Woman denied 3 times by state for stairlift at residence

By Dani Masten

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    LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — A Las Vegas woman struggling with kidney disease and heart issues has been unable to get a stairlift installed at her condo.

The state has denied Ormila Singh’s request three times now to put in the lift for her mother, which would be located outside of her condo.

She said it has been a very emotional and frustrating process.

“I need the stairlift to come up those stairs,” said Singh’s mother, who did not want to be identified. “I don’t want to move. I am 71 years old.”

Singh’s mother has been living in her condo at Verde Viejo since the 1990′s. Recently, she developed some health issues making it difficult for her to go up and down the stairs.

“The knee is the problem, and my heart is the problem,” said the mother. “The right knee is gone.”

“I feel like my mom is deteriorating walking up the stairs because of this,” said Singh.

Singh can’t stand to see her mom suffer anymore so she has been working with a local company to get her mom a stairlift but, there is one problem.

“The state has turned down the application three times,” said Singh.

Stairlifts are regulated by mechanical compliance sections. Specifically, under Nevada administrative code 455C that says the contractor is required to obtain a permit by the state and must meet the state’s safety standards before implementing the stairlift. This went into effect in May of this year.

“We found the company, we have everything that we need from the housing association, but the state has turned down the application three times,” said Singh.

We reached out to the state which said, “Thus far the contractor has been unable to provide plans that comply with code. As soon as the contractor can provide the required plans and specs via the plan submittal process, then a permit for installation will be issued. “

The elevator company said the state has rejected giving them a permit because of the accessibility of the stairlift to other people.

The contractor said the lift would have a key on the seat. When the key is removed, the lift cannot operate.

Singh said she is not giving up as she knows having the stairlift would be life-changing for her mom.

“I would ask them to think about the people they are affecting and the daily lives of the people they are affecting,” said Singh.

“It is going to affect my life very much,” said Singh’s mother. “It will be much much better.”

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