"Prisoner in his own home": Veteran's battle for freedom
<p>An Aussie veteran is battling for his freedom after being stuck in his apartment for over a year. </p>
<p>Eric Bouvier, a 92-year-old veteran, wants nothing more than to sit outside in the sun without having to rely on others. </p>
<p>Despite being in a wheelchair, Eric is capable of getting himself around. </p>
<p>The only problem is, he lives on the third floor of an apartment block in the eastern Sydney suburb of Maroubra, which doesn't have lift access. </p>
<p>After serving in World War II, the Department of Veteran Affairs stepped in and purchased him a chairlift, saying they would also pay for the installation in his home unit block.</p>
<p>But well over a year after its approval, it still sits in a box waiting to be installed.</p>
<p>"He is a prisoner in his own home," Jason, Eric's carer, told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/sydney-war-veterans-battle-with-body-corporate-over-chairlift-installation-inaction/dd3d3f4f-c54b-4859-bbab-ff578e48d977" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>A Current Affair</em></a>.</p>
<p>"Eric and I have asked the body corporate to put the chairlift in, but discussions are still going on and meanwhile Eric is stuck inside."</p>
<p>"I've been trapped inside my home now for nearly 18 months," Eric said.</p>
<p>The problem is the building's 1960s internal hand-railing is not to standard and needs to be replaced at the body corporate's expense before the chairlift can be installed.</p>
<p>The building's body corporate have been getting quotes and debating the price of the renovations for well over 12 months. </p>
<p>"It's my home and I have no rights," said Bouvier, who has now engaged a lawyer to battle the body corporate and get freedom.</p>
<p>"It's everyone's legal right to access their home and if a hand railing needs to be installed, it should be done immediately," Amanda Farmer, Bouvier's Strata property lawyer said.</p>
<p>Eric is continuing to wait patiently inside his home until the day his chairlift gets installed.</p>
<p>"I may have lost my freedom for now, but at least I can still smile," he said.</p>
<p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>
