Disabled man 'stuck' again in new inaccessible flat

Nathan Rollinson had to be lifted out of his old building after the lift broke, but said his new council flat still is not accessible

A disabled man who had to be carried down the side of his flat block after the lift broke has said he is now "stuck" in his new council flat too, because it is not accessible.

Nathan Rollinson, 33, was rescued by emergency services and then treated in hospital when he fell out of his wheelchair after the lift broke in June.

He said Lambeth Council promised to adapt a new flat before he moved in last month but it still had not been done, meaning he cannot open the front or back doors or windows unaided, and cannot use his kitchen.

Lambeth Council said it had been "working hard" and further adjustments were "in the process of being carried out".

Mr Rollinson has been a wheelchair user since suffering brain and spinal injuries in a rugby accident last year.

He previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service after he was treated in hospital, he had been staying in a hotel until Lambeth Council could find him a more accessible place to live.

He told BBC London the council eventually suggested a flat in a sheltered accommodation scheme Mr Rollinson said is aimed at over-60s, but he still accepted it and moved in on 29 July.

However, Mr Rollinson said despite the council acknowledging it "needed to install an electric door opener" on his front door and windows this has not happened.

Mr Rollinson cannot open the front or back doors unaided until they are fitted with electronic openers by Lambeth Council

He said he currently "can't get out of the front door - I have to call the scheme manager who is only here Monday to Friday, 9 to 5," which meant he was either "stuck" or reliant on help from friends outside of these times.

Mr Rollinson added London Fire Brigade advised him the front door was "my only evacuation route" due to a change in the floor level between the back door and patio outside, so he said he could not escape independently if there was a fire.

"They've passed it on to Lambeth again, who know this, and Lambeth are choosing to say 'oh we'll do it in 12 weeks'," he said.

Mr Rollinson claimed the council was also "supposed to fully adapt" the kitchen too but this has not been done, so he "can't cook" or use the kitchen.

"If I was to try and use the oven I'd fall into the oven because it's low to the floor and the fridge isn't accessible... the countertops, nothing is accessible," he explained.

He continued by saying when he moved in there were even problems with his fuse box and key-operated utility meter, which were installed "eight foot" away from the floor.

Mr Rollinson said Lambeth Council told him to "try to reach for" his fuse box and key-operated meter under the ceiling in his flat

When he told Lambeth Council about this, he alleged a staff member replied, "it's fine, you'll have to just reach for it" and later suggested staff could top the meter up for him instead.

"I want to be able to be fully independent, which obviously I can't," he said.

"It's horrendous. Even the scheme manager said I shouldn't be here."

Mr Rollinson went on to say while he was previously in hospital doctors "found a pulmonary embolism which they said was caused by the stress of the last property", and he suffered "further spine damage" after the fall which meant he had not been able to work.

"I didn't want to be doing all this," Mr Rollinson said, adding he was "angry" with the situation.

"I've had to push since 2022 when I first got injured," he said.

Adjustments 'being carried out'

A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: "We have been working hard to support our resident on an ongoing basis to meet his needs.

"We have secured ground floor sheltered accommodation for him to live in which is suitable for wheelchair access.

"The council had the flat assessed by an occupational therapist before he moved in, and again on the day of the move.

"Any further adjustments needed to make sure all his needs are met are in the process of being carried out."