A London childminder is worried her business may suffer due to constant lift failures in her building
London: A 58-year-old childminder named Jayne White is feeling the heat. She’s been living on the York Way Estate in Islington for about 25 years, and now her business is at risk because the lifts keep breaking down.
Jayne, who’s rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, usually cares for three kids in her flat. But with the lifts out of order, she’s losing money. She’s worried that parents won’t want to climb four flights of stairs to drop off their kids.
She mentioned that the last few months have been especially tough. It used to be rare for both lifts to be out at the same time, but now it feels like it’s happening all the time. Recently, both lifts in her block were down, and she had to deal with a dirty stairwell that made things even worse.
When the lifts are out, parents have to carry their kids and buggies up the stairs, which is no fun for anyone. Jayne even had to hire someone to help her with the buggies, which just adds to her costs.
She’s raised her concerns with the City of London Corporation, the landlord, but they’ve only promised to clean the stairwell. Jayne is also worried about elderly and disabled residents who struggle when the lifts are down.
She’s been asking when the lifts will be replaced instead of just fixed, but the response has been vague. The Corporation says it’s part of a five-year plan, which leaves Jayne feeling anxious about her future. “Who is going to come to me on the fourth floor with no lift?” she asks.
Jayne’s situation highlights a bigger issue. With the government pushing for more childcare options, it’s tough when councils aren’t keeping their properties in good shape. She’s just hoping for a solution soon.
