Elevator Outage Leaves Residents in a Tough Spot

After weeks of climbing up and down five flights of stairs at her north London apartment building, Merna Zeps is considering leaving her home of 28 years.

“It’s more than an inconvenience,” said Zeps, a senior who relies on a cane for mobility and has had both knees and hips replaced. “It’s heartbreaking in some ways. I hate the thought, but I’m probably going to have to move.”

The residents of 750 Kipps Lane say they’ve been without working elevators in the building for three weeks. (Andrew Lupton/)

Zeps lives at 750 Kipps Lane, an eight-storey apartment building in north London where several residents report that there hasn’t been a working elevator for three weeks.

To get groceries up to her fifth-floor apartment, Zeps must depend on friends for help.

“I can’t have things delivered because nobody is going to come up five flights of stairs,” she said.

The city of London has issued an order requiring that the elevators be fixed. However, this notice allows building management until the end of the month to make repairs before facing any fines.

The building is managed by Burlington-based SIREG management. According to SIREG, the building operates as a condominium with various individual investors owning the rental units. The company disputes that the outage has lasted three weeks, claiming both elevators have only been out since April 1, while one has been down since March 25.

SIREG sent a statement to , expressing their apologies for the inconvenience faced by residents.

“We understand the seriousness of the situation and the impact it is having on daily life,” the statement said. “We take no pleasure in seeing residents experience this hardship.”

We take no pleasure in seeing residents experience this hardship.- SIREG property management

SIREG’s statement emphasized that they are “doing everything we reasonably can to have service restored as quickly as possible.”

The company noted it contacted its elevator contractor immediately after learning about the issue.

“Unfortunately, communication and progress from the current provider have been inadequate, which has contributed significantly to the delay,” said their statement.

In its announcement, SIREG also mentioned it’s seeking to hire a new elevator service company.

This message from SIREG management is posted beside the two inactive elevators at 750 Kipps Lane. (Andrew Lupton/CBC New)

The company has displayed a notice next to both inactive elevators explaining what’s happening. It also stated there’s no definite timeline for when service will be restored.

“Don’t give some lame excuse,” reads a note scrawled in pen at the bottom. “Fix the elevator.”

‘I can’t go anywhere’ resident says

Shane Caswell has multiple sclerosis and relies on a walker to get around. He lives on the seventh floor and with no working elevator he’s essentially trapped in his apartment.

Meanwhile, seventh-floor resident Shane Caswell hasn’t been able to leave his home since this elevator outage began.

Caswell, 50, struggles with multiple sclerosis-a condition that greatly limits his movement. He uses a walker and can’t manage stairs.

“I can’t go anywhere,” he said. “I can’t go to grocery stores or get my prescriptions. It’s like we’re stuck here just like during COVID-19.”

Multiple messages like this are written in stairwell of building.

Deborah Hawksworth lives with him on that same seventh floor and worries Caswell might miss crucial medical appointments; he’s had doctor consultations over phone since things went downhill.

“If there was an emergency, he would not be able to get out,” she said.

Residents who spoke with CBC news mentioned they’ve seen parents struggling up and down stairs carrying infants in strollers too; several new tenants moved in during this outage forcing them to haul furniture-like couches or bed frames-up those same stairs.

This isn’t SIREG’s first time leaving people without functional elevators for extended periods at Kipps Lane buildings.

Other buildings faced similar issues

Peter Cuddy from Ward 3 City of London heard complaints about another long-lasting elevator outage nearby at another building managed by SIREG: 754 Kipps Lane.

Cuddy reported that one started on December 18 last year but wasn’t resolved until February 27 this year.

“I was over there almost every other day,” Cuddy told.

“I got calls from folks on higher floors saying ‘We’re really abandoned up here.’ Some had physical issues making it hard for them using stairs.”

Cuddy explained municipal action options are limited when it comes speeding repairs; Ontario’s Technical Standards and Safety Authority oversees inspections after major upgrades before they resume service.

“It’s provincial jurisdiction,” Cuddy mentioned.” We don’t have authority beyond bylaws governing these situations – it’s ongoing problems affecting residents.”
SIREG shared they’re trying their best assisting residents “in practical ways” during these outages – helping out with laundry needs or grocery deliveries among other concerns

. Some notes scribbled on staircase walls demand compensation for tenants,
SIREG addressed those concerns within their announcement stating:
“Regarding rent compensation requests; we’ll review once repair work wraps up allowing us assess all circumstances surrounding duration properly.”

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