Can my sheltered housing landlord forbid me from charging my powerchair indoors?

craftypoppysmith

hi I’m Craftypoppysmith,

I have happily lived independently (with support) in sheltered housing for 5 years.

It’s a small place with 8 flats plus communal spaces. I’ve always charged my wheelchair indoors overnight in a corridor.

All of a sudden I’ve been told it has to be charged outdoors. This is against the manufacturer’s guidelines. This followed a fire safety inspection where the assessor saw mobility scooters being charged indoors but not my chair as I was out.

I’ve tried to reason with them saying that a wheelchair is different to a mobility scooter and that it’s discrimination, but to no avail.

Does anyone have experience of this please ?

MW123

@Craftypoppysmith firstly welcome to Scope.

The Fire Safety regulations in England, effective from 23 January 2023, require that all common areas in residential buildings must be kept clear to ensure a safe escape route in case of fire. This rule applies only to communal spaces like hallways, stairwells, and other areas used by all residents.

Currently, there are no specific regulations about storing or charging mobility scooters or electric-powered wheelchairs inside flats. However, some landlords might have their own rules, such as requiring charging in a well-ventilated room inside your flat during certain hours (like between 8 am and 8 pm) to reduce the risk of fire overnight.

If a designated area for charging mobility scooters and wheelchairs has now been provided by your landlord to minimise fire hazards, you may need to consult with the individual responsible for fire safety in your building. Due to the creation of this designated area, charging electric batteries inside flats might now be prohibited for your building. However, it may still be possible to charge your wheelchair in your flat, pending a health and safety assessment being carried out.

craftypoppysmith

thank you very much