A disabled Dundee pensioner claims he has been told to carry a broken fridge down four storeys or the council will not collect it.
Ronald Wright says he has asked Dundee City Council repeatedly to collect the fridge from his flat on Craigie Drive in Craigiebank.
The 70-year-old, who has minor brain damage after a stroke 18 months ago and uses a cane to walk, is incapable of moving the combined fridge/freezer on his own.
Dundee City Council operates a bulky uplift service, meaning locals can request items to be collected for a set fee.
But Mr Wright says there appears to be no help for those who cannot move these items to the side of the road for collection.
He said: “18 months ago I had a stroke and suffered a very small amount of brain damage.
“I had surgery and they had to put a stent in to treat a blood clot.
“It means I can’t do many things I used to be able to do and I definitely can’t carry a fridge/freezer down stairs.
All they say is it needs to be done online but I can barely even work the remote for my TV”
“I’ve tried to call to explain this but keep getting the same response, that items need to be collected from the ground floor and I should book it online.
“I have been disgusted by how they have treated me. They just have not been very helpful at all.”
The local authority’s website states bulky uplifts can be ordered using the online booking form or through customer services on the phone.
After trying both, Mr Wright decided to travel into the city centre in attempt to speak to someone in person, hoping communication would be easier.
He says he showed staff a letter from his doctor to prove he is not well enough to transport the heavy item.
He said: “I visited the council building on North Lindsay Street but they were no help either.
“I don’t understand how they expect me to get it down the stairs.
‘I feel I’ve been totally disregarded’
“All they say is it needs to be done online but I can barely even work the remote for my TV.
“You would think they would be aware of people like me. Not everyone can use a computer well and there’s no way to explain that I can’t get it down to the ground floor.
“I feel I’ve just been totally disregarded.”
A Dundee City Council spokesperson said: “We would encourage Mr Wright to contact us directly in order to arrange the necessary special waste collection.”
