Managing Company stopped Lifts - Help - Advice Welcome

G_M

MonSaveHelp wrote: »

The elderly residences are isolated and vulnerable, they are going to find it hard, but aren't or don't feel able to stand up for themselves as most people in the block keep themselves to themselves.

Another residence has to move 70kg+ of medical supplies to this flat EVERYDAY as his son needs medical treatment due to a failed kidney. He was not sure what to do and again doesn’t feel he can do anything, probably because of his immigrant background.

The lift work will begin early next week, and we are all individually afraid of how to approach LL. Due to the shortness of my AST I may be given marching orders if I approach them.

Once the lift work begins, it may be too late. Private contractors sometimes recommend expensive repairs to LL for profit and not for the benefit of the residents.

At this point, I am looking at some way of contacting the LL anonymously (maybe email) immediately with the aim of:

This is an absurd idea.

- Stopping any work until its necessity is discussed with residents and dates agreed
- Agree remediation for specific residents that need critical help
- Maybe see if we can have the lift working out of hours/weekends/at some times
- Get consensus about works ending dates which seem open with contractor


The Landlord will begin the works unless I can provide some kind legal argument or consequence that will make them re-think and enter into a discussion to ensure we are doing everything that is best for the residents.

Is there any content I can email to the LL URGENTLY (today) which could make this happen?

Thanks in advance for any content or guidance.

If you wish to take action:
1) identify a list of all the other residents who have an issue with this, together with their name & floor number
2) for each one, identify their individual issues (eg daily 70 kg medical deliveries to Xth floor; age/mobility; etc)
3) write a letter, specifying the above, and ideally signed by them all, addressed to the freeholder/managgement company/whoever
4) ask for confirmation of the precise dates of the work
5) ask what facilities have been arranged to support the individuals named (eg a porter to carry up medical supplies; a stair lift; specific times of day or night when the lft WILL be operative; etc)
6) ask for an urgent meeting for 2 representatives of those on the list with a manager/director from the company to discuss further before the work starts
7) send the letter by email (for speed) AND by post (for formality)

I imagine that if there are vulnerable people in the building (elderly on upper floors, disabled etc) that the Social Care dept of the council might get involved. Ring their help line for advice.

If, on the other hand, you cannot identify anyone else who is suffciently concerned to put their name to this, then you are on your own and have little chance (or justification?) of success. All you'd be doing is trying to deny the other residents the benefits of a reliable, modern, safe lift.

csgohan4

OP, Life is too short, move somewhere to a ground floor flat/house if you feel soooo strongly, you don't even own the flat and maintenance should be carried out to ensure the lift works for longer.


6 floors is good exercise as well...what happens to other people is none of your concern, if they have a problem they will act accordingly to how important it is to them. You clearly are not doing them a favour, when actually your doing it for own means

davidmcn

MonSaveHelp wrote: »

I am looking at some way of contacting the LL anonymously (maybe email) immediately

Thanks in advance for any content or guidance.

The landlord will think you're some sort of crank. You can't pursue any legal action against them anonymously, and if it really is starting early next week (do you mean within hours?) then at this stage you'd need to get some sort of interim injunction, and possibly explain why it's taken you two months to get around to it if it's really such a major problem.

IAmWales

Another residence has to move 70kg+ of medical supplies to this flat EVERYDAY as his son needs medical treatment due to a failed kidney. He was not sure what to do and again doesn’t feel he can do anything, probably because of his immigrant background.

What is it that they have delivered everyday? A haemodialysis machine would remain in the property, and supplies are delivered every few weeks (and even then wouldn't weigh that much).

If they are having that amount delivered daily (and I doubt they are) they need to speak to their renal nurse to see what other options they have.

Red-Squirrel_2

csgohan4 wrote: »

what happens to other people is none of your concern,

Nobody’s concern apparently.

NeilCr

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Nobody’s concern apparently.

Including the OP’s to be honest

For someone desperate to do something they aren’t that interested. Haven’t logged in for four hours

While I am with you re the other residents you do get the sense that the OP is, ultimately, more engaged with their own situation than anyone else’s. As others have said they have had some time to raise their concerns and find out how other residents feel

kinger101

IAmWales wrote: »

What is it that they have delivered everyday? A haemodialysis machine would remain in the property, and supplies are delivered every few weeks (and even then wouldn't weigh that much).

If they are having that amount delivered daily (and I doubt they are) they need to speak to their renal nurse to see what other options they have.

When I saw that, I just assumed the OP was making stuff up.

Red-Squirrel_2

NeilCr wrote: »

Including the OP’s to be honest

For someone desperate to do something they aren’t that interested. Haven’t logged in for four hours

While I am with you re the other residents you do get the sense that the OP is, ultimately, more engaged with their own situation than anyone else’s. As others have said they have had some time to raise their concerns and find out how other residents feel

I’m taking the OP’s posts with a pinch of salt, what has concerned me more is the reaction of the other posters who don’t seem to think that the management company need to consider disabled residents.

Nicki

Why would disabled residents be living on the upper fooors of a privately owned block of flats (ie not social housing)? If there was a fire, they wouldn't be able to use the lift so I assume everyone living there is capable of using the stairs even if this would be more difficult for them.

davidmcn

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

I’m taking the OP’s posts with a pinch of salt, what has concerned me more is the reaction of the other posters who don’t seem to think that the management company need to consider disabled residents.

It's more likely to be a duty of the residents' landlords (assuming they're not owner-occupiers). I doubt the freeholders need do much more than give suitable advance warning so that leaseholders can make their own arrangements if need be. Ultimately though I think anyone who relies on a lift needs to bear some risk of it being non-functional from time to time, possibly for lengthy periods.