‘They still haven't fixed our lift, intercom system and damp after 2 YEARS'
Residents of a high-end complex of apartments for over-55s in a leafy Bolton suburb say they have been waiting for 'essential maintenance' to be carried out by a property management company for TWO YEARS.
They claim the company is asking people who live at Greenmount Court to foot the bill to replace a broken lift at a cost of £35,000, even though they pay nearly £250 a month in management fees.
As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) last November, a 95-year-old woman described how she had to toss her keys down from her balcony at Greenmount Court, Heaton to allow people delivering her weekly prescriptions and groceries because the intercom which would normally allow entry did not jobs" target="_blank">work.
Bill Holmes
At the time, it had already been broken for months, and it still isn't working.
Former RAF nurse Anna Fallows said she has made repeated calls to the management company to try to get the intercom working again.
A lift in a block occupied by a vulnerable 80-odd-year-old man living on the first floor still hasn't been fixed. Residents say it's been out of order for months and that management company RMG want them to foot the bill for the repair at £35,000.
In a letter sent to leaseholders at Greenmount Court, seen by the LDRS, RMG say there is 'not enough in the reserve fund' to foot the repair bill.
Meanwhile, Bill Holmes, 64, who moved in with his wife Jane, 54, in October last year said he was 'shocked and appalled' that he and his neighbours have been left waiting so long for repairs to be carried out.
'We keep being told people are coming round to provide the property management company with quotes, and then nothing happens,' he said.
'It feels like they are just stalling to avoid spending any money.'
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Nextdoor to Bill and Jane are Stewart Court, 65, and his wife Lorraine, 64. Fitted wardrobes they bought when they moved in two years ago are ruined because the property has been plagued with damp.
The couple say the repairs promised by the property management company, RMG, have never materialised.
Stewart said: 'Every time a job needs doing they say they need two quotes, but it seems to take forever,' he said. 'And then nothing seems to happen. I've got a list of emails I've sent to RMG as long as your arm.
'We haven't replaced the wardrobes because it's pointless while there is still a damp issue. It's extremely frustrating. There are 24 residents in the complex and we're all paying nearly £250 a month, and now we've had this letter about the lift. It doesn't seem right.'
A spokesperson for RMG has responded, but has declined to comment specifically on the letter to residents which says the company can't afford to pay for the lift repair.
They said: 'We're sorry for the frustration and inconvenience that residents at Greenmount Court have experienced, and we acknowledge that some of the issues have taken longer to resolve than we would have hoped. We want to reassure residents that necessary repairs are being carried out.
'We have undertaken a comprehensive review of options for the social alarm and intercom system and consulted with residents as part of the process.
'Additional contractor quotes are currently being finalised, and we will confirm the next steps once this process is complete. Our aim is to deliver a system that meets residents' needs while also offering good value for money.
'Through this work, we identified that the lift was faulty. We've now completed the tender process for the lift to be modernised and have issued a Statement of Expenditure to residents, detailing the proposed works and associated costs. Our focus is on delivering a high-quality upgrade that is completed swiftly and safely, with minimal disruption to residents.
'We will now be issuing regular weekly updates to ensure everyone is aware of progress and any new developments. We remain committed to resolving these matters properly and ask that any residents with concerns please reach out to us.'
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