We've launched a new mobility scooter policy
02 December 2021
Many people rely on mobility scooters to get out and about, not only older people but anyone with limited mobility. We have been working on clarifying our approach to mobility scooters in our buildings, and recently finalised and published our mobility scooter policy.
While mobility scooters are a great aid for people, they also come with risks. If the battery is not re-charged or the scooter is not stored with due care, they can become both a cause of fire and a block to escape routes in the event of a fire.
If you have a mobility scooter, please contact our Customer Service Centre to let us know so we can record it and make sure it’s not causing a risk to you or your neighbours. Going forward, new users will need to complete and submit our Mobility Scooter application form. Once we receive the form, we’ll be in touch with you to discuss re-charging of the scooter, storage arrangements and check how suitable the lift in your building is for the scooter.
As you know, belongings should not be stored in communal areas because of the fire risk they create. They can be fuel for a fire and they restrict escape routes when trying to leave the building. This also applies to mobility scooters therefore you should not leave them in communal areas. To keep you and your neighbours safe, you must store your scooter either in a designated storage area, your home (being careful not to block your way out), or outside the building.
We are trialling the use of a free-standing scooter charging and storage facility outside one of our sheltered schemes in Hertford. We generally build new sheltered schemes with integrated storage, but some of our older schemes were built before mobility scooters were widely used and therefore were not built with storage areas for scooters.
Please take note that if you have a mobility scooter, you will also need to have, at the minimum, third party insurance for it to be stored or recharged in our buildings.
Need more information?
You can read and download our mobility scooter policy here and apply to register your scooter by downloading and completing our mobility scooter application form.
For further information please contact our Customer Service Centre on 0300 373 3000, by email to customerservices@networkhomes.org.uk or use our website online contact us form here. Alternatively, if you live in an Older Persons Scheme, you can speak to your scheme manager about our new mobility scooter policy and what you need to do if you have a scooter.
