Bicycles and strollers blocking evacuation paths and flammable items in garages as a recurring problem for housing associations

Many people treat the stairwell space next to their flat as extra storage space. A bicycle, stroller, opened umbrellas, boxes or even a shoe cupboard – you can find all sorts of things in the stairwell. Not everyone realises that cluttering up this space is not only aesthetically unpleasant, but above all dangerous, illegal and punishable.

The staircase is a communal part of the building, not an extension to the flat – although many treat it as such. It should be borne in mind that it is an emergency exit route that is used to get out of a building, skyscraper or apartment block as quickly as possible. Blocking the passageway makes it difficult not only for people who are trying to quickly evacuate from the building, but also for firefighters to carry out their rescue operations. What’s more, some items have the potentialy be a fire hazard or contribute to the spread of a fire.

Cluttered underground garages

Cluttered underground garages are also not uncommon. Often forgetting about safety, residents treat such places as private storage areas and don’t even realise that they are breaking the law by doing so. Many people suffer from lack of storage space. This results in a desire to adapt every possible space. The bylaws of many garages outright prohibit the storage of belongings, but some communities may, however, allow you to keep, for example, a bicycle in a parking space.

Violation of the regulations may result in a fine.

It is not permitted to keep flammable materials – fuel, paint, oil, tyres, cardboard boxes, fabrics, paper, furniture and many other things – next to a parking space in a garage. Violation of fire regulations is punishable and owners are responsible for any damage that occurs from creating a fire hazard. It is absolutely forbidden to place any items in the common areas of the property, in the passageways of the garage and on the access roads.

Less Mess Storage will solve your problem with lack of storage space

So what can you do if you don’t have enough storage space and H&S regulations prohibit you from keeping things in the stairwell or in the garage next to the parking space? With a small flat, a small storage cell – often not properly secured against potential theft – or no such thing at all, you have no idea where to store some of your belongings? A good solution is to rent a self-storage facility from Less Mess Storage. Our storage facilities are not associated with traditional warehouses. They are modern, protected by security systems, cells of varying sizes that can be individually adapted to your needs. Self-storage facilities are a completely safe place to store – in addition to modern security systems to prevent theft, every room has optimal conditions – which is a perfect precaution against the possible destruction of items through the negative effects of humidity or very low or very high temperatures.

Don’t risk a fine and keep yourself and your neighbours safe – move the things you don’t have room for in your flat to our rental storage facilities and let the stairwells and garage parking spaces do their job properly, while following all health and safety rules. Take a look at our offer and choose the size of property to suit your needs.