Thirteen homeowners in one Kitchener neighbourhood have been told they have until Sept. 15 to set up termite inspection and extermination services.

Termites were discovered last fall along at 20 of 23 properties along Greenock and Briargate drives, in the Laurentian Hills neighbourhood.

Tim Benedict, the city’s manager of buildings, says authorities are concerned with 13 of the 20 properties, and have sent letters to those properties ordering work to be done.

While the letters state that exterminators need to be brought in by Sept. 15, Benedict says the city will be satisfied with any proof action will be taken before winter.

“We would like to see that the treatment’s been done, but if there is problems with funding or problems with scheduling the treatment, we just want to see that it’s happening this year,” he tells CTV News.

Annette Wigood is one of those who has a little more than three weeks to deal with termites.

She says she lives paycheque to paycheque and can’t afford the cost of an extermination, and has had “meeting after meeting” with city officials, wanting them to pick up the tab for a problem that could potentially spread into the rest of the city.

“They should definitely step up and help out the families that are in need here,” she says.

Although the city does have the power to fine homeowners who don’t comply and don’t get the work done as much as $5,000, Benedict says that’s a last resort – he’d rather see the money spent on extermination.

“It’s not something we want to head to right away, but it is one of the avenues we might have to take,” he says.

On Sept. 8, city councillors will debate whether to provide any financial assistance for affected homeowners on Greenock and Briargate, or anyone else who encounters termites on their property in the future.

Four of the 13 homeowners have already had extermination work done, Benedict says.