Evacuation Chair

[Folds]

I live in an apartment which I own and which is part of a complex on five floors containing 50 apartments. Our management company own and manage the property and have no regard whatsoever for the way in which they spend money and then charge it back to us owners.

The building was opened in 2019. It has 2 lifts and 2 stairwells.

In November 2023, the management company installed an evacuation chair in one of the top floor stairwells at a cost of around £560. This was then charged to the residents.

If the chair was required, I asked why it wasnt in place before residents took up occupancy from 2019 onwards and why, suddenly 4 years later, it had to be installed and paid for by residents.

Can anyone please advise me whather the evacuation chair should have been in place before the building was opened to residents ( or as near to that time as feasible) or whether its installation 4 years later is acceptable?

Thank you.

[green-foam]

It may be a risk assessment was later carried out and the findings found an evacuation chair was required. You should ask the management company.

[AnthonyB]

The only reason they would need it is if there is a resident who has identified a need for assistance and as part of the PEEP created for them by the agent the provision of an evac chair on their floor was part of it.

[Mike North]

In a fire situation the lifts should not be used, therefore anyone with reduced mobility on an upper floor would need aid to escape the building.  I suspect that one of the flats had been purchased/rented by such a person and the chair is the management companies respond the PEEPS