AIBU to have a doormat?

[MsMarvel]

Currently rent from a useless incompetent private housing association,, and have done for the last 3 years.

Since we moved in, we have had a doormat outside our flat door, in the close. As do all of our neighbours.

We (and everyone else) have started getting letters through thd door telling us we are in breach of tenancy for having a doormat in the communal area, and that its a fire risk.

Other neighbours have queried this with the fire brigade who advised that it wasnt a fire hazard, and it was not through any advice from them that this has has been auctioned.

Ive had a look through my tenancy handbook, and it states that we aren't allowed to use the area for storage, giving bikes, pushchairs and household rubbish as things not allowed to be kept there.

Can we reasonably query this and argue the case about keeping the doormat?

I personally couldn't be arsed to argue for the sake of a doormat.

However, it wouldn't be unreasonable of you to query.

I known it seems two petty to argue over a doormat, but its been such an accumulation of stupid issues with them that I dont want to let anything unfair go.

Are you in a tower block? Councils are getting pretty tough on anything that could be seen as a fire hazard since Grenfell. DH works for one and their residents are banned now from having anything at all combustible in the communal areas. Including door mats. Which is probably ott but I suppose better to be safe than sorry.

Its flats, but not a tower block. Its 5 storeys, so 10 flats in total.

I think Lunar Girl is right.

I remember a story about a council enforcing a ban on door mats in high rise flats, before the Grenfell tragedy, for being a fire hazard.

Now in light of Grenfell, I can't see you winning this battle.

We're in a 5 storey block with the same rule, OP. They've said it's a trip hazard during evacuations, but we have a stay put policy. I personally think it's to make it easier for the cleaners who do the communal corridors, which we pay for from our service charge, so if it did take them longer then we would lose out, and also that they prefer a uniform look to the place - we're not allowed to put anything on the doors either.

I do find that they tend to use 'health and safety' as a lazy justification for anything they fancy as I am familiar with the actual legislation from my job.

We used to live in a block of flats (4 storeys) and after we moved out, one of our old neighbours mentioned to us that all the residents had received a letter demanding that all pictures on the walls and vases & pot plants on the windowsills up the stairwell had to be removed. How daft.

Doormat-gate.

Don't be a doormat and give in - stand firm!

After the tower fire in London councils are becoming fire risk paranoid.

I understand that if they have indeed changed policies since grenfell that we will have to follow, we dont own or rent the close space for anything other than access.

But would they need to inform us of any changes in policy abour this?

Highly unlikely for a fire to start in the corridor, particularly from some kind of doormat explosion.

OP You should just get rid of it. Communal areas should be sterile areas. Before, most places were quite lax on it. Buggies, doormats, flower pots etc. Now, sterile needs to mean sterile, all of that has to go. It's not worth the risk of someone tripping on a doormat, no matter how unlikely you feel that is. We're having this struggle, trying to enforce it is a nightmare, and understandably so, but that's how it is.

And no, MsMarvel if your tenancy agreement says the same general thing lots do, "no personal belongings are to be kept in communal areas" that includes mats so wouldn't need any update or notification. Look at your agreement and see what it says.

We have this issue all the time. (Work for HA) Its very emotive.

You dont actually own the area outside your front door, they do. So, they decide what stays and what goes.

Imagine if there was a fire. Creating thick smoke and as they were trying to rescue you they were tripping over door mats. And as a housing officer I've seen some old carpet cut offs used as mats etc. I know its hardly likely but it could happen.

And in light of Grenfell, no one is prepared to take any risk.

Just move it. Please.