Residents of a 23-storey tower block in Tower Hamlets say they have been left exhausted, distressed and struggling to cope after all three lifts in their building failed during a period of extreme summer heat.
People living in Royal Captain Court, an East London residential tower, have been forced to climb dozens of flights of stairs since Monday after the lifts reportedly stopped working when high temperatures triggered a fire safety mode. The outage has caused significant disruption for residents, particularly those with mobility issues, young children, pets and health conditions.
The building, which is not equipped with air conditioning, has become increasingly difficult to navigate as temperatures in London climbed above 30°C during the recent heatwave. Residents say the stairwells are poorly ventilated, extremely hot and lack mobile phone signal, raising concerns about safety in the event of an emergency.
One resident, Tina, who lives on the 20th floor, described the situation as unbearable. She said she fainted while climbing the stairs and was only assisted because her flatmate knew where she was. Tina explained that the experience left her feeling helpless and questioning whether it was safe to continue living in the building.
According to residents, the lack of working lifts has turned everyday activities into major challenges. Collecting groceries, walking pets, travelling to work and simply returning home have become physically demanding tasks requiring long climbs through hot and enclosed staircases.
Another resident, Davide, questioned why contingency plans were not in place for a high-rise building of this size. He argued that residents should not be left without any lift service for an extended period, especially during a heatwave when vulnerable individuals may face increased health risks.
Videos shared by residents highlighted the difficult conditions inside the building. One resident could be heard struggling for breath while climbing the stairs alongside her dog. The footage showed the animal panting heavily as temperatures remained high throughout the day.
Families with young children have also been affected. Sarah, who lives in the building with her baby, said she was left stranded after attempting to carry belongings upstairs. Although a staff member initially tried to assist, the heat reportedly became overwhelming, forcing them to stop before reaching her floor.
Other residents say the situation has been particularly difficult for those recovering from injuries. Sahil, who recently broke his leg, said climbing multiple flights of stairs in the heat had become a painful daily challenge. He described the conditions as a serious health and safety concern and called for greater support from those responsible for managing the building.
Property management company Sanctuary has apologised for the disruption and acknowledged residents’ frustrations. The organisation said the hot weather had caused the lifts to enter a fire safety mode, resulting in the system shutting down. Sanctuary stated that lift contractors are working urgently to restore service and that additional support is being offered to residents, particularly those with extra needs.
However, several residents have claimed they have yet to receive meaningful assistance and continue to feel abandoned during the ongoing outage.
The incident has renewed discussions about building resilience during extreme weather events, particularly as London experiences increasingly frequent periods of high temperatures. For many residents at Royal Captain Court, the priority remains simple: getting the lifts back in operation before conditions become even more challenging.
