Residents of fly-infested neighbourhoods warn they are set to withhold their council tax if the plague does not get sorted.
Homes around Leicester Forest East have been bothered by swarms of flies for three years, with this year’s problems having started in the spring.
Although investigations are being carried out into the source of the pests, exactly where they are coming from remains a mystery.
A Facebook group is co-ordinating the campaign to get the authorities to do something.
As well as encouraging its 369 members to phone Blaby District Council, there are now members set on withholding their council tax to the authority if the problem is not solved.
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One member of the Facebook site, Leicester Forest East Fly Problems – Stop Them, posted: “Will keep saying it but if everyone gets together and confirms cancellation of council tax until some resolution or action is taken I am sure people will start putting the wheels in motion.
“Would obviously need everyone’s support on this.”
Tina Rigley, who set up the Facebook page, said she thought a lot of other people would join the tax boycott.
She said: "I'm quite willing to withhold council tax. I think a lot of people here will agree to withhold council tax - it's the only step forward we can take."
The environmental health team at Blaby District Council is trying to work out where the flies are coming from and are now also working with Severn Trent and Leicester City Council as they investigate different sites around the area, which is on the border with the city.
Meanwhile, the recent hot weather has only been making things worse for the residents.
Tina said: “It’s been absolutely horrific this weekend.
“On Sunday we killed 50 flies in the house, not including the ones that got caught on the fly paper we have everywhere.
“We tried having a barbecue a week ago and that was a big mistake. At dinner time the flies all come out from nowhere.
“Lots of people are posting pictures on the Facebook group and lots are phoning Blaby District Council – I thinking the council is getting a bit annoyed but we aren’t going to stop until this stops.
“It’s affecting people’s mental health – it’s a difficult time with the lockdown and this is just making things much, much worse.”
LeicestershireLive contacted Blaby District Council for a response to the threat of a tax boycott.
We received the following statement from John Richardson, strategic director at Blaby District Council: “Residents who have contacted us are being updated by the environmental health team via a weekly email, with updates and progress on our continuing investigation into flies in Leicester Forest East.
“We are working to find a resolution to this issue and we are looking at a number of potential sources.”
