High-rise Glasgow residents forced to walk 15 floors slam £1k bill to fix lifts 'never fit for purpose'

Over the last 14 years, homeowners at Meadowside Quay Walk in Partick have been forced to climb 15 flights of stairs “on numerous occasions” due to the escalators “constantly breaking down”. 

Now, the disgruntled residents are expected to pay up £1000 in factors fees to replace the broken system which was “not made for the work that it was expected to do”.

Simon Gorman - who has lived at the Dandara-built complex for seven years - said: “The lifts were installed at the build in 2007 and they have never been fit for purpose.

“I’ve met the engineers who have been called out to fix them and on multiple occasions, they have told me that they were not made for the work that they are expected to do.

“They are for smaller buildings while ours is 18 stories high from the basement to the top floor. 

“Since 2007, there have been countless breakdowns, which, in some cases, has resulted in people having to climb 15 stories because the lift is completely out of order.”

Carol Anne Tomlinson - who has lived in the block for a decade – has even found herself trapped inside the lift as it broke down. 

She said: “For the last 10 years, ever since we moved in, there have been problems with the lift. We are on the fifteenth floor and on numerous occasions we have had to walk down the stairs because it has been out of order. 

“On a few occasions, we have even been stuck in the lift when it breaks down and we have to hit the emergency button. 

“Once, my husband actually had to jump out when the lift was halfway into the doorframe with the dog. It was scary for him. 

“My biggest concern is that they have never worked properly – we have all been told they are not fit for the building and that they’re not big enough.”

The homeowners share concerns for the disabled and elderly residents who rely on the elevators to enter and exit the building.  

Simon said: “It is okay for someone like me who is fit and healthy, but there are elderly folk in this complex and residents with disabilities. 

“Some of them would have come to live here due to the fact there are lifts which means they should be able to get up and down the stairs with no bother. This has been going on for too long now.

“Dandara has a lot to answer for. I moved in about seven years ago and the issue has been constantly ongoing – through the time I have been here, the lifts have been mostly out of order.

“There are kids and families in our block who need to use them with prams and shopping.”

Carol added: “We have disabled residents in this complex who pay for the lift but can’t access it 24/7. When the lifts are off, how are they meant to get out? 

“It has been going on for too long now and we are angry, we just want to get an efficient lift – that is what we paid for, after all.”

Although residents have been given a payment option that will allow them to pay the factor's fee in installments – with an interest rate – they believe that the bill should be footed to Dandara, who built the complex. 

“It has left me feeling massively frustrated”, said Simon.

“I believe Dandara should be forking out for this bill because they were the ones who had these dodgy lifts installed in the first place. 

“I’m fed up with the factors constantly chasing people for money when it isn’t any of the homeowners fault the lifts are not fit for their purpose. 

“There will be pensioners who are just going to pay the bill because they don’t understand what it is or they feel it is their responsibility, I just think it is bullying tactics to get money out of people.

"This is a shamed development. If you are disabled, elderly or are thinking of living on a top floor, you won’t be guaranteed functioning lifts from this mob.”

Newton Property Management, who arrange factors fees for the complex, say that the lifts became faulty due to “14 years of heavy use”. 

Derek MacDonald, joint managing director, said: “As factors of Meadowside Quay Walk, we are tasked with maintaining the building on behalf of all property owners. This includes the building’s two lifts, which for many years have been largely stable with breakdowns few and far between. 

“However, in the past few months, they have become much more erratic. As a result, we commissioned a report from an independent lift expert who recommended that the controllers be replaced due to wear and tear from 14 years of heavy use.

“We put the work out to tender and have accepted a quote from a company which is prepared to pay the cost upfront and spread the £1000 cost for each of the property owners over the next two years. 

“We believe the work we have commissioned is the quickest way of getting the lifts back to full working order for all property owners in the block.”

The Glasgow Times approached Dandara for comment.