People research range, speed and weight for weeks, then discover on delivery day that there is nowhere sensible to put the thing. It is worth ten minutes now.
Measure the route, not just the space
A scooter has to get to where it lives. Measure the narrowest point of the journey, because that is what decides it:
- Doorways — internal doors are often narrower than the front door
- The back gate or side passage — frequently the tightest point of all
- Any step or threshold, and whether a ramp would fit
- Corners. A scooter needs room to turn, not just to pass. A corridor wide enough to drive along may still be impossible to turn in
- Garage door width, and where the car sits
Every product page lists overall width and length. Take a tape measure round before you buy, not after.
Indoors, garage or shed?
Indoors is kindest to the scooter — dry, warm, easy to charge, no theft risk. The obstacle is usually space and getting it through the door.
A garage is the common answer. Dry and secure, though cold in winter, which affects charging and battery life.
A shed works if it is genuinely dry and lockable. Damp is the enemy — damp gets into electrics and corrodes contacts.
Outside under a cover is the last resort. A cover keeps rain off but not damp out, and a scooter left outdoors all winter will not last as well. If it is the only option, bring the battery indoors where you can.
Where does it charge?
This one catches people out repeatedly.
- Is there a socket where the scooter lives? Many sheds and some garages have none
- Never run an extension lead outdoors as a permanent arrangement, and never through a partly-open door or window
- Charge somewhere dry and ventilated, at room temperature. A freezing garage charges a battery far less effectively than a hallway
- Can you reach the charging point? If it means bending right down behind the seat every night, that gets old quickly
If the scooter has a removable battery, this all becomes much easier — carry the battery indoors and charge it in the warm. Worth prioritising if your scooter is going to live outside.
Security
Scooters are stolen, and often from unlocked sheds.
- Lock the shed or garage properly, and check what your insurer requires — some policies specify a lock type
- Take the key out. A scooter with the key in it is a scooter that drives away
- A ground anchor and chain is cheap and effective
- Consider where it is visible from the street
Fire safety
Sensible, unglamorous advice that matters:
- Use the charger supplied with the scooter. Never a generic replacement
- Do not charge in a hallway or doorway that is your only escape route
- Do not cover the scooter or charger while charging — they need air
- Replace any charger with a damaged lead. Do not tape it up
- Unplug once fully charged if you are leaving it for a long period
If the space is genuinely tight
A folding or dismantling scooter stored in a hallway cupboard or the boot of the car may be the answer. It is a compromise on ride quality, but a scooter you can actually store is worth more than a better one you cannot.
Tell us about your house
Ring free on 0800 593 0400 with your doorway width and where you plan to keep it. We will tell you what fits. It is a much better conversation to have now than on delivery day.