We recognise that some customers may use electric mobility scooters or electric wheelchairs to help them remain active, aid problems with walking, physical impairments, or medical conditions.
Before you buy a mobility scooter there are several things you need to consider:
If you live in a flat with its own front door to the outside, think about where you can store the scooter in your flat. It is important to make sure your mobility scooter is secure, so if your home is too small to accommodate a scooter, you will need to purchase a lockable storage shed once you have gained permission from your area housing office.
If you live in a flat that has a communal hallway, please speak to your Neighbourhood Housing Officer. Communal hallways must be kept clear of items that could cause any risk to:
- Yourself or other residents
- The emergency services
- Visitors to the block
Your Neighbourhood Housing Officer will run through your options and if you decide to go ahead with purchasing a scooter will complete a risk assessment. This will identify any issues that need addressing by you or us before a scooter can be purchased. Only when you have received written permission from us can you go ahead with ordering a scooter.
Scooters must be charged in the residents’ own property and where possible the battery for the scooter must be removed from the scooter if it is being stored outside the property.
Before purchasing a mobility scooter consider if there are steps to the front of your property and whether the pathway is wide enough.
Whilst we know the benefits mobility scooters can have on customers’ lives, we do not have the funding to provide a ramp or adaptations to the inside of a property for every customer who purchases a mobility scooter. Funding can only be considered if the applicant is a full-time wheelchair user or is unable to safely go up and down steps (with or without rails).
If you have any other queries about mobility scooters, please contact your Neighbourhood Housing Officer.
