Aberdeen City Council is committed to promoting equalities and recognises that our tenants should have a quality of life which allows them to maintain and maximise independent living. Therefore we understand the value that a mobility scooter can bring to the lives of some tenants.
A new policy has been introduced to provide help and guidance to those who currently own a scooter or those who are considering purchasing one. The aim of the policy is straightforward: to ensure the health and safety of all residents and visitors in our sheltered and very sheltered housing complexes.
The main points of the policy are:
- Permission is now required to keep a mobility scooter at your home or complex.
- Storage is only allowed in certain areas.
- Scooters must not be stored next to heaters or fire exits.
- Scooters should not be charged overnight.
- Owners should have adequate insurance cover.
- Scooters should have an annual safety check.
The Council takes the health and safety of tenants, staff and visitors very seriously, especially in terms of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Specifically:
- The fire safety of individual dwellings within sheltered housing schemes and other housing blocks.
- Access to and from common areas and the need to keep such areas clear of obstructions and combustible materials.
- Keeping escape routes from the building clear.
The policy aims to:
- Ensure the safety of all our tenants and visitors to sheltered and very sheltered housing as far as possible.
- Ensure the Council meets its statutory obligations in relation to the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and any other legislation which supports health and safety within blocks of flats.
- To provide information on scooters so that they can be of a size which can be stored and charged in the tenant's own home.
- Ensure that residents are aware of their responsibilities relating to the storage, charging and use of mobility scooters in and around the building and especially in designated communal areas.
- Ensure that tenants are aware that they are responsible for any injury or damage caused to another person, communal areas or other Council property as the result of their mobility scooter usage.
- To ensure as far as possible that tenants who own or lease mobility scooters have adequate insurance cover which should include public and third party liability to cover damage to buildings, property and grounds, or injury involving residents, visitors or staff.
Residents who currently have a scooter, or are considering purchasing or leasing one, should get permission from the Housing Teams. If you require any initial information or have a question, please contact your Housing and Support Officer on 03000 200 292 (option 2).