A pensioner living in a block of flats for over-55s has said she was left “trapped” and “isolated” after the building’s lift was broken for nine weeks.
Myra Hunter, aged 73, said many of her fellow residents at Citadel Court in Plymouth are in their 80s and 90s and were unable to use the stairs after the lift broke in February.
Describing the lift as a “vital part of living in the block”, Ms Hunter – who lives on the fourth floor – told the BBC it was “not acceptable” that it had been broken for so long.
Sanctuary Housing, which runs the block of 38 flats, apologised for the disruption in a statement, and blamed the delay in fixing the lift on difficulties sourcing the specialist parts required.
The lift was fixed on 23 April, said a spokesperson for Sanctuary, a housing association which provides accommodation and care for around a quarter of a million people in across England and Scotland, according to its website.
Describing the situation in recent months as worse than the Covid lockdown, Ms Hunter said: “To stay in because you can’t get down the stairs from your apartment, it’s really not good.”
Warning that one of her neighbours had been left unable to visit his wife who lives in care, Ms Hunter added: “When you come here at 55, you don't anticipate being disabled. But, as age catches up with you, you need that lift.”
Ms Hunter said she and her seven-year-old granddaughter also got stuck in the lift for around 10 minutes in February after it broke down before being freed by a manager at the building, which was built in 1987.
The resident told the BBC she felt nervous about using the lift because of a “constant worry” that it might break down.
A spokesperson for Sanctuary said: “The lift at Citadel Court was restored on Wednesday 23 April.
“The availability of the specialist parts required meant it took longer than expected to complete the repairs and we are sorry for the disruption and inconvenience this has caused residents.”
