Overview

The rapid growth of e-bikes, e-scooters and vaping devices has created new fire safety and insurance challenges for landlords. This guide explains the risks, what you can and cannot do, and how to protect your property with clear tenancy clauses.

E-Bikes & E-Scooters — The Fire Risk

Lithium-ion battery fires are one of the fastest-growing causes of fire deaths in the UK. According to the London Fire Brigade, e-bike fires have increased dramatically year on year. These fires are:

• Extremely fast-spreading — a lithium-ion battery fire can engulf a room in minutes
• Highly toxic — burning lithium batteries produce hydrogen fluoride and other toxic gases that are dangerous even in small quantities
• Difficult to extinguish — water is largely ineffective; specialist foam or very large volumes of water are required
• Particularly dangerous overnight — fires that start while occupants are asleep are more likely to be fatal
• Often caused by third-party chargers — non-manufacturer chargers are a leading cause of lithium-ion battery fires

What Landlords Can and Cannot Do

• You cannot ban a tenant from owning an e-bike or e-scooter — it is their personal property and a blanket ban would be an unreasonable restriction on their use and enjoyment of the property
• You can restrict where and how the device is charged inside the property — this is a reasonable fire safety condition
• You can require charging to take place in a designated outdoor area or communal store
• You can prohibit overnight charging indoors
• You can require use of the manufacturer-approved charger only
• Reasonable fire safety conditions are enforceable as tenancy terms — breach can lead to possession proceedings under Ground 12

Recommended Tenancy Clause — E-Bikes & E-Scooters

Insurance Implications

• Notify your insurer if tenants have e-bikes or e-scooters — some policies now exclude lithium-ion fire damage without a specific clause
• Require tenants to have their own contents insurance covering the device
• Consider providing a secure outdoor charging point — this reduces risk and may reduce your premium
• Document your tenancy clause and any communications with tenants about charging — this demonstrates you took reasonable precautions
• Review your policy annually — the insurance market is changing rapidly in response to lithium-ion fire claims

Practical Solutions

• Install a weatherproof outdoor socket for charging — a relatively low-cost improvement that significantly reduces risk
• Provide a secure communal storage area with ventilation for e-bikes and e-scooters
• Include fire safety information about e-bikes in your move-in pack
• Consider a fire-resistant charging bag as a reasonable alternative to outdoor charging in properties where outdoor charging is not practical
• Ensure smoke alarms are fitted on every storey — early detection is critical given how fast these fires spread

E-Cigarettes / Vaping

Vaping is not in the same fire risk category as lithium-ion battery charging, but it does create other issues for landlords:

• Can cause condensation and staining to walls, ceilings, and décor — particularly in poorly ventilated rooms
• Can trigger smoke alarms, causing unnecessary call-outs and nuisance to neighbours
• Some landlords include a no-vaping-indoors clause — this is enforceable as a tenancy condition
• A no-vaping clause is separate from a no-smoking clause — you need both if you want to prohibit both
• Vaping is not covered by the same health legislation as tobacco smoking — you cannot rely on a smoking clause to prohibit vaping

Recommended Tenancy Clause — Vaping

If a Tenant Refuses to Comply

1. Send a written warning referencing the specific tenancy clause — keep a copy
2. Document all communications and any evidence of breach (photos, witness accounts)
3. If the breach continues, you may serve a Section 8 notice on Ground 12 (breach of tenancy agreement)
4. Ground 12 is a discretionary ground — the court will consider whether it is reasonable to grant possession given the nature of the breach
5. Keep evidence of the fire safety risk posed — fire brigade guidance, insurance requirements, and photos of charging locations will support your case