Constant issues have blighted the aging Mill View tower in Dingle
Mill View, Toxteth(Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)
A Liverpool man living in a tower block left without working lifts owing to vandalism said he is “a prisoner in my own home.” Mill View Tower in Dingle has provided housing in L8 since the 1960s.
The 16-storey building, consisting of 64 flats, is a visual depiction of design dating back six decades. Concerns were raised about conditions inside the block almost a decade ago according to Liverpool Council, with temperatures inside considered to potentially be a risk to tenants’ health.
Now those living at Mill View face fresh issues, with vital lifts at the site left out of order owing to what the building management company describes as “misuse and vandalism.” In a letter to building management, seen by the ECHO, one resident on the 14th floor said their quality of life had been “utterly decimated by the relentless and frankly scandalous failures of the lifts in our building.”
A representative from Clear Building Management, which has managed the building on behalf of leaseholder-controlled L8 Inc RTM Company since 2020, said in an email to residents there have been “numerous incidents of lift failure recently, primarily caused by deliberate vandalism, the most recent involved forcing the doors of the only working lift and causing significant damage to the floor lock.” As a result, the lift has been deemed unsafe and cannot be returned to service without “significant work and expenditure.”
In a letter of his own, seen by the ECHO, George Cross said it was “no longer an inconvenience; it is a full-blown crisis.” He wrote: “Living on the 14th floor, I am forced to contend with an existence that can only be described as that of a prisoner in my own home.
“My bicycle, essential for my daily commute and freedom, remains chained downstairs, mocking me. The simple act of leaving my flat to enjoy the sunlight, or to travel for work or leisure, has become an insurmountable hurdle. My back aches constantly from the daily torment of hauling heavy shopping bags up 14 flights of stairs – a struggle that is not just physically exhausting for a healthy 27-year-old, but an outright impossibility for the vulnerable, elderly, and disabled residents who are trapped or risking injury within their own homes.”
Mr Cross said residents hold their breath when lifts have previously been fixed, adding that it is with “grim certainty that it will inevitably collapse again within days.” He said: “My diligently paid service charges are not maintaining a building; they are pouring down a bottomless pit of ineffective, temporary fixes.”
The resident added how every day without functional lifts “chips away at our dignity, our health, and our safety.” He said: “I moved to Mill View for its spectacular views and the promise of affordable, comfortable living.
“I want nothing more than to stay here. But the sheer physical and emotional burden of this constant struggle is forcing me to consider an exit plan, however reluctantly. No resident should be contemplating abandoning their home because they cannot safely access their own front door.
“This building is saveable with proper investment; it will be condemned if left in this state.”
In a statement to the ECHO, Clear Building Management acknowledged it faced “ongoing challenges” to repair the lifts. A spokesperson said: “We fully understand how distressing and frustrating this situation is for residents.
“Having both lifts out of service in a high-rise building is not acceptable, and we are doing everything we can to support the RTM board in finding a sustainable and timely solution.” The lifts were last refurbished in 2012 and the Clear Building Management spokesperson said despite regular servicing, repairs, and statutory inspections, recent assessments by specialist engineers the lifts can no longer be safely operated without full refurbishment.
The statement added: “Clear Building Management and the RTM board are now actively exploring funding options to enable the necessary lift refurbishment. A formal Section 20 consultation will be launched in line with the Landlord and Tenant Act to ensure full transparency and resident involvement in the process. We are committed to restoring lift service as quickly as possible.
“Our focus is on delivering a long-term solution that improves reliability and safety for everyone living at Mill View.” The company said a key challenge has been the financial strain caused by several leaseholders – many of whom are overseas investors – falling into long-term arrears on service charge payments, partly due to court backlogs.
Clear Building Management said while residents continue to pay rent, the building’s maintenance fund has been “significantly impacted.” The spokesperson said legal efforts to recover these debts have been delayed by backlogs in the court system, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic.