Paignton OAP grounded after plug pulled on mobility scooter
A BAY pensioner has been grounded after the plug was pulled on recharging his mobility scooter.
Vivian Lewis, 74, has been charging up the battery using the communal power supply in the garage of his block of flats at Regent House in Paignton.
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BATTERY ROW: Vivian Lewis, who relies on a communal plug to charge his mobility scooter at Regent House, Gerston Road, Paignton
But now he has been told he must pay for the electricity he uses.
He said he re-charges the buggy battery for two hours at a time and feels should be covered by his monthly £161 community charge.
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Mr Lewis said: "There's a bit of a ding-dong going on.
"I have been told I can't use it for my own personal use but I pay my community charge for communal costs.
"Why shouldn't I have use of the plug socket or anyone else who may need it?"
Mr Lewis explained the batteries for his scooter are too heavy to take them upstairs to his own flat for re-charging.
It means that he is grounded until the row is resolved.
Peter Lander, home ownership officer from Westcountry Housing which operates the building, said Westcountry has no objection to the storage of mobility scooters where there is space.
He said: "Recharging the battery is the responsibility of the resident concerned and where possible this should be done in the resident's home.
"The communal electricity supply is not for the use of individual households.
"We have a solution though, we have sourced price quotes for lockable sockets to be fitted in the garage area, so that individual households will only be charged for the electricity they use.
"Work will begin as soon as possible so that Mr Lewis is able to have his own private power socket chargeable to him which will ensure his mobility scooter is always charged up and ready when he needs it."
Comments
by Lt_Worf
Tuesday, December 11 2012, 10:20PM
“Why does this man think it is acceptable for other residents to pay towards the communal electricity that he is using for his own personal use? Isn't this a tad dishonest?”