Foul smelling pile of debris is unwelcome legacy of eviction

By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter

A mound of rubbish piled outside a Croydon house that’s being cleared after its tenant was evicted is emitting such a horrific smell a council worker reportedly vomited.

The rubbish, which includes fridges, tins and gas canisters, has been a constant presence for the past two weeks, and is now emitting a ‘rotting, fermenting’ smell, according to a neighbour.

The house, in The Glade, Shirley, is currently being cleaned by Croydon council following the eviction of the previous tenants over the summer.

But the pile of waste, which has been moved from inside the house, is so massive and has been sitting there so long, neighbours fear it could attract pests and cause hygiene issues.

Hospice worker Gillian Bahari, who lives in The Glade, said: “I came back from my late shift, then my neighbour from the other side came out and said ‘have you seen the state of their garden?’

“I had just finished my shift and was tired, but when I saw it, I couldn’t help but film it. It was ridiculous.”

She saw mounds of assorted rubbish that had seemingly been removed from the vacant house and dumped 5ft high in the front garden.

The rubbish remained outside the property while Croydon council continued to clear the house. Gillian said the smell was so bad that she had to keep all of her windows closed.

A Croydon council spokesman said: “We’re sorry to hear about the concerns raised by neighbours and any distress this situation may have caused.

“Whilst we cannot comment on the specifics of this case or share personal information, we can confirm that the council took active steps to address the antisocial behaviour issues raised and provided support to the resident throughout the case.

“Eviction is always a last resort and is only considered to protect the wellbeing of the wider community. The council is also taking steps to deal with the contents and waste left behind by the previous residents.”

Pictured top: Neighbours have had to endure the pungent aroma given off by mounds of rubbish piled 5ft high outside 222 The Glade in Shirley (Picture: Gillian Bahari)