To be annoyed that downstairs flat locks their bike to rest of buildings communal stairs?

[Ouchdownthere]

Live in Victorian conversion. 4 flats, ground floor is exactly that, own front door, front and back garden. Remaining three flats have exterior stairs up to shared front door. We are owner/occupier, ground floor rent.

Ground floor tenants have locked a bike to the exterior steps and there it has stayed for a couple of weeks. It really winds me up! Am tempted to ask them to lock it in their back garden as they aren't using it daily. But AIBU? If the stairs were also shared by them I wouldn't have an issue. Should I say something or just get over it?

I like the front of the building to look tidy, but, I know I can be a bit of a control freak about these things.

Does it affect your use of the stairs?

No, just looks untidy. I think I need to get a grip don't I?

Do they have somewhere to lock it in the back garden? If they don't use those steps it does seem a bit unreasonable to use them to lock their bike up.

If it doesn't actually block the stairs then you are being unreasonable. I don't think they should have to traipse a bike through their house into their back garden every day just to make your stairs look pretty.

I can see it might be a bit irksome but I wouldn't talk to them and ruin good relations over it.

p.s. we probably all have minor irritations that we need to lighten up about :)

Yes, can easily be locked in garden which is also enclosed.

gamer they haven't used it since they locked it there a couple of weeks ago.

gamer so true, far more important things to worry about an a bike locked on some stairs! Think I might spend the day working on my lightening up skills, or I could just go and let the tyres down?

If it's not blocking anything, I would let it go. No one wants to drag a muddy bike through their flat. And I don't think a single bike locked to stairs looks untidy! Is it not common where you live?

How can you be sure they haven't used it? Maybe they nip out to the shops on it sometimes.

YANBU - if it's a shared area then no-one should be leaving stuff in it. A friend of mine lives in a big Edwardian conversion and she was telling me that she couldn't have a bike there for that reason - she would have no where to keep it. Another friend suggested the hallway at the bottom of the stairs and she immediately said that would upset everyone else living there and it wouldn't be fair. Imagine if everyone started keeping big things there. Nightmare. I would ask them to move it - just say it's not big enough for everyone to store big things there.

it would annoy me as well as I like things to look tidy, but I probably wouldnt say anything

Do you have something else you can worry about?

are you trying to sell your house?

If yes then yanbu

It's not that common, most people leave the hand rails to be just that. Am a SAHM currently and put the hand rail in when baby was born as the stairs are quite steep and uneven. It's good to have the security of something to grab onto if needed. Reality is I don't use it as a handrail much but when weather is wet or my mobility impaired father comes over it is handy to use as a hand rail not a bike rack!

Am in the house a lot, and also very nosey, if they do use it they time using it to when I am out.

But it's not in a shared area, it's not blocking anything. It's outside the house entirely. I agree it would be unreasonable to keep it inside a small shared hallway.

I do fluffi but I channel my worry of other things through nit picky small things, easier to cope with real stress that way.

We are selling, have a buyer but terrified of losing them.

I don't think YABU at all. They have their own front door etc, so shouldn't really be using the shared access stairs at all (I assume these are only for the flats above?). I would be questioning why they even have a key. Is there any reason why they need access?

You could also argue that it's a fire risk as it's the main escape route for the flats. If you have the fire service do one of their (free) assessments, they will probably mention it.

I can understand your annoyance,but I don't think it's justified!

In the spirit of live and let live, let it go ,take a deep breath and acknowledge that, although it does bug you,it's really not the end of the world (and if they are good neighbours in other ways it's not worth causing upset over).

It's an external set of steps that only the three flats above them need to access. They don't need the steps to access their flat. Own front door at ground level.

Well, you could always just ask them to move it. They might think you're mental but they'll probably be nice about it. Just say you really need the handrail for when your father comes over.

You are right skinny, I think I will just let the tyres down though.

I think they would be right dreaming. Off to get a grip and moan about no-one else picking up the junk mail instead.

Now, now, Ouch.

Play nicely.

Oh, I see it's external. Technically, no they shouldn't be using it. Their property is totally separate to the flats above. Would they chain their bike to the railings of another neighbour? Probably not.