Wheelchair user 'trapped' in flat after lift breaks

Tom Harris has lived in the block of flats in Leeds for five years

A wheelchair user says he has been "trapped" in his city centre flat for more than two weeks after the only lift in the building broke.

Tom Harris, who has cerebral palsy, lives on the sixth floor at Echo Central One in Cross Green Lane, Leeds, and relies on the lift to get in and out.

He said: "I understand that things break, and things will go wrong, but there is only one lift and I am completely dependent on that lift."

Adair Paxton, which manages the block, said it was waiting for parts to be manufactured and expected repairs to be carried out this weekend.

Tom Harris said he was "completely dependent" on using the lift

Mr Harris said: "We have now had two weeks of this, and I understand that this will take time but for me that's not an acceptable length of time for anyone to live when they are trapped."

The 31-year-old bought the flat five years ago because, with its converted bathroom, it was more accessible than a house, and was in a convenient location.

He asked Adair Paxton for a reduction in his service charge, which is £200 a month, but they refused his request.

A spokesman said: "We sympathise that this can cause disruption and frustration, particularly to residents with mobility issues, when the lift is out of use.

"This can be either as part of its routine servicing and safety inspections, as well as when maintenance works are required such as those we are currently navigating."

He added that they were let down by the lift service provider and had to find another, but the work was scheduled to take place later this week.

Mr Harris lives on the sixth floor at Echo Central One in Cross Green Lane, Leeds

Mr Harris said the lift broke last summer and was out of action for two weeks.

Although he can work from home and has a live-in carer, he still needs to get out and about as part of his job.

Mr Harris is a wellbeing co-ordinator for charity Linking Leeds.

"I do work from home three days a week and then two days a week I am in the community seeing clients face-to-face or in the office, so I am required to be out and about quite a bit," he said.

Adair Paxton said the work was due to take place on 4 and 5 April.

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