A frustrated Edinburgh resident has been climbing seven flights of stairs for months due to a broken lift in his flat
Edinburgh: A Scots joiner, Michael MacDonald, is pretty fed up. His flat’s lift has been out of order for seven months. Can you believe that?
Michael’s been living in his flat on Bredalbane Street for 12 years. Usually, when the lift broke down, it got fixed pretty quickly. But this time? Not so much.
Now, he has to hike up seven flights of stairs every time he comes home from the car park. That’s a real workout, especially when you’re just trying to get home after a long day.
He pays £160 a month to Lowther Homes for maintenance and repairs, but he’s decided to stop paying until they sort out the lift. Fair enough, right?
Lowther Homes says the situation is complicated. They claim they’ve been trying to fix it since July 2024 but have run into issues with the lift’s age and missing designs.
They’re saying the only way forward is a full upgrade, but they need to get everyone on board first. Michael’s not happy about that. He just wants the lift fixed.
“It’s been seven months,” he said. “I’ve been in touch with them, but it feels like I’m getting nowhere.”
Things got worse for him when he broke his ribs in a traffic accident. Climbing those stairs is no joke when you’re in pain.
“I told them I might have to sleep in my van, and they didn’t seem to care,” he said. “It felt like it was my problem, not theirs.”
He’s worried about his neighbors too. “Everyone has to deal with this,” he said. “I don’t know how the folks above me manage.”
Michael’s really frustrated. “We pay a lot for maintenance, and it’s just a joke. I don’t even want to go home knowing I have to climb all those stairs.”
Lowther Homes has apologized and says they’re working on it. They’ve been trying to fix the lift since it was installed back in 2002, but parts are hard to find.
They’re working with specialists to get it sorted and have plans to upgrade the lift soon. Let’s hope they can get it done before Michael has to climb any more stairs!
