Charging electric scooters in flats – where do landlords stand?

Charging electric scooters in flats – where do landlords stand?

9:51 AM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago 10

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Hello, Recent publicity regarding fires caused by electric scooters spontaneously combusting during the charging process has me worried as to where we as landlords stand regarding this potential.

With the proliferation of electric scooters mainly in our cities where the majority of rented accommodation is flats who is responsible for consequential damage to both contents within the property and the fabric of the entire building as a battery fire could cause significant destruction and even loss of life.

Can we as landlords specify within a lease that no electric scooters to be charged within flats?

How would that be viewed or policed or should the tenant be forced to take out suitable insurance and provide the landlord with proof?

Thank you,

David


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Tessa Shepperson

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10:44 AM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

I wrote quite a detailed article about this here https://www.landlordlawblog.co.uk/2023/07/30/landlord-warning-your-tenants-e-bike-batteries-can-cause-serious-fires/ which sets out the things you need to watch out for, and gives advice for good practice.

Reluctant Landlord

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11:31 AM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

I contain a clause in my AST that says no charging of the same inside the property at any time. That way I can also LL check against this and it becomes part of the TA and therefore a breach against it if ignored. (if it is going down the S8 route then every breach will need to be listed so I will be more than happy to list every one applicable if necessary)

While my insurance cover does not say anything specifically about this, at least I have it noted and legally agreed by the tenant if anything does happen due to their negligence then they are at fault and I would hope my insurance would purse them accordingly.

The issue is if the tenant does not have insurance. My insurance have no third party to claim any money from...

David Moreton

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11:32 AM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tessa Shepperson at 22/01/2024 - 10:44
Thanks Tessa, an interesting read.
All my flats go through an agent and they are very good and carry out inspections quarterly.
I posted this because I recently had an issue with a tenant who was a drug addict/dealer and she used a pair of E scooters for pickup and delivery of "goods" and was then charging these scooters in the common stairwell and in the flat.
Eventually managed to remove her (2 years and expensive) but I would not have classed her as someone who is responsible in matters such as this.

NewYorkie

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12:10 PM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 22/01/2024 - 11:31
Nail on the head... you [and probably other landlords and tenants] are left with a burnt-out shell, with no insurance payout and no one to claim against. Except, the others will probably claim against you! What's the use of a clause in the AST?

Michael Booth

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15:28 PM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 22/01/2024 - 11:31
Good luck with enforsing that my 25 year experience is the tenant will pay you lip service and still charge them has for a legal document that won't help when the property burns to the ground how do you expect them to pay?

Reluctant Landlord

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16:06 PM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 22/01/2024 - 12:10
to make it clear as a breach of tenancy if you wanted to go down the possession route....

All this will be insightful reading on a S8 notice when all the breaches are listed....

If the government is insistent on scrapping the S21 then I am all for loading up the S8 with every single reason for eviction going forward.

There will come a day when a LL asks me for a tenant reference and all I will do is send them a copy of the S8. No other words needed.

Reluctant Landlord

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16:07 PM, 22nd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Michael Booth at 22/01/2024 - 15:28I don't disagree with you. I know the reality but it can at least be used as another example of a breach if you needed one to start a possession.

NewYorkie

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12:38 PM, 23rd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 22/01/2024 - 16:07
Good luck, when your property is a burnt-out shell!

David Moreton

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13:48 PM, 23rd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Maybe insist on a guarantor if an E scooter/bike is kept in a flat, add that to any new lease so if the worst were to happen then there are 2 avenues to claim damages

NewYorkie

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16:41 PM, 23rd January 2024, About 10 months ago

Reply to the comment left by David Moreton at 23/01/2024 - 13:48
I wouldn't act as a guarantor if my daughter said she would be keeping an e-scooter/bike in her rental property.

I don't know how this is to be resolved, because there are more and more examples of e-vehicles exploding, especially where cheaper batteries are used on scooters and bikes.

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