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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Communal hallway furniture

11 replies

BlackberryNettles · 14/10/2019 11:22

Someone has moved into one of the flats in our building, clearly they didn't want the furniture inside as they have dumped it in the communal hallway, by the door to the stairwell. I can't open my front door the full way because there is a chest of drawers outside, and a bed frame with mattress etc.

We spoke to them and they said the letting agent who works for our landlord told them to dump anything they didn't want, so they did and told them that it needed collecting, but it's been over a week now and it's still there. We rung the maintenance man for the building about it at this point as getting to and from the stairs, especially with a toddler and pushchair and shopping etc, is difficult and it's a fire hazard. He said he would let the landlord know what was going on. Days went by and nothing new.

Today we have rung the landlord and he said he doesn't see why he should have to arrange for anybody to collect the furniture because the tenants were the one who dumped it and if they didn't want it they should have got it removed themselves. I don't understand that because surely if they'd had the furnishings completely removed then at the end of the tenancy they are going to be leaving it empty and getting charged for missing furniture from the inventory? I thought the point was the letting agent or landlord orwhatever system is supposed to collect unwanted furniture to store somewhere themselves, to prevent missing furniture and so it can be put back for the next tenants?

AIBU to think that the furniture belongs to the landlord/LA so they should be storing it if unwanted?

How long should we wait for this stuff to be removed from the corridor and what should I do if it is not gone within x time? It's a big fire hazard

OP posts:
TheTrollFairy · 14/10/2019 11:26

Does the furniture belong to the landlord? Have you rung the letting agent about this?
I would be tempted to withhold some payment if the communal area is not being sorted as part of your rent will be going towards the maintenance of the communal area.

Pootles34 · 14/10/2019 11:30

I would have a look here, and make some threats to both landlord and company responsible for maintenance about reporting them - thankfully people are taking fire safety more seriously in the wake of Grenfell, so hopefully they should take you seriously.

BlackberryNettles · 14/10/2019 11:31

Does the furniture belong to the landlord? Have you rung the letting agent about this?

It belongs to either the landlord or the letting agent, and because the tenants already spoke to LA and we spoke to maintenance, we thought landlord himself was only option left as nothing was happening. Perhaps we should ring the LA now too... The flat is a part-furnished flat so it definitely "belongs" to someone who isn't the tenant.

OP posts:
muddledmidget · 14/10/2019 11:37

You could see if the fire brigade offer free home safety checks in your area. It's always useful to check that your home is safe, and they'd definitely get that lot shifted from the communal areas, I think they can issue notices to the building management

Idontwanttotalk · 14/10/2019 12:09

A few comments:

  1. "they said the letting agent who works for our landlord told them to dump anything they didn't want, so they did and told them that it needed collecting'"
I wonder if the LA just meant the tenants could dispose of anything they didn't want in saying to just dump it? When the tenants said it needed collecting perhaps the LA thought the tenants meant they were waiting for someone else, who the tenants had arranged, to collect it.

That fits in with what the LL said to you today. Maybe the tenants have misunderstood what the LA told them?

  1. I can't understand why you can't open your door fully. Doesn't it open inwards into your flat? Do you mean you can't get out because they have literally put stuff in front of your front door?
  1. No-one on here can say whether LL/LA own the furniture as we don't know the contents of the contract with that particular tenant.
  1. I would just leave them to sort it out now that you have spoken to LL and tenants. They need to discuss and sort it out between them. When they sort out whose responsibility it is to dispose of it, they will then require some time to do it.
I'd give it 28 days before chasing it up.
Baboutheocelot · 14/10/2019 12:11

Move it in front of their door every time you go past?

gwackywacky · 14/10/2019 12:13

Write an email to the landlord saying "this unwanted furniture (pics) is a fire hazard. I will be posting an ad on local recycling adverts for it to be collected if it has not been removed within 48 hours".

gwackywacky · 14/10/2019 12:13

For fucks sake: local freecycling sites I meant

Windygate · 14/10/2019 12:16

Telephone your local fire service on their non-emergency number. They will take your issue very seriously.

BlackberryNettles · 14/10/2019 12:19

2. I can't understand why you can't open your door fully. Doesn't it open inwards into your flat? Do you mean you can't get out because they have literally put stuff in front of your front door?

That was a complete mistake, I meant the door to the hallway with the staircase. So I can open my door, but then pulling the door to the staircase open it won't go the whole way.

As for don't know their tenancy, that's true but the tenants said it wasn't theirs, it was there when they moved in and why would they bring their own furniture if they already had their "own" there? I suppose it could have been left by the previous tenenant but then surely the LA need to clear that out in that case anyway

OP posts:
BlackberryNettles · 14/10/2019 12:21

Thank you for the suggestions everyone

OP posts:
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