Wheelchair users trapped in their Guinness Partnership homes for five days after lift breaks

Seventy-six-year-old Anthony White, who has multiple sclerosis, has been trapped in his home at Juniper Court, which is run by The Guinness Partnership, for five days.

The wheelchair user lives on the top floor of the building and because of a broken lift which has not yet been fixed, cannot leave the property, on Cunningham Drive, Gosport.

He said the lift, which Guinness confirmed had only been repaired on Saturday before breaking again on Sunday, has had problems ever since the building opened six years ago.

Mr White missed an appointment he has been waiting months for at Queen Alexandra hospital because of the problem, and said: ‘It’s been absolute hell for all of us, I just feel totally trapped.

‘The lift had only just been fixed before it broke again on Sunday.

‘I live on the top floor of the building, the fourth floor, and there are two lifts, but the one down the other end of the building doesn’t go to the fourth floor.

‘It’s making my life hell, I can’t even get out to go to the shops.’

Mr White said that until The Guinness Partnership was contacted by The News, residents were told the housing provider said it did not know when the lift would be fixed.

A spokesperson for The Guinness Partnership said: ‘We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our customers at Juniper Court.

‘After we repaired the lift on Saturday, May 12, a further fault occurred on Sunday, May 13, which requires a specialist part to be ordered.

‘We are doing everything we can to ensure that the lift is back in service as soon as possible.

‘In the meantime our staff are on-site every day offering any help or assistance our customers need.

‘We anticipate that the lift will be fully repaired by Friday, May 18.’

The spokesperson added that staff were ‘regularly checking’ on Mr White, and that The Guinness Partnership had apologised to him for the inconvenience the broken lift had caused him.

Mr White said other wheelchair users are also frustrated in their flats.

He added: ‘The staff here have been very good, the manager and the carers, it’s just head office that is quite hopeless.

‘When the lift broke before I was stuck downstairs for eight hours. The whole thing is a complete nightmare.

‘This can’t keep happening, Guinness should have these parts ordered so that situations like this are avoided.

‘I’m supposed to be going on a cruise with my carer on Sunday and I’m worried I won’t be able to.

‘It’s very upsetting and really inconvenient when you can’t even rely on being able to get in and out of your home.’