'My neighbour was found dead at home - what happened next kept me awake for months'

A man whose neighbour died at home claims he was left dealing with a foul stench and for months after the council failed to clean up the scene of the tragedy.

Colin James said he had to where his neighbour had lived, and even hired private cleaners, after his multiple emails for help went unanswered. The 53-year-old says he alerted Lambeth Council to an unbearable smell and fly problem back in April, and claims it took the council until October to take a blood stained duvet and mattress out of the property in Tulse Hill, south London.

Mr James told : "Our flat had a dreadful smell of a dead body. It was incredibly unpleasant. Despite repeated complaints, they [the council] refused to clean up the flat. They said they had to leave everything there because they had to contact the deceased's relatives. We said 'that's reasonable but they need to remove the soiled stuff; it's a serious health risk'.

"It turned into flies. [...] I had to tape up the front door and we hired private cleaners to clean the staircase. The flies went on for a month. They were huge black flies, bigger than a fingernail. They were over our home and I couldn't go to sleep because of them."

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Mr James said the property was initially treated as a crime scene, but it was later established the man had died of natural causes. Police handed the keys back to Lambeth Council the following day on April 10, according to Mr James. Despite the council now having access to the flat, Mr James claims they failed to clean it properly which resulted in the foul smell worsening.

Councillor Donna Harris, leader of Lambeth's Liberal Democrat opposition, said Mr James contacted the group in April 'distressed' with the situation at the property. She said: "Colin and other residents have been let down and their wellbeing has suffered greatly. Measures must be put in place to ensure this is never repeated."

In a statement, Lambeth Council insisted the property was 'thoroughly cleaned' on April 11 and said the work was verified by two housing officers. The council said the property was then professionally cleaned in October after the flat was cleared. A spokeswoman said: "This was an extremely sad situation, involving the death of one of our tenants. Since we were first notified of this tragic event, we have worked to clean the property and liaise with the family to arrange for the removal of personal belongings.

"The professional cleaning required was started as soon as we were able to gain access to the flat. [...] The council has a duty to respect the property and belongings of the former tenant, and the legal process that needs to be followed in these circumstances.

"We therefore worked with his family as soon as possible, to ensure these could be sorted and removed in line with their wishes. [...] We are sorry to hear that this neighbour is unhappy with the situation in the building."

The Met Police said it forced entry to the property on April 9 after concerns were raised about the occupant's welfare. Upon entry, the body of a 47-year-old man was found inside the address. Following an investigation and post-mortem, the death was deemed non-suspicious.