Shocking video shows ‘nightmare’ fly-infested home

A woman is desperate to move house after her home was plagued by a fly infestation.

Katie Wilson, 24, from Cheltenham, has been sleeping in a tent in parks and sofa surfing after the infestation, feeling ‘panicked’ at the prospect of returning to her flat. 

The infestation was linked to another home and began in her ground floor flat in August, owned by Cheltenham Borough Homes. 

She explained: ‘I reported the problem to Cheltenham Borough Homes who sent a contractor two days later and a proper fumigation was not carried out as he arrived with a can to kill the flies.

‘A contractor also came out to seal the area where the flies were coming in but it did not work and they said I should not be staying there.’

The 24-year-old left her home for a few days and stayed with a friend to avoid the chemicals being used to get rid of the flies. But the problem was not eradicated and when she came back, she saw flies on the windows of her home. 

Katie Wilson, 24, from Cheltenham, has been sleeping in a tent in parks and sofa surfing after the infestation, pictured, feeling ‘panicked’ at the prospect of returning to her flat. The infestation, was linked to another home and began in her ground floor flat in August, owned by Cheltenham Borough Homes

The 24-year-old left her home for a few days and stayed with a friend to avoid the chemicals being used to get rid of the flies. But the problem was not eradicated and when she came back, she saw flies on the windows of her home, pictured

She claims she got in touch with Environmental Health who advised her to collect video evidence.

Katie said: ‘I had to go to the flat to get the video evidence. When I got to the door I saw flies covering the windows of the kitchen and bathroom.

‘I had to go in there and take video of all the rooms which were covered in green and blue bottle flies. I have nightmares of what happened and I feel panicked at the thought of having to go back there now.

‘About two weeks later after my sister complained a proper fumigation was carried out but they left all of the dead flies there. Just after it happened, I was told by Cheltenham Borough Homes to go to speak to my housing officer who was at another flat at the time.’ 

She claims she got in touch with Environmental Health who advised her to collect video evidence. Pictured: The flies 

She spoke to her housing officer about the issue but claims that she was laughed at and not taken seriously. The 24-year-old said she felt the situation was not handled correctly.

Katie said: ‘That day I did not know whether I was coming or going because I did not know what to do.

‘When I did speak to my housing officer, I was very distressed and stressed and she just laughed at me when I told her I had been speaking to Environmental Health and a manager at Cheltenham Borough Homes but she just walked off.’

Now, the 24-year-old is desperately trying to move house. She said: ‘I can not live there anymore. If this had happened to one of them, I do not think they would be able to stay there either.’

Katie spoke to her housing officer about the issue but claims that she was laughed at and not taken seriously. The 24-year-old said she felt the situation was not handled correctly. Pictured: The flies 

Cheltenham Borough Homes said they are continuing to support Katie. 

Head of Community Services for Cheltenham Borough Homes Caroline Walker said colleagues were ‘proactive’ in dealing with the issue ‘swiftly and sensitively as soon as they were aware of the situation’.

They added: ‘To make sure Miss Higgins felt safe, we arranged for visits from pest control and carried out a deep clean of her home.

‘During this time, we offered a place for her stay while we carried out the works and undertook a professional inspection to make sure the issue had been resolved before she moved back in. 

‘We continue to stay in touch with Miss Higgins, to look at how we can best support her and put her wellbeing first.’