• FOR the second time in three weeks residents of estates have had to complain through the CNJ about the failure of Camden Council to carry out repairs to lifts.

First Levita House in King’s Cross was without its lift for over four weeks, this included Christmas. It’s claimed that one tenant had to be carried down flights of stairs by ambulance staff so he could attend his dialysis appointments.

Then you reported how a disabled woman missed her husband’s funeral as she was unable to use the stairs because the lift was broken at Godwin Court in Somers Town.

Camden’s lead housing councillor Meric Apek explained by using that well-worn record that the contractor was again having difficulties obtaining the parts needed to repair lifts and he was going to investigate; a statement he has made on many previous occasions.

The council have little or no excuse for not carrying out prompt repairs to lifts that have broken down. You may recall that in April 2017 Camden introduced a very new service charge to 18,000 tenants living on their estates.

This new charge for “maintenance of communal areas” would cost tenants £1.10 per week. Tenants were told the new charge was for the maintenance and repair of electrical equipment which included lifts in communal areas.

This new service charge around £1million per year, so from April 2017 until April 2020 the council would have received £3million to carry out repairs on electrical equipment in communal areas; something they appear not to be doing.

Perhaps the housing minister should investigate as to why repairs are not being carried out promptly and where the money is being spent if not on electrical equipment and lifts in communal areas.

I would be almost certain that Camden’s tenants would only be too pleased to hear the minister’s response, perhaps even in the CNJ.

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