Wessex Through-Floor Lift: Fault Almost Causes House Fire. — I am a full-time wheelchair user, and I have a Throgh Floor Lift (TFL) to enable me to get upstairs in my home. This lift was installed by a company called Wessex on the request of my housing association, Notting Hill Genesis. Since day 1, this lift has given me nothing but problem after problem. It terrifies me as it almost caused a fire in my own home.
Never did I dream it possible ever to be able to live in a “house” as a wheelchair user. I believed I would only ever live in a single-level property. My shock when I was offered a house. When I went to view the property, A through-floor lift was supplied to enable me to get up and down the house. Wessex Lifts supplied this lift.
So there I was all those years ago, in a new property with a through-floor lift, thinking I was very posh, haha. Unfortunately, this euphoria was not meant to last, as I was plagued with nothing but problems with this lift. I had to make phone calls after phone calls to Notting Hill, reporting fault after fault. Then, my worst nightmare came true. I came home one day to find my lift smoking with a strong burning smell.
Here is a list of some of the problems I had with my first lift:
- Underpan sticking. When riding up in the lift the pan would stick. Then suddenly drop into place with a loud bang – Never fixed!
- Grinding noises. The piping was rubbing against other bits of piping – Eventually Fixed.
- The lift would drop an inch or so overnight. I was told it was heat-related, but this was incorrect, as it happened repeatedly all year round. Several years later, it was agreed that it was a faulty pump. This eventually got changed, and funnily enough, the issue stopped.
- Lift door was not shutting, as it was not level, therefore not closing onto the latch. It would just bounce off the latch and open. I would have to get back out, close the door, send the lift up a few inches, bring it back down and try again. This took over 4 years to fix. Wessex had to come and take the lift off the wall. Take it apart, and raise the level of the floor to make the lift sit higher. This seems to have fixed the issue.
- On one occasion, I got trapped in the lift halfway up while going to bed. It took approximately two hours to be released. It turns out a corrugated pipe got trapped behind the lift, causing it to stop in its tracks.
Problem number 4 happened most of the lift’s lifespan (10 years). I would have to call out engineers repeatedly, which was so annoying! This happened repeatedly, and eventually, the problem was indeed fixed. The main issue with this problem was that if the door wasn’t shutting, I couldn’t use the lift. I would have to sleep on the sofa downstairs. Something that happened quite often!
Oh My God, It’s On Fire!
My family and I had been out shopping. When we got home, we smelled burning when we opened the front door. We could not tell where it came from until I saw smoke rising between my lift and the wall. My husband quickly switched all the electrics off. We could not ascertain why smoke was rising from the left. I called my housing officer immediately, explained the situation, and told them we needed somebody out ASAP.
When the engineer arrived and repaired the lift, he explained that the solenoid switch had burnt out. He also explained that the switch had been changed, and I should have no more problems. This was all very well, but I cannot explain how terrifying this was. Had we been another half hour and 40 minutes, who knows if the left would have actually been in flames when we got home! All I could think about was my poor dog being home alone. I spent weeks feeling so nervous, on edge and watching my lift every minute of the day! I didn’t want to go to bed at night for fear of it happening again.
Inconvenience
It’s hard to explain just how a person’s daily life is affected when adaptations go wrong. Although these adaptations can be amazing. When they go wrong, you are left stranded, unable to do the task they were supplied for. So obviously, this meant I couldn’t get upstairs. This then meant I couldn’t go to bed, which also meant I had to sleep on the sofa. There were times when a fault could not be fixed on the spot, or a part had to be ordered. I’d then have to sleep on the sofa every time. This would make my Scoliosis much worse and the pain unbearable. I would wake up in great pain and stiff every time.
One of the very few services that my lift received. I was unaware that it should have been serviced every six months. I was told the lift needed a new roof to meet new health and safety regulations. Then, realising my lift was over 10 years old at the time. It was decided it would be more cost-effective to replace it with a new lift altogether. At last, some common sense!
I won’t bore you with all the drama that happened. I will, however, tell you that I contacted my housing officer at the time, her boss, and her boss. Explaining how I didn’t want to be stuck with the same lift due to all the problems I had endured with the present lift.
Due to all the faults, delays, etc., I ended up making a formal complaint. I was flabbergasted at how many more mistakes came to light. The lack of servicing, the lack of engineer reports. My housing officer not reporting key facts, and lack of duty of care. The list was truly endless! How does this happen?
New lift survey
Several companies came out to take measurements, photos etc. Which enabled them to give Notting Hill a quote for a new lift. Can you guess what they went with? Yep, the same bloody lift!! Can you believe, after all my complaining, begging and formal complaints, they chose the exact same one!! Talk about throwing good money after bad. Brainless!!!
So, now I’m on my second Wessex TFL of the same make/model (installed Oct 2016). Notting Hill decided the best option was to give me the same lift I had previously. Even knowing I had all the above faults and plenty more, ignoring ALL my pleas to have a different one. How nice of them, eh?
Well, what can I say…….2nd lift and within literally 2 weeks, the same faults are happening all over again!!!!! You really couldn’t make this up!
***Update** 15/7/2020
I had some repeat issues with the new lift, which have now seemingly been resolved. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it stays this way. However, I continually live in fear of going out and coming home and again finding the lift almost on fire. Or, god forbid, worse.
Listen to the Engineers
An engineer not associated with Wessex had been telling the powers that be, that the problem with my original lift was down to the pump. Explaining that the pump was not doing whatever it needed to do correctly with the hydraulics. This engineer had been telling them this for over 2 years! I SUFFERED SLEEPNESS NIGHTS, PAIN, BEING TRAPPED IN THE LIFT, etc. All because the powers-to-be didn’t want to spend the money on a new pump! All because it was NOT cost-effective! Yet it was cost-effective to keep sending out engineer after engineer. Engineers that were NOT fixing the problems! This was more cost-effective?
You need to LISTEN to the engineers. They ARE NOT beneath you! They are the ones visiting the client, seeing the issue/s in person. You are sat behind your desk thinking you’re something special!!! And councils/housing associations can’t understand why they are short of money?? Couldn’t run a piss-up in a brewery spring to mind!!!
Final Thoughts
Is this really how one should have to live? Oh, hang on…..We are only disabled people, what do we matter!! All because Notting Hill Genesis (previously Notting Hill) wants to save some money. But what are they saving when they have to send out engineer after engineer?
Would I recommend this lift? NOT BLOODY LIKELY!!
Would I recommend Wessex? NOT BLOODY LIKELY!! What I can’t understand is this, both lifts (old/new) have presented exactly the same faults and in the same order?? Wouldn’t this suggest this Wessex lift has a design/manufacturing fault?? If so, why are Wessex ignoring this? After all, I tell everyone and anyone willing to listen to me about this awful lift.
I would have to say that I would recommend even less of Notting Hill Genesis’s contracted engineers who were sent to me! Some of them literally just came out, banged a couple of things, and then left.
Come and say Hi
