London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

MP calls for inquiry into failure to find dead woman in London flat

MP calls for inquiry into failure to find dead woman in London flat

Woman whose body was apparently left for two years in Peckham flat is named locally as Sheila Seleoane
Harriet Harman has called for a full investigation into how a housing association failed to realise that a tenant had apparently been left dead in her south London flat for more than two years despite repeated calls from neighbours.

The body of a woman, named locally as Sheila Seleoane, 61, was found in the Peabody housing association flat in Peckham on Friday after neighbours complained about the noise of a balcony door banging during Storm Eunice.

The same neighbours said they had told staff at the housing association in the late summer or early autumn of 2019 that they were worried by the appearance of flies, maggots and a disturbing smell.

They said an employee from the housing association opened corridor windows but otherwise their complaints were brushed off. “We were told that the housing association didn’t deal with flies and maggots – they said it was an issue for pest control,” said a woman who lives in the flat beneath where the woman died.

Other neighbours said they tried to stop the smell coming into their flats by putting old clothes on the floor by the front door to seal the gap. “We called them many times. It’s shocking that our complaints were handled so badly,” said a neighbour whose flat stands opposite that of the dead woman. “No one listened to us.” Both residents asked not to be named.

The victim has not been named formally but local media reported that she was Sheila Seleoane. Police said her death was being treated as unexplained but not suspicious.

Harman, the Labour MP for Camberwell and Peckham in south London, said: “You would like to think that this kind of thing wouldn’t happen in a block of flats in a busy part of London. It is shocking – awful for the neighbours and for the woman’s relatives. It raises a lot of questions for Peabody and for the police and for the council.

“Peabody say they were contacted in 2020, but the neighbours say they contacted them much earlier. There is a clear discrepancy between what the housing association are saying and what the neighbours have said. We need a prompt report from Peabody and the police. What is already clear is that tenants weren’t listened to. We will establish what needs to be done to prevent this from happening again.”

In a letter to local councillors, Wells Chomutare, Peabody’s assistant director of resident services for the south region, wrote: “We are fully investigating what happened. From our initial search our neighbourhood manager visited when concerns were first raised by neighbours. This was in October 2020.

“When we couldn’t contact the resident we contacted the police, who reported that everything was fine. The case was then closed. We made several other attempts to call, visit and contact the resident throughout the two years.”

A Peabody spokesperson said: “This is a desperately sad situation and we understand that people want answers. Our early inquiries show that we treated residents’ concerns extremely seriously when they were reported to us. We made repeated attempts to contact Ms Seleoane and called the police to raise concerns for her welfare in 2020.

“Our records indicate that the police then visited the property and reported to us that our resident was safe and well. We are now working with the police and other partners to establish how this happened as part of a full investigation into all of the circumstances. We need to understand what went wrong so this can never happen again.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×