Flat management disposing of pushchairs

[user1492759984]

I own my flat but it's leasehold and the communal areas are owned and dealt with by a management company. It's a small block of four flats and I live on the top floor. There are five flights of stairs to climb to get to my flat and no lift. I live alone with 10 month old DD. The entrance way has space for two pushchairs without this obstructing access (one neighbour and I have one each that we keep there) but yesterday we received letters from the management company stating that if pushchairs continue to be left there they will be taken away and disposed of, due to fire regulations. They have also taped up a notice down there saying the sane thing. I accept that they have to follow the regs however can they legally remove and dispose of our property? I can't physically lift the buggy and the baby up all those stairs at the same time (especially as I always have bags as well) and this would mean leaving DD alone upstairs while I go back down and get the buggy and bring it up. Also my flat is absolutely tiny so there is nowhere to store it so it's a real pain. I'll have to do what they say though I guess. Therefore has anyone got any recommendations for an ultra, ultra light stroller that I could carry with one hand and DD in the other please?

I had a buggy that folded into a (big) shoulder bag, it literally folded as opposed to the umbrella style "folding" of regular buggies

It was a shit buggy.. I impulse bought it because I thought the shoulder bag fold was amazing, it was annoying with tiny wheels that caught on every bump and it tipped over if you hung a light bag on the handles.. but it's an option

Is there grounds outside you could have a lockable bike shed to store the pram in?

I was thinking the same as a PP, that you could get a lockable garden storage box to keep them in if you have access to the outside areas. I had a Quinny Zapp, it folds up very small into a carrying bag (which is a bit of a bitch to do up but still...) and you can sling it over your shoulder.

It's a pain but I think you will have to leave the baby in the flat, in her cot or somewhere safe, while you go back down for the buggy.

Inside your own flat you can put up a hook somewhere to hold the buggy upright against the wall.

We have a similar setup and the biggest pain was when the babies were asleep in the buggy and I had to wake them up when I got home. I really envied friends who could just wheel their buggy inside and enjoy a cup of tea or put away shopping while the baby slept!

Ask to see the fire regs. Lots of things done in the name of health and safety that aren't actually in the rule book.
If it's not obstructing the exit it's not a fire risk

Since you are walking from the car but it's 5 min away, I would keep the buggy in the car, use a sling and buy one of those 'granny trolleys' to walk back with the shopping. (Argos or Ikea from a recent thread). You can then just lift it up the stairs but won't be exhausted from carrying bags as well as baby from the car.

And sign up for a supermarket delivery plan for your heavier shopping.

The thing is, that even if it isn't a fire safety issue they're perfectly free to say that stuff mustn't be left in communal areas.

Or... just get a really, really cheap light stroller (the tiny, non- recline sort that fold to almost nothing) just for the car to flat walk. They take up next to no boot space and you can keep your normal one in boot to swap into. We got one to keep in car for emergencies and for travelling once our baby was bigger and we didn't use buggy so much. Tenner on gumtree.

I'm another one who can't see how pushchairs in the area, but out of the way are a fire hazard/exit blocker?

Are they saying they are going to accelerate the spread of fire, or block an exit? Neither sound reasonable and it's probably just the opinion of someone exceptionally picky who hasn't thought through the difficulties it will cause people like the OP.

Mothercare have just brought out a tiny stroller, called the XXS or something

When my DS was little I had a big pushchair with large air-filled tyres that was heavy-ish but good for bumping up stairs. If I had shopping I would carry DS on my left hip and put the shopping in the seat, then walk up the stairs pulling the pushchair behind me with my right hand. Something like a Mountain Buggy Swift would be similar.

I would carry your baby up to the flat and leave her in her cot. Surely you leave her in a cot while you are watching TV etc.. in the evening when she's going to sleep? You're only going to be a minute max running down the stairs and running back up again. I can't see what harm will come of her! Do you ever shower? If you shower when she's asleep in her cot, you may not hear her when she initially wakes up but she's perfectly safe in her cot.

When I had this same issue I put the push hair in the boot of the car.

