Man told fitting safety rail would be 'unfair'

A man living with mobility issues says the company which manages his building has refused to install a handrail on the stairs up to his flat as it would be "unfair" on other residents.

Steve Bingham, 78, from York, was diagnosed three years ago with VEXAS, a rare autoimmune condition characterised by recurring fevers, anemia, shortness of breath and blood clots.

The retired teacher said after his calls for a handrail were denied twice he had begun to limit the number of times he left his home, saying: "It's a heart-in-the-mouth moment each time I go down the main flight of stairs."

Langton Court (York) Management Company Ltd declined to comment when contacted by the BBC.

Bingham said City of York Council had offered to pay for the installation of an extra handrail last year to improve his "safety and independence".

However, this was declined by the apartment directors on the grounds of fire safety concerns.

Bingham then booked a Home Fire Safety Visit with the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service who concluded that "the means of escape" in the building would not be hindered by an additional handrail on the staircase.

According to Bingham, the management company decided the following month during their annual general meeting, which he attended, that it would be "unfair to other people" to install the handrail, rejecting his request once again.

"I'm frustrated and perplexed actually as to why a simple handrail can't be put on a main staircase that only has a single banister. I'm not asking for a chairlift," he said.

"I don't know how making a staircase safer could really be unfair to other people."

Bingham said he now had to "think twice" before leaving his flat, making sure every trip down the stairs counts.

"It has limited how often I go out," he said, adding: "Certainly if I have got things to take out of the flat."

He said he would lower things down from his first-floor window onto the car park to avoid carrying the extra weight and "risking" it on the staircase.

But he said his biggest concern was not being able to escape quickly enough in the event of an emergency.

"In the event of a fire, even with the emergency lighting on, I can see this possibly being very dangerous for me," he said.

According to researchers at the University of Leeds, VEXAS syndrome is a serious inflammatory condition that affects the bone marrow, resulting in a reduced number of red and white blood cells, and can be fatal.

The disease, which affects only men as it is caused by genetic mutations on the X chromosome, is not present at birth, but develops during the patient's lifetime.

A spokesperson for City of York Council said they offer disabled residents free assessments to determine what adaptations they may require to live independently, and in some cases they are also able to assist with the cost and installation of the equipment.

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