Forum Topic

Simon -  in your particular case I'd have thought the Disability Discrimination Act (now the Equality Act) might come into play.  In general, 'A landlord or manager must make changes to any policies or practices they have which disadvantages you because of your disability,' which often means that the requirements of the Act can sometimes override the normal terms of a lease or tenancy agreement or estate rules. It's possible that this could apply to where you put your mobility scooter, though health and safety regulations might prevail. Your housing management should know about the Equality Act and tread carefully in their dealings with you.  For them to say 'they're not singling you out' is not a valid answer, because the Act requires that they *should* single you out and treat you differently because of your disability.  As for the everyone else's accumulation of domestic things in communal areas, the management of a block I was involved with did eventually remove and dispose of everything after an extended period of letters, stickers and door to door conversations.  There was uproar, of course, but it finally solved a problem which had been allowed to go on for years. 'What's wrong with a few plants to brighten up the landing' and 'how do you expect me to get my baby buggy up the stairs?' might seem reasonable questions, until you get the broken appliances and all the other clutter, so it was actually useful to fall back on 'the fire people insist and we're breaking the law'.

Peter Evans ● 3433d

Peter, on Ivybridge 90% of residents have something outside their doors like Buggies, Bikes, shoes, Cupboards, Tumble driers, Washing Machines, Plants and Door mats which breach their tenancy's. Nothing has ever been removed even though there are section 4 notices and when they have removed them residents get them back for free of charge even though it says on the notices that you have to pay. The head of caretaking said they have no where to store all these items and can not charge. My issue is i was given my flat because of my disability and they knew i had a mobility scooter. I have had it outside my door for nineteen months in that time estate Monitoring officers, Concierge and housing officer have done block checks (and Fire crew who were on my landing talking to me and did not mention it) and i never got 1 complaint. But we have a new housing officer now. I have told them the scooter is to big to fit threw my door, if it did fit it would then block our access to get in and out as the door would not open with it being there. I cant get it into a shed either as its to big and it needs to be there to charge it every time i use it. No one else has received a letter and in the sheltered accommodation unit they have scooters in the communal areas. I cant afford to rent a garage so what am i to do with it? I am not moving as it took me 11yrs to get back to the estate. I agree with Vanessa they should concentrate on those sub letting or causing ASB or drug dealing. God if they took everyone on this estate to court for breach of tenancy the estate would be partially empty.

Simon Anderson ● 3434d