Keeping things in stairwells and other common areas of a block of flats risks not only the safety of your property but also the safety of people
2023.12.11
Many people living in apartment buildings keep their bicycles, pushchairs and sledges in stairwells or other common areas. Not only do they annoy neighbours, but they also pose a risk to residents’ safety by obstructing the pathways needed for a smooth evacuation in the event of a fire. Gintaras Stanišauskas, Building Maintenance Specialist at Civinity Namai, a multi-family administration and maintenance company, explains how to store things properly and what measures can be taken by unhappy neighbours.
Storing various items in the common areas of a block of flats
Many people living in an apartment block face the problem of storing their belongings: not everyone has a pantry or enough space in their apartment to properly store a bicycle, a pushchair or other larger items. For this reason, residents start storing their personal belongings in the common areas of the apartment building, such as the entrance to the staircase or the corridors of the apartment building.
According to G. Stanišauskas of Civinity Namai, it is not uncommon for residents to store even furniture or building materials left over from repairs in the basement common areas.
“We often receive questions from customers asking whether this behaviour is allowed, but there is no clear-cut answer. When assessing whether neighbours’ bicycles or other items are properly stored in common areas, it is necessary to consider whether they are in the way of easy passage. Any abandonment of items that obstructs passageways and hinders people’s ability to evacuate safely is a breach of fire safety requirements and must be removed immediately,” says Mr Stanišauskas.
Contravenes fire safety rules
The General Fire Safety Regulations stipulate that staircases, corridors, balconies and emergency exits in the common use of apartment buildings must be kept free of any objects that impede people’s evacuation in the event of a fire. The rules also prohibit blocking and blocking of cellar doorways.
Those who fail to comply with these rules are liable to fines of up to €70 for owners of blocks of flats and up to €600 for those responsible for fire safety.
However, it is not the administrative fines that pose the greatest risk. In the event of a fire, the rapid evacuation of residents is crucial. According to the Fire and Rescue Department, a quarter of all fires in Lithuania this year have occurred in residential buildings, killing 67 people. The causes of fires vary, but the rules are the same for all of them: know and follow the fire safety rules.
If you notice any breaches, first of all, urge your neighbours to talk to
Companies managing apartment buildings must inspect common areas 2 times a year to check that they meet fire safety requirements. If violations are found, the occupants of the building are informed and asked to remove any items that have been stored improperly.
However, misplaced items may still occur after the inspection, so residents who see misplaced items in the common areas of their apartment building should react responsibly.
According to Civinity Namai, the first place to start is to discuss the problem with neighbours and work together to find solutions to ensure proper safety compliance. If the community fails to reach an amicable agreement, the management company of the block of flats can always be called upon to record the violations and urge the owners of the items to remove them immediately.
There are also cases where residents do not collect their belongings even after the violation has been recorded and informed. In such cases, the administrator is obliged to collect and dispose of the items obstructing the aisles at the residents’ expense.
“For high-value items, it is usually always possible to reach an agreement with the residents, so it is usually necessary to dispose of long-forgotten, unwanted furniture, other items or building materials left over from repairs. Once the cleaning work is done, it seems as if the problem is no longer there, but the whole house has to pay for the irresponsible behaviour of the residents. We therefore recommend that you think twice before taking any personal belongings into the common areas – it might be time to give them away by donating them or taking them to a collection site,” comments a Civinity Namai specialist.
Suggests storing personal belongings in a storeroom, apartment or balcony
To avoid arguments between neighbours and the extra costs of fines or disposal, it is recommended to store all personal belongings in your own premises, such as apartments, balconies or storage rooms.
“The security of property stored in common areas should also be taken into account. Bicycles are probably the most common items to disappear from residential stairwells. Although stairwells are usually locked, this is rarely a barrier to thieves. Therefore, storing personal belongings in rooms that are accessible to everyone also raises the issue of the security of the belongings themselves,” shares G. Stanišauskas.
Those storing items in pantries should pay attention to the humidity and lower temperatures in basements. Canned vegetables or berries will keep well, but items such as books, clothes or wooden items will eventually mould. In addition, the basement storage rooms and the resident-owned storage rooms are connected to the apartment building’s main pipes, so in the event of a plumbing or sewage accident, the items stored in the storage rooms could be damaged.
It is suggested that bicycles and other items stored in balconies should be prepared for the winter: cleaned, fully drained, lubricated moving parts, and waxed to create a barrier against moisture and corrosion. Finally, it is recommended to cover the prepared items with a damp-proof but breathable fabric.