Friday, March 10, 2006
Press release - longsuffering residents in Cedar Court furious as lifts break down constantly
Last week the lifts in the front block broke down three times. At the Tenants Association meeting last Thursday (2/3/06) it was decided to issue a press statement.
---
Longsuffering tenants of a tower block in Maryhill are becoming
increasingly frustrated as their lift was off[1] three times in one
week. Last week Mark Rooney, himself disabled, helped a young mother
struggling to carry her baby, pram and shopping up three flights of
stairs[2].
"I find this totally unacceptable. These lifts have been off on a
number of occasions - this is really affecting people's quality of
life. Stephen McAvoy [3] wouldn't put with this, why should we have
to?" Mark Rooney said.
This is not the first time lifts in the three tower blocks have been
off.[4] In addition to regular short periods of breakdown, two years
ago a lift in number 9 block was off for several months, and lift in
block 65 was off for four and a half months last year. This prompted
tenants to hold a public meeting on the issue, and form a tenants
association.
A member of the tenants association commented, "Two children that we
know have been stuck in lifts in the past few months.[5] We are
conducting a survey to find out how many people this has happened to."
Residents have also raised questions about the safety of lifts.
"These lifts are constantly breaking down. Not only is this an
inconvenience but it's also a really alarming safety issue.[6] What
if the brakes fail, the next time it breaks down?" Mark went on to
say.
At a recent public meeting called by the tenants association Steven
McAvoy agreed that the lifts would be replaced but only after new
kitchens and bathrooms were fitted. This has yet to be finalised
leaving the tenants unsure if and when this will happen. In the
meantime access to and from their homes remains a daily stress and
potentially hazardous.
---
Article Ends
EDITORS NOTES:-
1. lift for even floors was not working, in block 104.
2. Mothers have been forced to push prams up and down three flights of
stairs via the backstairs/fire-escape and elderly residents were left
unable to leave the building.
3. Stephen McAvoy, refered to in the article, is the community housing
manager for the Glasgow Housing Association, who own and manage the
Cedar Court scheme.
4. Lifts have been breaking down intermittently in the three tower
blocks for several years.
5. There was a child stuck in a lift a couple of months ago in 104
block. The police were called as the child was terrified. There was a
boy stuck in the lift in number 65 block for half an hour on the 25th
of October.
6. When in use lifts in the front block have been marking alarming noises.
Additionally both lifts in the front block were off for most of the
day in block 104 in mid November for servicing (after tenants were
forewarned), and both lifts were off in block 65, again for
serivicing, on Friday 4th November (without prior warning. Under
agreement by Glasgow City Council historically it has always been the
case that housing authorities would not put both lifts off
simultaneously for repair. It marks a precedent for tenants that GHA
has done this.
Cedar Tenants Association, which covers the area, was set up in July.
It exists to promote tenants and homeowners interests in the area and
to campaign for tenants and homeowners to get repairs and maintenance
carried out.
---
Longsuffering tenants of a tower block in Maryhill are becoming
increasingly frustrated as their lift was off[1] three times in one
week. Last week Mark Rooney, himself disabled, helped a young mother
struggling to carry her baby, pram and shopping up three flights of
stairs[2].
"I find this totally unacceptable. These lifts have been off on a
number of occasions - this is really affecting people's quality of
life. Stephen McAvoy [3] wouldn't put with this, why should we have
to?" Mark Rooney said.
This is not the first time lifts in the three tower blocks have been
off.[4] In addition to regular short periods of breakdown, two years
ago a lift in number 9 block was off for several months, and lift in
block 65 was off for four and a half months last year. This prompted
tenants to hold a public meeting on the issue, and form a tenants
association.
A member of the tenants association commented, "Two children that we
know have been stuck in lifts in the past few months.[5] We are
conducting a survey to find out how many people this has happened to."
Residents have also raised questions about the safety of lifts.
"These lifts are constantly breaking down. Not only is this an
inconvenience but it's also a really alarming safety issue.[6] What
if the brakes fail, the next time it breaks down?" Mark went on to
say.
At a recent public meeting called by the tenants association Steven
McAvoy agreed that the lifts would be replaced but only after new
kitchens and bathrooms were fitted. This has yet to be finalised
leaving the tenants unsure if and when this will happen. In the
meantime access to and from their homes remains a daily stress and
potentially hazardous.
---
Article Ends
EDITORS NOTES:-
1. lift for even floors was not working, in block 104.
2. Mothers have been forced to push prams up and down three flights of
stairs via the backstairs/fire-escape and elderly residents were left
unable to leave the building.
3. Stephen McAvoy, refered to in the article, is the community housing
manager for the Glasgow Housing Association, who own and manage the
Cedar Court scheme.
4. Lifts have been breaking down intermittently in the three tower
blocks for several years.
5. There was a child stuck in a lift a couple of months ago in 104
block. The police were called as the child was terrified. There was a
boy stuck in the lift in number 65 block for half an hour on the 25th
of October.
6. When in use lifts in the front block have been marking alarming noises.
Additionally both lifts in the front block were off for most of the
day in block 104 in mid November for servicing (after tenants were
forewarned), and both lifts were off in block 65, again for
serivicing, on Friday 4th November (without prior warning. Under
agreement by Glasgow City Council historically it has always been the
case that housing authorities would not put both lifts off
simultaneously for repair. It marks a precedent for tenants that GHA
has done this.
Cedar Tenants Association, which covers the area, was set up in July.
It exists to promote tenants and homeowners interests in the area and
to campaign for tenants and homeowners to get repairs and maintenance
carried out.
Comments:
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Hi Liz!
Excellent! The issues you're talking about are ongoing yes but if we pull together we can get them resolved. We have just forced NTL to cover up all their switchboxes in all of the flats, which some tenants have been fighting to get them to do on their own for years. We also forced the GHA to make two electrical repairs in the past month. But there's a huge amount to do here to make this place better for everyone so it needs people to stand together, but we're obviously stronger with your input, however much you can manage!
By contributing here you've already added something!
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Excellent! The issues you're talking about are ongoing yes but if we pull together we can get them resolved. We have just forced NTL to cover up all their switchboxes in all of the flats, which some tenants have been fighting to get them to do on their own for years. We also forced the GHA to make two electrical repairs in the past month. But there's a huge amount to do here to make this place better for everyone so it needs people to stand together, but we're obviously stronger with your input, however much you can manage!
By contributing here you've already added something!
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