their aggression and make everything worse. You need to urgently call the sanitary epidemiological station or a private pest control service. According to the law, the HOA is obligated to deal with pests in common areas (basement, attic, ventilation system), but if the wasps nested specifically in the apartment, the owner has to pay - it's their responsibility to keep the premises in habitable condition. But try to work it out peacefully: often the HOA is willing to help or split the costs if the problem involves common property (for example, a ventilation duct that's part of the common system and enters the apartment).

The worst option is buying cans of insecticide and spraying in a closed space, especially if there really are that many wasps - they'll be flying around the apartment, stinging even more, and the chemical smell will linger for ages. While you're waiting for specialists, seal all cracks and gaps with duct tape or foam - the wasps need to understand there's no way in anymore and they'll lose interest. At night, turn on the brightest lights and put on music or sounds; wasps get irritated by activity in the dark and will start looking for a way out. As for responsibility - the property management company should deal with problems affecting common areas (cracks in the wall where they got in), and the tenant with their own apartment's condition; it's better to just agree on who pays for the pest control, then sort it out through court if needed.

As for responsibility: it usually depends on where they came from. If the nest was in the apartment itself or on its balcony - that's the owner's problem. If wasps got in through cracks in the windows, ventilation defects, or through building-wide utilities - then the management company is at fault, because they're obligated to maintain common property in proper condition. The guilty party should pay for pest control, but often you end up having to pay out of pocket first and then take them to court.

Before specialists arrive, you can reduce the number of wasps by sealing up cracks, covering all ventilation openings with fine mesh, avoiding sudden movements, and sealing off the bedroom completely. Don't open windows until the nest is dealt with. A distraction tactic - put bowls with fermented compote or jam out on the balcony, away from the living area.

Don't delay with a specialist - the sanitation authority should be called by the resident themselves (they're obligated to come if there's an official complaint about pest control), or just hire a private service right away. A good pest control specialist finds the nest and destroys it completely, rather than just spraying flying wasps in the air.

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