Steps on staircase dropped.

Shaps

Can anyone give me some advice on an issue with the staircase in my mother's 1950s house. 
The first two steps have dropped on one side about 2cms and have come away from the wall, the filler also which was there  has crumbled away . 
Any ideas what it can be and if it is repairable by someone who has basic DIY skills. 
It's an old house with other issues and don't want to spend a fortune as I know eventually that the house will need a full refurb or sold. 
https://ibb.co/jTm4d8W

sevenhills

Have you checked for dry rot and woodworm?

Why would the staircase come away from the wall, I thought staircases were free-standing and not attached to the wall?

travis-powers

Treads are usually fixed into strings with wedges and glue, if you are lucky wedges may have come loose. 

You are going to need access under the stairs to investigate and repair.
can’t see very well but the housing for the tread doesn’t look to good!
can you post a picture of underneath?

FreeBear

A picture helps in showing how a typical staircase is constructed..

If you have access to the underside, check the wedges. Tap them in if they are loose. Alternatively, screw some battens under the treads, fixing them to the sides - You'll need to jack the treads up before fixing the battens in place.

Shaps

Thanks,  only way to access the back the stairs is to remove plasterboard in the under stair cupboard.

Will take it off tomorrow and post some photos.

Thanks again 

sevenhills

Strangely, I have just noticed one of my steps has dropped. I will need to remove the carpet and investigate.

Norman_Castle

Similar happened in a friends 1920s house. The bottom step was originally supported by floor tiles which had been removed leaving it unsupported. The first tread moved away from the side and dropped. Repaired by removing the tread and screwing a support to the side. 

Your link https://ibb.co/jTm4d8W takes me to a page titled leaving?

FreeBear

Norman_Castle said: Your link https://ibb.co/jTm4d8W takes me to a page titled leaving?

It is something the site admin has introduced* - Damned annoying. When I click on a link, any link, I know I'm leaving the MSE site. Don't need some site config nannying me. FF...

*) Allegedly, it is a "security feature" introduced by a third party that provides the site software.https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6275202/you-are-now-leaving-mse-when-clicking-on-a-link/p2

J_B

FreeBear said:

Norman_Castle said: Your link https://ibb.co/jTm4d8W takes me to a page titled leaving?

It is something the site admin has introduced* - Damned annoying. When I click on a link, any link, I know I'm leaving the MSE site. Don't need some site config nannying me. FF...

*) Allegedly, it is a "security feature" introduced by a third party that provides the site software.https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6275202/you-are-now-leaving-mse-when-clicking-on-a-link/p2

But it's now been fixed!

sevenhills

This is my step, not sure how it's been broken in the past, it was covered by hardboard. Just a matter of how to fix.

travis-powers

sevenhills said:

This is my step, not sure how it's been broken in the past, it was covered by hardboard. Just a matter of how to fix.

It looks a lot worse than it is!
can you get underneath?
you just have to Jack it up back into place and glue and screw the tread and riser into the newel post (refer to Freebears diagram) the riser with the metal clip can be screwed Into the back of the cracked tread.
The only problem I can see is how bad is that crack? Is that tread now in two pieces?