We’re facing a number of challenges with access to parts for repairs and availability of lift engineers.
In this article we’ve explained in more detail the reasons for the delay to repairs and what actions we’re taking to put things right.
Why are some lift repairs taking longer?
Across the developments we manage, there are 420 lifts of various ages which have been built and installed by different manufacturers.
Each lift manufacturer has specialist contractors who are trained to carry out repairs on specific lifts. There is currently a shortage of appropriately skilled lift engineers and technicians available to look after the lifts.
There are other factors which have led to delays:
- Changes in trade regulations post-Brexit can affect the import and export of lift parts between the UK and other countries, which can lead to longer lead times and/or increased costs.
- Limited number of manufacturers which makes it hard to source parts, especially for older or less common models. This can also cause delays as manufacturers are prioritising urgent repairs over routine maintenance.
- Ensuring the quality and compatibility of replacement parts is crucial for safety and compliance with regulations. This has led to a more thorough verification process.
What actions are you taking to address the issue?
We’ve listened to your feedback and undertaken a thorough review to improve our management and maintenance of lifts.
As a result of this we’re taking the following actions:
- Sourcing commonly used replacement parts and equipment from a greater variety of suppliers to reduce repair times where we can.
- Investing more than £1m this year to replace and update our older and less reliable lifts.
- Putting in place extra lift maintenance checks which helps to prevent breakdowns and increase the lifespan of our lifts.
- Using other contractors for smaller non-technical repairs.
- Providing compensation for customers where a lift has been out of action for more than 7 days.
- Putting a porter system in in place for our taller buildings, when the lift has broken down, to help customers carry items up and down the stairs.
Russell Thompson, A2Dominion’s Interim Asset Director, said: “We know our lifts are not performing as they should, and repairs are taking longer than expected. We’re sorry and are working hard to put it right.
“We’re investing more than £1m to replace our older lifts this year, as well as carrying out extra lift maintenance inspections, which has significantly reduced the amount of time our lifts are out of action.
“Although this is a step in the right direction, we understand there is still a lot of work to be done to improve our lift repairs service. We’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while the new changes are rolled out.”
Our Lift Improvement Programme forms an important part of our new corporate strategy.