Mobility scooters
Mobility scooters are valuable in helping people of all ages maintain their independence in the face of mobility problems. If you use a scooter, it’s important to think about how best to store it. This will keep your scooter safe – and more importantly, it will keep you and your neighbours safe.
Scooter storage
You must make sure your scooter is not stored somewhere that would block an exit route from a building.
Fire and rescue services in the UK warn that scooters, if involved in a fire, can release large amounts of toxic smoke or gases. This can be dangerous both to residents and to the emergency services themselves. For this reason, they advise that scooters should not be stored, charged or parked in communal areas including corridors and stairwells.
In some buildings there may be a designated scooter storage area. This will have been designed and set aside for this purpose, and so scooters may safely be stored and charged there.
If you have a scooter, you can store it inside your home. If you’re looking to buy a scooter, it’s a good idea to consider whether it’s one that would fit easily through an external door and into your home. Things to think about:
- Whether you can store the scooter safely.
- If you had to leave your home quickly in an emergency, would it cause an obstruction?
- Is it narrow enough to fit through doorways without causing damage?
- If you live in a building with a lift or narrow corridors, will the scooter fit in where it needs to?
Scooter stores for gardens
If your home has a private garden, you could store your scooter outside. Fire safety experts recommend that scooters should be parked at least six metres away from buildings.
If you’re buying a scooter store for use in your garden, make sure it’s purpose-built – it will need to be fire resistant.
We don't provide scooter stores, but you may find that your local council has a scheme to help cover the cost. Contact them and ask about their disabled facilities grant to see if you're eligible.
Insurance
If you’ve got a scooter, you’ll need to insure it. Your insurance should cover theft, as well as injury to yourself and other people. If your scooter damages NCHA property, we'll claim for the cost through your insurance company. If you don't have insurance, you'll be charged by us for the costs involved in fixing the damage.
If you live in one of our independent living for older people schemes, you’ll be required to provide us with a copy of your insurance certificate.
Batteries and charging
When charging your scooter, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If your home has a designated communal area for mobility scooter storage and charging, your scooter will need to undergo a Portable Appliance Test (often known as a PAT test) to make sure it’s safe. We'll visit applicable sites every two years to carry out the test. If your scooter fails the test, it’s your responsibility to repair or replace it before it can be used again.
If you’ve got any questions, please contact us for advice.
