Pigeons 'making life hell' for couple

A MAN whose balcony has been over-run with pigeons claims he has been asking Hillingdon Council to do something about the problem for two years.

About 15 birds regularly roost outside the council flat, in Chester House, Heritage Close in Cowley. They have made at least two nests, laid eggs, and a baby pigeon was even born inside a flower pot.

Tenant Kapil Shrestha, 54, says the noise from the birds keeps him and his wife awake at night and the smell is intolerable.

Pigeon droppings build up so quickly that he regularly has to pay professional cleaners to sort out the mess as the arthritis sufferer and his 53-year-old wife Sheela, who has a heart condition, cannot manage it themselves.

He said: “I complained to the housing office in Yiewsley about it two years ago.

“I asked them if they could put up a net, like other buildings have.”

However, the council has said it will need to speak to Mr Shrestha’s neighbours about whether they would be happy to have their balconies covered because so far he is the only one who has complained

Mr Shrestha and his wife had to move their bed into the living room, which adjoins the balcony, as their bedroom was too cold, but this means they are even closer to the nesting birds at night.

Mr Shreshta said: “Day and night we hear them out there.

“They keep us awake.

“When you open the windows in the summer, flies come in because they have been attracted by the smell.

“We can smell it in the kitchen and when we are trying to eat food.”

Nylon netting is used extensively to protect buildings from pigeons. It is attached to the building and stops the birds from landing and nesting.

Neil Stubbings, deputy director of social care, health and housing said: “We have received a quote from our contractors for netting all balconies on this block. However, before establishing if we have available funding and proceeding with any works, we need to ensure that there are no objections from other residents to having their balconies covered, as we have only received one complaint about pigeons from Mr Shrestha.”