A housing provider has been accused of destroying residents’ quality of life over the long-running issue of a broken lift.

Anchor Housing Trust is accused of neglecting people living in Kiln House at Squares Quay in Kings­bridge, many of who are mobility-impaired, by leaving them without a lift since mid-March. The lift was declared out of service by an engineer on March 19, two days after it had stopped working.

Three days after it was shut down, the Kiln House property services administrator posted a notice indicating the problem had been identified and quotations were being prepared for the necessary work to repair it. It is not the first time it has broken down.

Since the lift has been out of order, residents have complained about the lack of communication, with information only coming on a verbal basis through the scheme manager.

Kiln House residents Terry and Kay Evans are absolutely fed up with the lack of communication and action from Anchor.

Terry explained: “These residents have varied mobility problems, ranging from minimal to extreme, and for almost seven weeks have been faced with descending and climbing two floors of stairs every time they either visit the residents’ lounge or leave the building.

“With many residents in their 80s, to do this, especially with essential shopping, is both challenging and, for those less mobile or with heart or breathing problems, downright dangerous.”

Another resident, Alan Farley, who is wheelchair-bound, has been so affected by the lift problem, that he and his wife Joanna have had to resort to arranging alternative accommodation.

Joanna has had to struggle to get Alan down the stairs for appointments, putting both of them at risk of injury.

She explained: “It’s really affected our health mentally. We have a dog, and Alan looks forward to taking him out for a walk every day, but for the past six weeks he hasn’t been able to and being housebound is really getting him down.”

Alan’s son was so fed up with the fact that Alan had been housebound for so long that he, Joanna, and a few others decided to try and carry Alan down the stairs, resulting in Joanna hurting her shoulder.

Joanna also feared a health and safety hazard was being caused by residents being forced to leave their walkers and wheelchairs at the bottom of the stairs.

One resident, who had a stroke shortly before Christ­mas, was found almost collapsed at the top of the stairs, and other residents had to retrieve a wheelchair before assisting her to her room, said Joanna.

Kay explained how disheartening it is to see some of the residents struggling both physically and mentally with the lift being broken, saying that it is “taking the life away from what people have left.”

In the six weeks since the breakdown, 17 flats have been affected, using the stairs instead of the lift, with 15 flats using two flights of stairs.

In addition to the permanent residents, the day care centre on the ground floor and first floor of the building has also been affected. Their clients require extra assistance as some of them have special needs and many are quite elderly. They do not have a staircase, therefore require the lift to use the upper floor.

In an email to Anchor last Friday, April 27, exactly six weeks after the lift had broken down, Terry sent an ultimatum as a last resort to resolve the issue.

He stated: “Despite the visits of engineers from more than one ‘specialist’ company, the current situation is no further forward than it was six weeks ago.

“The continuing use of stairs by those who have impaired mobility runs the risk of a serious accident occurring – the cost of which to Anchor, would be enormous.

“I would ask that, as a matter of urgency, you advise me, in detail, of the reason for such a total lack of progress on such a vital element of life at Kiln House. In addition, I wish to know the future actions which you will be taking, together with the timescale.”

An Anchor spokesman said: “We are very sorry one of our lifts at Kiln House is out of order. We are doing everything we can to remedy this situation as soon as we can.

“As a stop-gap measure, we are installing a temporary stair lift for residents which will be fitted by the end of next week.”Terry also contacted MP Sarah Wollaston, who replied saying: "Thank you for your emails and for collating the letters of authority. "I have now written to Jane Ashcroft, the chief executive of the Anchor Group to ask if this can be resolved. I will of course keep you advised of any developments and I would ask you to do likewise."