We had something like this in a previous flat - we had a balcony running all the way around and residents had put plants and patio furniture out and were told it would be removed by the management company. One of our neighbours contacted the council and clarified the fire safety regulations - which were I think that the exit had to have at least 1m clear width.

As the balcony was generously proportioned we had this and more, so when the neighbours complained they had good reason to tell the management company that their belongings weren't causing an obstruction for the purposes of the fire regulations and they had no grounds to go in and dispose of personal property.

The management company backed down but issued a warning they they would periodically be checking that the exits were compliant, and that was fine with everyone.

Family- it's not just to do with obstructing the fire exit. the buggy could present an obstruction wherever it is on the landings or hallway. Also it could be flammable itself so becomes a further hazard - imagine trying to get past an on-fire buggy that's in the hallway, with small children or babies in tow? Even if the buggy is anti-flammable (who knows) then any blankets or toys on it might not be. You just can't predict what might happen so best to keep communal areas clear.

Id agree with the others suggesting a sling/baby carrier. At least for car-to-flat route. Unless you have any health problem? I personally hate prams and don't use one (so baby-carrier it is or car for long distance).

Barbara - also in addition to my pp, you Re assuming that the buggy/buggies wouldn't have been shoved into an inconvenient place from its "tucked away" place by a panicking fleeing resident.

Leaving it in the shared fire escape route would be considered dangerous - fire escape routes must be kept clear of combustible material. It isn't that necessarily they are blocking exits (though this would be an issue), it is the potential for a fire to start / spread quicker due to combustible materials being there. If there is a fire in the primary means of escape that is a significant problem.

I would imagine they have had a fire risk assessment done (which I believe you are entitled to have sight of) and the assessors have noted the risk and suggested action to reduce the risk. Not only would they be allowed to remove the property, but they would be advised to do so in order to meet their legal obligations to ensure that everyone is the building can get out if there is a fire. Some might see it as being picky, but others might argue that safety comes ahead of convenience.

I would say the problem isnt one pram or two... the OP says they are 4 flats, so what if everyone wanted to leave the pram?

I also live on a top floor with no lift. I used to carry my uppababy first the seat with baby strapped in, then leave her up one flight, then down to get the frame, then up two flights, then baby up two flights, etc... good exercise...

then i changed to an umbrella fold when she started toddling and had her climbing stairs very slowly while i was just behind her with the pram... shopping would be take up with the frame or on another trip in a granny trolly and bulk of shopping online delivery with ocado - who in 5 years never complained about all the steps - hurrah

it's a pain but we have no space outside to leave it and no car

It's a fire hazard wherever it is in a communal area as people can not see it or trip on it etc. Believe it or not my parents were recently told the one pair of slippers my dad left on his doormat for when he went out to smoke were a fire hazard including the doormat.

Prams/buggies/bikes etc left in communal hallways are considered a fire risk (as in potential accelerant) as well as an obstruction if residents need to leave in an emergency. It might be inconvenient for you, but it's standard in most blocks of flats managed by any responsible agent.

After many years of residents taking the piss by leaving collections of prams, kids' bikes, unfolded buggies and god knows what in the hallways, our management company introduced a zero tolerance policy. If it's left, it gets removed and the owner has to pay £50 to get it back. Funnily enough, no-one leaves their stuff in the hallways any more.

What about something like this it folds up REALLY small and weighs 3.9kg.

It may seem obvious that people can avoid buggies/bikes/hall tables and find exits under normal circumstances, it's much harder when the stairs and hallway are filled with smoke.

Yup, I don't think people realise how hard it is to walk in a straight line in a smoke filled area, the buggies may seem out of the way when you can see the way out clearly, but a buggy "tucked out of the way" could be the difference between hitting a wall and turning around to find your way out, and tripping and falling and not getting out at all

We had a super-light stroller from Mothercare that weighed absolutely nothing. It seemed pretty flimsy but lasted three children and only cost £20! Only used it for public transport and to take on holiday when car full of luggage. I would keep that in your car and use it for the car->house journey.

I'd also have heavy shopping delivered - do a once-a-month order of tinned/bulky goods and just pick up a bag of fresh stuff when you need it.

Buggies in hallways really are a dangerous fire risk, even though it's hard to imagine pre-emergency.