Body of woman, 61, found in flat after neighbours complained of bad smell for two years
The body of a 61-year-old woman has been found in a London flat, after neighbours reportedly complained of a bad smell for over two years.
Police confirmed that officers called to the flat in Peckham, south London, on Friday, 18 February discovered the woman's body inside.
Her death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious, the Met Police said.
According to locals, neighbours had been complaining to the housing association landlord of the three-storey complex about a "foul smell" in the building since October 2019.
A young woman who lives next door said: "It's a small three storey complex. I didn't know her very well, but she would sometime collect my deliveries for me.
"I came back from a trip abroad in September or October 2019 when I noticed a horrific stench in the building.
"It was so bad, I had to put a towel under the door."
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She said in 2020 a forced entry notice for a routine gas check appeared on the woman's door and neighbours became increasingly concerned as her post started to pile up.
"We repeatedly called the housing association because it was weird - her letter box full and I could see from the letters she hadn't been paying rent," she added.
"I called them up again and said I hadn't seen this lady in months."
She said police did come to the flat but there was speculation that the woman may have been one of the many people who moved out of London during the COVID pandemic.
Officers are believed to have attended the property several times until they forced their way in on the most recent visit on Friday.
The neighbour said a complaint about the smell had prompted the latest visit and said officers told her that when they broke into the flat they found what was essentially a skeleton.
A Met Police spokesperson said: "At 19:01hrs on Friday, 18 February police were called to a flat in St Mary’s Road, Peckham.
"Concerns had been raised about the welfare of a woman who lived at the address.
"Officers attended and forced entry. The body of a 61-year-old woman who was deceased was found inside.
"The woman’s death is being treated as unexplained but not suspicious. A file will be prepared for the coroner."
