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Original poster

Flat management disposing of pushchairs

89 replies

user1492759984 · 28/04/2017 12:40

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?

OP posts:
CrazedZombie · 28/04/2017 13:46

When I lived in a flat I'd do 3 trips- first take baby up, then shopping, then buggy.

chocorabbit · 28/04/2017 13:47

We used to live in a council owned flat and after several warnings/threats for about a year they did get rid of the buggies. We went and took them back from storage before they actually threw them away.

It was really bad as I had to take it up and down several times a day to go to school AND nursery about 11:30 so 6 trips. We ended up looking for which day the caretaker was there for cleaning and took it up but every other day we would still leave it downstairs. Only when I was pregnant the council gave us a temporary a storage space which they didn't use as I guess they got scared of the chances of a pregnant woman carrying a buggy up and down all those flight of stairs and her miscarrying and suing them.

FanSpamTastic · 28/04/2017 13:48

We had a v light Maclaren stroller that folded and had a carrying strap. It was the best pushchair I purchased. We used it to get around London on tubes etc and regularly carried baby, backpack and pushchair up and down many flights of stairs.

chocorabbit · 28/04/2017 13:53

I have to add that when my children didn't attend school I always carried the shopping and the buggy upstairs. The caretaker always complained to me about the other people who "selfishly" left theirs downstairs blocking the exit (they didn't). One of the ladies had a disabled child and had to use one for a very long time as he needed to be restrained. Also, there was no way she could leave him alone at home to take the buggy downstairs as he always needed supervision. Needless to say that after school started it became too much for me and I immediately sympathised with the fellow buggy owners!

margaritasbythesea · 28/04/2017 13:58

I had a very light Silver Cross. It was great. I think i would have got the Baby Jogger mini if I had had enough money. A back pack too.

FlaviaAnsell · 28/04/2017 14:07

And it's not just residents who might be trying to get out via a dark, smoke filled lobby who need to be considered. It's also the firefighters who might be trying to get in to check that the building is empty or rescue someone who is trapped. They don't want to be falling over buggies that weren't supposed to be there.

TinselTwins · 28/04/2017 14:09

And it's not just residents who might be trying to get out via a dark, smoke filled lobby who need to be considered. It's also the firefighters who might be trying to get in to check that the building is empty or rescue someone who is trapped. They don't want to be falling over buggies that weren't supposed to be there

again I agree, the fire fighters can't just assume that the developers didn't stick in an extra door to a squeesed in studio flat under the stairs just because in the light of day it's clear that there's nothing in there but buggies!

SomethingBorrowed · 28/04/2017 14:34

Or just do what I had to do with twins all the time: take twin1 to floor one while twin2 stays in the buggy at ground floor, leave twin1 there, go back downstairs to take twin2 and buggy, bring to floor one. Repeat until you reach your floor.

A pain but doable.

DontBeASalmon · 28/04/2017 14:45

when I had the same problem, I bought a bugaboo cameleon. Took baby in carrycot, (later the seat when older) and bring upstairs. Go back downstairs to carry rest of the buggy + shopping. At least if baby was asleep, didn't have to wake up to go home. Alternatively, leaving baby on each floor until you reach the top. It would have killed my back to carry baby + shopping + stroller at the same time whilst running up and down the stairs is very good for you

All the super light strollers, foldable for plane travels would have been too flimsy for my normal use.

BoboChic · 28/04/2017 14:50

When DD was a baby we lived in the fourth floor and the lift was out of order (for renewal) for four months. It was a frigging nightmare! I did end up carrying DD up the stairs, plonking her in a play pen and then running up and down stairs to collect buggy/shopping.

Tricycletops · 28/04/2017 14:50

We have a Quinny Yezz which folds up tiny and has a shoulder strap. Its only failing is that it's got no shopping basket.

frieda909 · 28/04/2017 14:57

I had this in a council block that I lived in. The signs were up for weeks but the buggies showed no sign of moving until one day they were just all gone. I'm sure there were some very angry families who lost their buggies, but I could sort of see why it was necessary.

I once saw a motorbike left in the same spot! Now that really is taking the piss.

PeaFaceMcgee · 28/04/2017 15:03

Just get a sling - Patapum / Tula / better than buggies :)

Original poster
user1492759984 · 28/04/2017 15:54

Thanks for all the recommendations!

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 28/04/2017 16:00

DH has permission from our HA to keep his mobility scooter in the hallway. It wont fit in through the door of the flat or up the stairs (he can only walk a VERY short distance as he has emphysema and cant breathe) its tucked away under the stairs though so well out of the way.

namechange20050 · 28/04/2017 16:02

It's the regulatory reform (fire safety) act 2005. Nothing to be left in common ways as it can cause an obstruction in the event of a fire. Came into force after people died trying to exit a burning building & tripped over the stuff stored in the common ways. So this is non negotiable.

UppityHumpty · 28/04/2017 16:55

Sell it and get a collapsible one. You need to cut your cloth according to your means - should not have a massive pushchair if you don't have the space.

madcapcat · 28/04/2017 17:28

A couple of years ago there were a spate of arsons (think 4-5 a night over a week) in tenements round me. An individual was setting light to buggies, bikes and anything else left in the common area. No-one was hurt, but a number of families had to be evacuated through the windows using the turntable ladder and others were advised by the fire brigade to block their doors with wet towels while they fought the fire. It wasn't something that had occurred to me as possible beforehand.

HelenaDove · 28/04/2017 17:34

Hope they caught the shithead madcap.

Original poster
user1492759984 · 28/04/2017 19:15

uppity the one I've got is collapsible and pretty light! But I still can't carry it up the stairs and DD at the same time! I sold the big one I had before that. That's why I need a super light one now!

OP posts:
Cubtrouble · 28/04/2017 19:20

Mountain buggy nano. Small, light, sturdy.

rabaria · 28/04/2017 19:25

I have the baby zen yoyo - it weighs about 5 kilos and folds up small enough to count as hand luggage on an aeroplane. It's easier to carry up and down than it is to carry DD!

MidniteScribbler · 29/04/2017 01:00

Fire regulations or not, owners of buildings have the right to tell residents not to leave their crap all over communal areas.

mellicauli · 29/04/2017 01:41

Have you got a car? If so keep buggy in the boot.

apotheke · 29/04/2017 03:09

Did you cancel the cheque mellicauli?

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