A London flat rented for £140 a week in January 2003, located near Finsbury Park tube station, was found to have significant pest issues. The property, which lacked heating, initially suffered from bedbugs, causing red bites on the occupants.
After replacing the mattress, the bedbug problem reportedly disappeared. However, as spring approached, cockroaches began to appear, eventually becoming a daily sight. These were identified as oriental cockroaches, described as black, large, and difficult to kill.
Despite multiple visits from a pest exterminator, the cockroach infestation persisted. The exterminator eventually stated that burning the block of flats to the ground would be the only way to eliminate the pests. The landlord only arranged for pest control after being shown dead bugs.