After a Halifax woman spoke out about her son being stuck in a building with a broken elevator, she found out the repair could now take even longer.
The family says it is looking for a new place to live.
Tracy Denney told Global News in a story posted on March 11 that her son Adam, a wheelchair user, hasn’t been able to leave his apartment for more than two weeks due to an out-of-order elevator.
As of Tuesday, it has been 20 days since the elevator at 16 Caxton Close broke down.
Tracy Denney said on Tuesday that on March 12, the day after Global News published their story, a notice posted on their door advised of repair plans and compensation.
“Unfortunately, the elevator repair as turned out to be more complicated than originally thought,” the letter read.
“The work that was performed would not have allowed us to bring the elevator back into safe operation.”
Doric Management said it has engaged a second elevator repair company, Otis Elevator, in addition to CKG Elevator, which holds a contract with the company. The group added that it hopes the elevator will be repaired “in the coming weeks.”
“Despite this, we now know that the elevator is at the end of its lifespan,” the notice read, adding that the company will being seeking bids to replace the elevator.
“When this work begins the elevator could be out of service for at least 5-6 weeks,” it read.
According to the notice, the company is offering compensation to second-, third- and fourth-floor tenants of the building: a $50 rent reduction.
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Denney said in a message Tuesday that she has not had any contact with the company since Global News published the story. She says her son was not offered any solution or alternative accommodation to date.
However, with the help of a friend working in a fire department, Adam was able to go outside and see his friends on Saturday night.
“His friends carried him down Saturday night and he was out for Saturday night and Sunday, and the firemen brought (him) back yesterday in the morning,” Denney said in the message.
Denney also said the tenancy board, the N.S. Residential Tenancies Program, has moved up their hearing date.
“They say it’s an emergency hearing,” Denney said. “(The board) told me to make up a proposal as to what I would like and see if they agree to it.”
Tracy and Adam were initially scheduled to attend a Residential Tenancy hearing by phone on April 7, but that was now moved to March 23.
Tracy said she’s sad because the family has lived in the apartment for 16 years, for more than half of Adam’s life.
“I’ve paid them almost $200,000 in rent and I had to take them to the tenancy board to try and hear a solution,” she said in the message.
In addition to the notice by Doric Management, she found a notice posted by Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency.
The Order to Remedy, dated March 12 and addressed to the company, stated the property does not comply with minimum standards prescribed by municipal bylaw M-200 Respecting Residential Occupancies, “in that deficiencies were found.”
The bylaw, under Section 20 in reference to elevating devices, states:
“Elevators and other elevating devices, including all mechanical and electrical equipment, lighting fixtures, lamps, control buttons, floor indicators, ventilation fans, and emergency communication systems shall be operational and hold a current provincial license to operate.”
According to the notice by the fire inspector, the company is ordered to “remedy the condition of the property,” with another inspection scheduled for March 26.
Global News has again reached out to Doric Management and will update this story with comments.
More to come.
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