Pigeons turn Sydney house into $7k damage disaster
A Sydney home has become a grim cautionary tale for property owners, revealing the shocking financial and structural damage that can occur when pest infestations are left unchecked.
What started as a few feathered friends in the roof cavity quickly escalated into a $7,000 clean-up bill and a stark reminder of the critical importance of diligent property maintenance.
The confronting reality of neglected pest control was laid bare when pest control expert Christopher Moschella, owner of Roach Sniper Pest Control, was called to a Belmore residence in Sydney’s southwest.
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What he discovered was a property nightmare: a thriving pigeon colony that had been “having a party” for up to six years, their droppings now seeping through ventilation and staining internal walls, which he highlighted in a video on social media.
“The residents had just left it unattended over a period of five or six years. The birds were left to run rampant and do whatever they want,” he told Yahoo News.
“There’s bird poo everywhere … There were babies crawling around and adults were all pooing and flying around.”
![Supplied Real Estate Pest controller Christopher Moschella was recently confronted by a
flock of pigeons that had been living inside a Sydney resident's roof for six
years. Source: TikTok/roachsniper](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 768 1024"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Pest controller Christopher Moschella was recently confronted by a flock of pigeons that had been living inside a Sydney resident’s roof for six years. Source: TikTok/roachsniper
Baby pidgeons were nesting in the roof. Source: TikTok/roachsniper
“It’s even leaking out of the ventilation and now coming down the walls inside the house.”
The implications for the property are severe.
Beyond the immediate health hazards posed by bird droppings – which carry diseases like salmonella and histoplasmosis, not to mention harbouring parasites – the structural integrity and market appeal of the home are significantly compromised.
Moschella described the remediation as an “extensive job,” with the clean-out alone estimated at $4,000.
The roof was covered in poo. Source: TikTok/roachsniper
The clean-up shop will likely cost around $7000. Source: TikTok/roachsniper
Add to that bird lice treatment and the installation of new insulation, and the total cost could easily soar to $7,000.
“There’s so much disease involved with bird droppings … On windy days, it comes out of the home and you can be breathing that all in,” Moschella said.
“I had to go home and have a hot shower from all the bird lice when I put my head up the roof (to inspect it).”
Moschella is now urging all Australian property owners to learn from this costly oversight.
“Just, please, consult with a pest technician straight away,” he said.
