A 91原创 senior with mobility issues says he was left grounded after the elevator in his apartment building stopped working last week.
Garnet Rempel, 72, who uses a scooter to get around, says he had to shell out $98 a day for a motel room because he was unable to access his two-bedroom suite on the third floor of Cassola Place in 91原创 City.
Rempel told the Times on April 18 that the elevator at Cassola Place broke on April 11, making it impossible for him to access his suite.
He said there have been problems with the elevator 鈥渙ff and on鈥� over the past 36 months.
鈥淭his last time, it happened on Tuesday (April 11),鈥� Rempel said. 鈥淣ow it doesn鈥檛 work, period.鈥�
鈥淥ne time, (members of) the fire department had to carry me upstairs,鈥� Rempel added. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like it鈥檚 an isolated incident.鈥�
Rempel said a sign on the elevator noted that there is no timeline on any repair work. 鈥淣o date, no time, we鈥檒l keep you abreast of the situation.鈥�
鈥淣ow, I鈥檝e got to go to a hotel at 98 dollars a night,鈥� Rempel said. 鈥淲ho鈥檚 paying for this? Do I get any kind of compensation package? I鈥檓 not the only tenant with walking problems.鈥�
He said he鈥檚 on a limited income and his money is going to run out. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a lot of money.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檝e got a bad heart,鈥� Rempel said. 鈥淚鈥檓 stressed out. I鈥檝e got a mobility problem up the ying yang, and they could care less; they don鈥檛 have a clue.鈥�
Two people standing outside the complex late Wednesday afternoon confirmed to the Times that the elevator is still out of service, and has been for more than week.
They also noted that other residents have been left housebound because of this situation.
The property management company has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
executive director Andrew Sakamoto explained that the has a number of policy guidelines on various topics affecting renters.
One of them is 鈥渢ermination or restriction of a service or facility.鈥�
鈥淚n that document鈥� it does note that an elevator at a multi-storey apartment building is considered an essential service,鈥� Sakamoto said.
鈥淪o, particularly for these seniors who may have mobility issues, this is obviously an extremely serious and urgent issue.鈥�
Sakamoto advised that those affected contact their landlord immediately.
Failing that, he noted the tenants鈥� legal recourse is to apply to the RTB for dispute resolution.
鈥淪o that鈥檚 essentially B.C.鈥檚 tenant/landlord court,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hrough that service, they can ask for an emergency repair order and also compensation. If they鈥檙e unable to get up to their units, they certainly have the right to ask to be re-imbursed for those costs.鈥�
