BBC Radio Bristol reported this morning on the case of residents at Ferndown Grange (above) in Bristol being “imprisoned” in their block owing to a damaged lift. A report has also appeared on its website here
The lift has been broken for five weeks with no end in sight as new spare-part is going to have to be made in Italy.
One 89-year-old lady, who has interviewed in tears on the programme, has been unable to leave her flat … or see her two sons, both of whom are disabled.
Sebastian O’Kelly, of Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation, told the BBC that Peverel ought to re-accommodate the residents affected, perhaps sub-letting empty flats in the same complex if – as is likely – some are available.
Local AgeUK representative Mark Baker was also interviewed.
Peverel’s reputation was raised by the BBC in the news item and there were repeated questions concerning the removal of AgeUK’s logo from the Peverel Retirement website last Friday.
This occurred after Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation raised the issue with AgeUK CEO Tom Wright.
O’Kelly gave a resume of Peverel’s reputation in property management, including its admission that it ran a price-fixing cartel which is currently the subject of an Office of Fair Trading investigation.
Related posts:
What IS going on with Peverel’s lifts? Yet more residents are stuck indoors for weeks – we are up to NINE cases in two years!
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation interview with BBC raises Peverel price-fixing scandal and AgeUK logos
Hold on! Pensioners have been stranded by broken lifts in Peverel blocks FIVE times in the past TWO years!
Pensioner ‘spy’ to lift the lid on retirement leasehold 8pm tonight
My apologies
Having got “wind” of a report about elderly residents being trapped by a broken lift on a Peverel managed development, i naturally assumed it must refer to either Homeport House, Stirling Court or Madingley Court. I didn’t realise there were problems at Ferngrange Grange as well!
According to my information, Ferndown Grange was built in 2003.
How can it possibly be that a development built 10 years ago is fitted with a lift with obsolete parts?
I note Peverel Retirement have issued an apology on their website, though they make a rather sniffy comment that Ferndown Grange is not a care home, as if that justifies residents being trapped for 5 weeks!
This was absolutely disgusting for the lift Company to say they had trouble sourcing the part. If I were the owner of the retirement homes I would have this lift out and another make fitted with the assurance that a comprehensive parts back-up would be available.
This hardly gives the residents and their relatives and friends much confidence in the place. Above all, elderly people should be kept as mobile as possible and not have to just sit around. Look at all the good weather they should have been enjoying instead of sitting around indoors.
The whole episode is hardly believable.
Well you would have wanted to be stuck on the 72nd floor of the London Shard with this elevator company. Shame on them.
Richard Coombe,
To be fair to the lift company, it was Peverel that said the lift company had problems sourcing the parts, not the actual lift company. It has on several occasions that Peverel statements and the truth can diverge.
If you look on the Peverel Blog under “Safe and Secure Retirement” Comments Nos 11 and 12 you will see the Questions I asked about the Lifts and a long answer and explanation by Peverel.
Nice work Michael,
In his response on behalf of Peverel,,David Gabriel states that Peverel “appoint specialist contractors who carry out servicing and maintenance at least four times a year. Two independent insurance inspections are carried out every year”
So that means Peverel should have no problem.if requested in supplying appropriate invoices and reports that cover each of the four servicing and maintenance schedules, nor for the two insurance inspections at either Ferndown Grange or any other development with a lift.
Over to you Peverel!
It appears the same issue is about to rear its ugly head in another Peverel property, Barnaby Mill in Gillingham, Dorset. Lift repairs had been scheduled to start on the 21st of this month, and typically no alternate provisions have been made. My mother is petrified, having seen the reports on Ferndown Grange, as she is unable to use the stairs unassisted. In the aftermath of all the adverse publicity surrounding Ferndown Grange, the repairs have been “postponed for a short time” but will no doubt start once the dust has settled.
Residents should withhold a proportion of their management fees in light of the failure of Peverel to provide basic access facilities in their properties!
The same thing is happening at Kings Court Sheffield.