Hammersmith and Fulham Council has threatened to remove a disabled teenager's wheelchair from outside her flat, citing fire safety concerns, but the family says there is nowhere else to store it and the move would have a devastating impact.
Family urges council to make reasonable adjustments
Donna Jennings, 47, and her husband Darren Jennings, 48, who live on the top floor of a block of flats in Hammersmith with no immediate neighbours, were shocked when they were instructed to remove the wheelchair. It is currently stored on an external walkway outside their front door, near a set of stairs. A notice left by the council requested that the wheelchair and other items be moved from the communal area.
“I absolutely get concerns around stuff in communal areas being a fire risk, but when you get something like this, you need to make reasonable adjustments and risk assess,” Donna said. “Their proposal was to put it on the other side of the door and wrap it up. So I said, ‘how does she unwrap it if she can't stand up?’”
Ruby, 17, relies on the wheelchair due to tibial torsion, a condition that twists her tibia and changes how her foot aligns with her knee. Since being diagnosed two years ago, she has undergone two major operations and is non-weight bearing, making the wheelchair essential for mobility.
Autism makes threat more distressing
The couple said the council's instruction has had a particularly stark impact on Ruby, who also has autism. “People with autism are literal,” Donna said. “So they see a sign saying they're going to throw it away, and they believe it until we tell them otherwise.”
The family, which also includes a second daughter, moved into the flat about 13 years ago, when Ruby was able-bodied. Her diagnosis came two years ago, and in June 2025 she had her first major operation, after which she was bought a wheelchair.
The issue first arose last September, when a council contractor was caught grabbing the wheelchair, taking it down a set of stairs, and using it as a step to access a loft. The family filed a complaint, and the council acknowledged the contractor's actions were “inappropriate and unacceptable”. The day after the incident, a council officer called to say the wheelchair had to be removed from outside the flat.
Council proposes storage options, family says impractical
Nothing further happened until last month, when a notice was put through the door and another cable-tied to the railing, saying all combustible materials must be removed from the communal area. Donna said she offered to remove other items but insisted the wheelchair must remain, as it could not be brought inside the flat or placed under a tarpaulin in an exposed area—Ruby would be unable to remove the cover before going to school.
The family said they were visited by the fire brigade, who told them verbally that the wheelchair's position outside the front door is not an issue. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the brigade for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Donna said the council has been involved in supporting Ruby, including through its Occupational Therapy service, which installed a bath lift and prepared a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for her last summer. She wants the council to work with the family and consider adjustments given Ruby's reliance on the wheelchair.
“The only way we could settle her was to take that [sign] down immediately. We walked to the fire station that Friday night and spoke to a guy there. He was fantastic, spoke to the commander, and said, ‘remove the sign, put that it's being investigated by the London Fire Brigade’,” Donna said. “That settled Ruby down. She sees this sign saying, ‘remove it or we're going to put it in the bin’, and to her it's, ‘how am I going to get to school or get out in the event of a fire?’ Everything goes over in her head.”
The ongoing issue has caused “significant and unnecessary distress to our family”, Donna added. “I just think what's frustrating for me is that it's hard enough trying to navigate London with a disabled child. Honestly, you can't get on a freaking bus, and you don't realise how difficult things are until you are disabled or you need that.”
A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said: “We have worked closely with the family to ensure the resident's wheelchair can remain outside her home while complying with fire safety requirements. We understand the resident’s concerns and have proposed several storage options for the wheelchair and developed a PEEP for the resident. The notice issued to the family related to the removal of combustible items on the outdoor landing in line with our fire safety measures to keep residents safe.”
