For many scooter owners in flats and sheltered housing, the hardest question is not which scooter to buy but where it can be kept and charged. Fire and rescue guidance treats this as a building-management issue, because a scooter left in a shared corridor or stairwell can affect everyone’s escape route. This guide sets out what the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) guidance for residential buildings and the Scottish Government’s specialised housing guidance say. It is general information; each landlord or managing agent applies its own policy after a fire risk assessment.
Why fire services focus on scooters in buildings
The NFCC guidance, dated May 2018 and marked on its cover as under review, says statistically the number of fires involving mobility scooters is low, but the consequences are particularly devastating. It cites research in which a scooter reached 375°C within 3 minutes of ignition, and says two scooters burning together can produce heat release rates in excess of 2.5 MW. It also says the most common causes of fires in mobility scooters are faults with electrical equipment or wiring, charging equipment and arson. Its summary states that 66% of the 36 recorded incidents it gathered related to arson.
The guide points out that lithium iron phosphate batteries, now used in some scooters instead of lead acid, have an unpredictable and adverse reaction when subjected to fire. The site’s guide to battery charging and fire safety covers charging habits in more detail.
What the NFCC guidance recommends (England and Wales context)
The NFCC guide is addressed to landlords, local authorities, managing agents and fire risk assessors. It lists the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 among the legislation it relies on, which is the fire safety law for England and Wales. Its main points for storage and charging are:
- Keep escape routes clear. Escape routes should be kept clear at all times, and a scooter stored in common exit routes could make conditions untenable in less than 3 minutes.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe use and charging.
- Consider removing the battery. Separating the battery can reduce the risk, although some scooters are not designed to have the battery removed.
- Limit charging hours. Options include restricting the power supply between 8pm and 8am or using timers.
- Test electrical equipment. Charging in a designated storage area should be subject to portable appliance testing and a risk assessment.
- Site external storage at least 6 metres from buildings where possible, having considered arson, construction and fire spread.
The seven storage options
The NFCC guidance sets out options that a responsible person might consider, any of which may be acceptable in the right circumstances: external parking with charging; external storage with charging; purpose-built internal storage rooms; adapted internal rooms; existing fire-resisting rooms used for storage; storage inside residents’ own accommodation; and other internal areas, which need thorough assessment with the local fire and rescue service. Where it refers to fire-resisting construction, it says the period should normally be 60 minutes, but 30 minutes is normally adequate where a room holds no more than three scooters or has automatic fire suppression.
For storage in a resident’s own home, the NFCC guidance says the scooter should not be stored or charged in the hallway if that is the only means of escape, and should preferably be in a separate room with a fire-resisting or substantial door and fire detection.
Scotland: Annex 7 of the specialised housing guidance
The Scottish Government’s Practical fire safety for existing specialised housing and similar premises, published on 30 January 2020, includes an annex on mobility scooters. It sets out a similar hierarchy of storage options, saying the charging of scooters in dead end corridors and single stairway escape routes should not be permitted in any circumstances. It also says facilities need tenant consent, appropriate insurance including third-party liability cover, and compliance with tenancy agreements. This guidance is aimed at specialised housing, so its detail may not apply to every ordinary block of flats.
Consent, insurance and management
The NFCC guide says landlords should have policies on what tenants keep in shared areas, and that many housing providers do not allow scooter storage in unstaffed buildings that were not designed to support it. Where such a policy exists, it should be recorded in the building’s fire risk assessment. Owners should therefore ask the landlord or managing agent for the written policy before buying, and check any lease or tenancy terms. For cover on the scooter itself, see the site’s guide to mobility scooter insurance.
A landlord that refuses storage is not necessarily acting unlawfully, but disabled people have rights to reasonable adjustments in some circumstances, explained in the guide to mobility scooters and the Equality Act. The NFCC guidance itself says the needs of individual residents should be considered as part of the risk assessment.
Practical steps before you buy
- Ask the landlord or managing agent whether a scooter storage and charging policy exists.
- Find out where a scooter could be kept: external store, dedicated room or own flat.
- Check whether the battery can be removed and charged in the flat.
- Never leave a scooter charging in a corridor, stairwell or on an escape route.
- Ask the local fire and rescue service for a home fire safety visit if unsure.
Frequently asked questions
Can I charge my scooter in a communal corridor? The NFCC guidance says escape routes should be kept clear, and the Scottish annex says charging in dead end corridors and single stairway escape routes should not be permitted in any circumstances.
Does the guidance ban scooters in flats? No. It sets out options and says the decision follows a fire risk assessment of the individual building, so the answer can differ between buildings.
Is the NFCC guidance law? It is guidance for responsible persons and assessors rather than a statute; the legal duties come from fire safety legislation.
The bottom line
Fire service guidance does not ban scooters in blocks of flats, but it treats shared corridors and stairwells as the wrong place to store or charge them. Ask the landlord for the building’s written policy, plan a storage and charging location before buying, and keep escape routes clear.
Sources
- National Fire Chiefs Council, "Mobility Scooter Guidance for Residential Buildings" (May 2018) (nfcc.org.uk)
- Scottish Government, "Practical fire safety for existing specialised housing and similar premises: Annex 7 Mobility Scooter Guidance" (gov.scot)