Residents feel 'caged' in four-storey apartment block in Portsmouth due to lift broken by vandalism

A VANDALISED lift broken for more than a week inside a Portsmouth apartment block has left residents feeling trapped, with concerns raised about disabled and elderly residents.
By Richard Lemmer
Published 6th Nov 2019, 10:32 GMT
The only lift at 'Outlook' apartment block run by Vivid Housing Association in Goldsmith Avenue, Portsmouth, has been broken for over a week leaving residents unable to leaving their flats. Pictured is: Residents (l-r) Reg Yeates (55) and Simon Poolman (27). Picture: Sarah Standing (051119-1140)The only lift at 'Outlook' apartment block run by Vivid Housing Association in Goldsmith Avenue, Portsmouth, has been broken for over a week leaving residents unable to leaving their flats. Pictured is: Residents (l-r) Reg Yeates (55) and Simon Poolman (27). Picture: Sarah Standing (051119-1140)
The only lift at 'Outlook' apartment block run by Vivid Housing Association in Goldsmith Avenue, Portsmouth, has been broken for over a week leaving residents unable to leaving their flats. Pictured is: Residents (l-r) Reg Yeates (55) and Simon Poolman (27). Picture: Sarah Standing (051119-1140)

Outlook on Goldsmith Avenue has seen scores of complaints to the housing association landlord Vivid following the lift breaking on Friday October 25.

Army veteran Alan Poolman, who has a pacemaker with a built-in defibrillator fitted after heart failure in 2012, could be 'in serious trouble' if he has a medical emergency, according to his wife Linda.

She said: 'He feels like he has been caged in his own home.

'His doctor said he has to get out and walk.

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'He could go down the stairs, but he could be in serious trouble going back up them.'

The couple's son, Simon, who shares a flat with his parents on the fourth floor, said he also risked injury using the stairs following being fitted with a gastric sleeve in October.

SEE ALSO: Furious Gosport residents ‘are left in the dark’ over flat repairs

The 27-year-old said: 'I’m not allowed to use the stairs. It might cause a hernia or the stitches might come out.

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‘I’m beginning to develop a lump in my side, and it might have been caused by having to walk down the stairs.’

A lack of communication from Vivid had left residents feeling worthless, according to resident Reg Yates.

The retired teacher, who has lived in the block for two years, said: 'We haven't heard anything at all.

‘It makes us feel worthless. You expect some basic respect.

‘I have sciatica – I’m in a lot of pain if I use the stairs, and it’s very slow going.’

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Vivid had attempted to contact residents with mobility issues living above the ground floor, according to head of repairs, Justin Crittall.

He said: ‘We responded immediately on residents letting us know their lift was broken. Vandalism had damaged the doors and brakes of the lift.

‘Our engineers have been on site all day today and will continue to be on site tomorrow to undertake these significant repairs.’

The company may ‘offer essential services such as prescriptions and shopping’ and consider temporary accommodation for some residents.

Related topics:ResidentsPortsmouth