Do you use your barbecue on the balcony or terrace of your apartment building? Here’s when you can do it and what happens to residents who flout the rules

Do you use your barbecue on the balcony or terrace of your apartment building? Here’s when you can do it and what happens to residents who flout the rules

Many people can’t imagine the summer season without shish kebabs or other grilled dishes. Arūnas Armanavičius, from Civinity Namai, a company that manages and maintains apartment buildings, explains how residents of apartment buildings can enjoy grilled food.

Solid fuel barbecues are prohibited

The General Fire Safety Regulations prohibit the use of solid fuel barbecues within 6 metres of a building. This means that anyone who wants to cook on a balcony or small terrace in a block of flats cannot do so on a wood or charcoal grill.

However, in such cases, residents can use gas or electric barbecues to cook whatever they want. It is important to remember that when using a gas barbecue, the gas cylinder should be kept at least 1 metre away from the cooking area of the barbecue.

Fines may be imposed for disregarding the rules

Residents who disregard fire safety rules and use solid fuel barbecues on balconies, terraces and other open common areas of apartment buildings within 6 metres of the building are liable to administrative liability.

The Code of Administrative Offences provides for a fine of between €10 and €70 for such activities.

“We always warn residents that such activities on the balcony can be very costly, not only because of the fine, but also because of the possibility of causing a fire due to embers or ashes that have jumped out of the barbecue or have been blown by the wind. Importantly, this requirement applies not only to apartment blocks but also to individual houses, although it is often said that in a private house, barbecues can be used as much as you like,” says a Civinity Namai representative.

Odours from barbecues are a separate problem

Even with an electric or gas barbecue, you can still get complaints from neighbours when the food and smoke from the barbecue drift into the air and onto neighbours’ balconies or flats nearby.

“We also receive enquiries from customers about what can be done about the smoke and smell of cooking food coming from neighbouring balconies and terraces. Unfortunately, the current situation is that the legislation only regulates the fire safety of barbecues, while the Public Health Centre only deals with complaints about unpleasant odours from businesses. This means that the authorities will not be able to help with odours emanating from neighbours’ non-solid fuel grills, so we will have to negotiate with our neighbours,” says Armanavičius.

Although gas or electric barbecues do not pose a fire risk, they can cause inconvenience to neighbours due to the smells and fumes from cooking, so it is always worth thinking about your neighbours when cooking in the open spaces of an apartment block:

“If the rules of the building prohibit the use of grills, barbecues or smokers, regardless of the fuel used, they should not be used,” says Armanavičius.

For those who want to avoid getting into a fight with their neighbours, they suggest installing a chimney

Not only solid fuels, but also powerful gas barbecues can produce strong smells and smoke. If you buy such a grill, it is recommended that you install a chimney on the balcony or terrace of your apartment block.

“Such a chimney effectively collects the smoke and releases it onto the roof of the apartment building instead of the barbecue, thus protecting the environment from unpleasant odours. The chimney requires the approval of the majority of the building’s occupants, as well as a project and all the necessary approvals,” comments a representative of Civinity Namai.