The Oldfield estate in Primrose Hill

SWARMS of sewer flies have invaded a flat at an older people’s housing complex in Primrose Hill, forcing one badly hit ­tenant out of their home.

Lorna McKenzie who is among the residents at the at Oldfield esstate in Fitzroy Road said people felt forced to keep windows open and sometimes could not bear to be indoors because of flies that have plagued her home for three months.

She said: “I have lived in some dives in my time, but I have never seen what are known as sewer flies. The caretaker came up to have a look and he said he had them too.

“They have got into many of the flats.”

Mrs McKenzie moved to the estate three years ago but said she and other tenants has faced constant issues with bed bugs.

She said: “This is another example of a failure to deal with deep-rooted problems. We feel we have been badly let down.”

Calls to pest control experts have not solved the problem, which plumbers say has been caused by a leaking sewer pipe.

Mrs McKenzie said: “They are everywhere: all over our food, in our kitchen, in the bathroom.They smell terrible and I have to cover everything up. The thought of them landing on your food – it keeps making me feel really sick.”

Mrs McKenzie enlisted the help of the Primrose Hill Community Association, who contacted the sheltered housing landlords Aster.

Landlords Cecil and Central Housing Trust was consumed by west country-based providers Aster in January 2022.

It manages more than 32,000 homes across the UK, focusing on places for people aged 55 and over.

Mrs McKenzie said: “Three quarters of the people who live here need a form of assisted living. It isn’t good enough to leave older people with a situation like this for such a long time.”

The New Journal has previously reported complaints over a bed bug infestation at the estate – an issue which Mrs McKenzie said was so bad she had changed her mattresses three times in three years, and bought a steam cleaner to counter the problem.

She added: “The estate feels poorly looked-after, filthy and getting worse. The smell is terrible in many homes now.”

A spokesman for housing provider Aster told the New Journal: “We have had only one customer report sewer flies. We attended and offered a treatment as a temporary solution while we await the outcome of an investigation into the cause of the flies.

“This investigation and any remedial work required on sewer pipes attached to her property can only take place once asbestos has been removed, which is booked in for next week. In the meantime, our customer has been provided with alternative accommodation on the estate.”

The housing provider added that staff worked on site every day to deal with tenant issues and they had been active in countering issues with bed bugs.

“In a handful of severe cases, our contractor has recommended that some furniture is disposed of,” the spokesman said.

“We have set up a fund to support customers with the cost of replacing furniture where this has happened.”