As mobility scooter users will know, it’s a good idea to keep yours protected from the elements when not being used and to store it securely at your home in whatever way you are able to and can afford to.
Information on storage can be found at mobility scooter storage but i was just reading about a guy in Biddulph in Staffordshire who was told to remove a mobility scooter shelter that he had put up to keep them protected from the weather.
What he had done was purchased a motorbike cover to protect them because he found that he wasn’t able to pull a cover over the scooters anymore.
It was actually the housing association there that told him to remove the shelter and they even had a problem with him having the charging cable laid across the area where his scooters were when they needed to be charged.
Well regarding the cable, i guess to an extent there could be some understanding that it might pose a risk but with regards to the shelter that he had up to protect his scooters, well what harm would that be doing?
If the space that is taken up by the mobility scooters and the shelter over them was more than a car park space then its understandable, but from the article, which can be found at thisisstaffordshire.co.uk the guy says that he even made sure before purchasing the shelter that it would not take up too much room, which it doesn’t.
Also if another tenant was demanding use of the space, because it is mentioned within the article that the man also parked a car of his in the car park, along with the two scooters, then it could be said well yes the space should not house both the car and then another space with two mobility scooters covered by the shelter, but there is no mention of another tenant being deprived of a space because of this.
I also cant imagine that it would of caused the other tenants any problems while driving into the parking area and actually parking up their vehicles.
If this was just a tenant taking advantage of parking spaces with various vehicles, say with a bunch of old cars sitting taking up spaces, then there would be no surprise at a housing association or a local council ordering the removal of items but in this case the guy clearly needs the use of both mobility scooters and is obviously a thoughtful and responsible tenant regarding his neighbours, so as not to inconvenience any of them or to cause any problems.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you feel that the housing association should have been more lenient?
While I sympathise with this man suffering from osteoarthritis (I do also) I can not see why he needs 2 scooters when a class 3 scooter can be used on roads and pavements at the flick of a switch, as for a car and campavan well I think he is asking for to much to also be allowed to errect the shelter on the car park, I am sure this could blow away in rough weather and think of the damage it could cause to persons or vehicles, as for any cable crossing a right of way of other residents it is to great a hazzard. Can this man not get his scooter to his house door as if suffering to this extent how does he get from house to car park to use his vehicles? I think he should be asking for help with some access to his house by scooter and then he could plug it into the power by having a weatherproof outside 13a socket which could be plugged into an indoor socket with RCD as long as cable can not obstruct any person. I won’t even plug in battery charger for my car on my own privatly owned drive unless in rear of property with locked gates as any visitor or service like postie could end up claiming. If this man is allowed one car parking space with social housing he is lucky as for scooter shelter others could follow suit and it would become a shanty town. I also wonder if this man pays full rent and council tax as he can afford 2 scooters, a car and a campavan with cost of vehicle tax and insurance so he can’t be poor. I think some people think they have a right to everything, maybe people in social housing who want these facilities should have looked to buying their own properties with access instead of so many vehicles, when I reached state of not being able to use the stairs there was no help as I owned my own house and had savings, I had only got these by years of hard work and doing without holidays and going out which most take for granted but now like many others are penalised for being so thrifty.
Hi Contax
Thats a good point that you make regarding not needing two separate scooters.
You have also mentioned a few things that i hadn’t taken into consideration, i can now see reasons why the housing association would be against this.
To be fair, i can see the situation from both sides, i guess that the housing association are nipping it in the bud before it had become an out of control situation, as naturally others tend to follow suite and maybe it could of become a situation that caused serious problems.
[…] reading a reply to the article that i posted yesterday about a guy who was ordered to remove his mobility scooter shelter i was thinking this morning about what was said in the reply by Contax and Contax himself has […]
Talking to an able friend he reminded me of an idea I mentioned to him to ease my mobility problem if I got worse as I expect I will with my osteoarthritis. I spoke of getting a small van like vehicle (had the old Diahatsu & Honda type small vans in mind I used for pizza delivery as the seat height is great for getting in and out of or if better off an MPV) that would hold my class 3 mobility scooter with ramps (as I do with my Peugeot 206SW estate & Pride Celebrity X Sport) or a hoist or platform lift at rear, this would act as a garage for the scooter and I could go out in van knowing my scooter is always with me, when at home I could reverse van to rear of property and charge scooter from a weatherproof external power point while still in back of van. Could the man in this article not think like this as it could be the ideal answer to his car and scooter parking but he would need a path to his house just over 2ft wide so he could take scooter to his house to recharge it, I would think all properties already have such a path. On reading original article again I would find to carry a heavy duty extention lead as he did some distance much harder than just lifting the heavy duty cover (which is light) on and off my scooter and storing cover in car boot between trips out with scooter.
@Contax I think your idea is fantastic, it’s true that with a bit of thought, and access permitting that there is usually a better way of doing something that actually turns out to be less work overall.
With what was mentioned in that article too, the extent of different vehicles that he is parking there at times, it would make more sense for him to do what you just mentioned.
It does sound like a much more ideal solution.
We have read the issue on the removing the scooter cover due to the cabling problem. This is a regualar problem but the Housing Assoication has to cover themselves with health and safety issues.
Securit Gb Ltd is a British manufacturer of purpose built galvanised stores to house mobility scooters and wheelchairs. We have fitted our Scooter stores in housing assoication where they is a facility fitted in the store to charge the scooter.
We regular see this problem and issue with the electrics and it is common practice to remove the scooters and house them within a proper storage unit Securit Scooter Store.
For more information contact Caroline Moore on 01246 452885 or refer to website http://www.securitgb.co.uk. Thank you.
Hi All, a portable scooter hut it a great solution for security also but from experience the metal will condesate unless lined say with thin plywood and better with a layer of polistyrene sandwiched between. I had an asbestos garage roof replaced with the metal sheet used to build industrial buildings and it was a pain, everything wet in cold and damp weather, it would have been better if it had been done with the type that has foam insulation sprayed on back. Another point I would not store the charger in such damp conditions as it could end up shorting out due to damp and replacements are not cheap. If not lined you could cover scooter with a waterproof cover to keep drips off, the heavy duty cover like securitgb mention on their items comming section is good, I got one free with my scooter even though stored in a new dry garage it keeps off a lot of dirt, I take the charger in house between charges in winter months to keep it dry as things condesate in any garage, in winter I have recorded -10 C on thermometer in garage.
Thank you for the response. Securit Scooter Stores are all fitted with air vents back and front of the store which allows air flow around the store.
The stores are manufactured in 1.2mm thick galvanised panels that are bolted together. These panels they have double returns which enables you to insulate the store by simply fitting insulation form and then you can plyline. The beauty of the design is that the when you fix the plywood it is not on the outer skin but onto the internal panels.
Any more information please call 01246 452885 or refer to website http://www.securitgb.co.uk.
Thank you.