Messy neighbours

[Butterfly212]

Hi need to rant….Where we live we have a shared entrance and stairway with neighbours then our entrance doors are opposite each other there is a small square of hallway between us. I have an issue that the neighbours clutter the hallway and stairs with all their crap . On the small square hallway they have one of those builders buckets filled with crap like dirty shoes umbrellas etc they also have a scooter, tent , more umbrellas, jump start kit which hardly leaves any room when we come out of the door .Then going up the stairs they have about 6 sets of dirty shoes covered in mud. To add insult they have added a thick folded up gymnastics matt at the bottom which slightly blocks you getting out the main door but it’s doable. Now ive had so many polite conversations leading to arguments with her about this told her its a fire hazard/ health and safety not to mention it looks so trampy it’s embarrassing when i have visitors it cant even be cleaned properly it makes me so angry its the entrance to my home. She won’t listen i don’t know what else to do.

You want my management company
I left a wet umbrella, hooked on my door handle to dry
35 mins it was there and i had them on the phone saying it was a trip hazard

I agree, phone the fire brigade.

I had an issue with the council & bus company once. They didn't did anything until I enquired who I should sue in the event of an accident.

I'd ask that of your landlord, letting agent, leaseholder and the fire brigade. Point out when you first contacted them about it.

Are they leasehold flats, if so you will have a management company that you pay ground rent and service charge to. They are responsible for ensuring that all hallways are kept clear in the event of fire. Contact them and they should write or call on them.

Absolutely would.

The fire department will get back to you. In the meantime tell your landlord again, contact your MP and the council both for fire safety and environmental health. I'd use the words I've told you and you have a duty of care to ensure my basic safety. All you want is clear access in and out of your home.

I once went mad at our council for not collecting bins for weeks because the truck couldn't get down our street (the electricity department was digging up the road). Despite our bins being on wheels. I was the mad woman shouting about rats and how they would be responsible if anything happened. They picked up the bins the next day.

fure brigade came back to me didnt seem interested told me to call the management company i went back to them and told them ive called them a million times and they never answer not heard back its so frustrating.

Then ask the management company who will be responsible/get sued in the event of an accident/death or injury due to fire etc. Put it in writing so that there is an email (+ paper) trail.

I hope you get this sorted. I'm dealing with similar but my neighbour is for the time being, okay. They're a sort who I don't want to fall out with but the same sort that would absolutely fall out with us if I said anything. She's one of those people who are surrounded by family and friends in the council estate and if you were to kick one, they'd all limp.
We have to keep our wheelie bins out the back in our garden but need to bring them through the side path which passes the bottom of their stairs (they're upstairs with own access). They've piled scrap into the alleyway such as an old dismantled washing machine since 2021, a pile of car wheel alloys, and lately broken breeze blocks and a rusted bike. We can fit through walking but it takes both DH and I to carry the wheelie bins over the junk every week. Neighbour keeps their bins in next door's garden beside theirs because it's her sister. I can't say anything but I do keep telling DH "one more thing and I'm calling the housing association!". I really should and ask them to do a random inspection.

I’ve been trying to get hold of the management company for days .

Definitely report them it’s disgusting to live like that.

I would make an official complaint to the management company and if they don’t respond, report them to the Ombudsman. I am pretty certain that if you are in England, the Management company legally have to keep all communal areas free from rubbish or anything that is a fire risk. It is irrelevant that your neighbour owns their flat.

Do we share a neighbour??

My downstairs neighbour keeps a double buggy outside theirs all the time. There are often dirty work boots flung around as well. I've taken to picking up the work boots, and putting them IN the buggy. I also move the buggy so it's literally blocking their front door.
If you're going to be inconsiderate, shite neighbours, I can do that as well.

I'd chuck the lot out in the rain personally.

I love the “dispose of one shoe at a time”. It will inconvenience them more or you’ll realise they haven’t needed to wear it so you can dispose of the second shoe.

If that takes too long, just stack it all outside her door then she’ll fall over it when she leaves.

If she hears you and comes out, tell her you were advised by the Fire Service to remove it but you thought you’d be kind and give her the chance to bring it inside.

Haha sounds like we do is so infuriating

You've already asked nicely so I would kick it downstairs and out the front door. The gymnastics Mat I would jury Chuck out the front in the rain preferably as it's blocking the door. I hate entitled people like her

Tell the management committee that you've spoken to the fire brigade and (white lie) they're hoping to come round on a quiet day.
Might give them some motivation.

I used to live in a ground floor flat in a popular part of a large city about 20 years ago with OH. It was in a converted terrace, with a second flat upstairs. Tenant above kept leaving his bike across our door into our flat. Literally leant across the door so you couldn't get in or out. After three months of ignored polite requests not to do it, I helped him with the problem by moving his bike out the front door into the garden. Someone else helped him further by taking the bike from the garden and riding off on it. Didn't happen again. He never did say thank you though, and that still rankles a bit.

Our managing agent used to deal with this due to it being a fire hazard. I had a separate hallway leading to just to my flat and still had to remove the doormat!

my counil won't even let you have a door mat as it's a hazard if you need to evacuate. Try your council/health and safety

So update.. fire brigade wants to speak to management company neither of us can get hold of them. Someone from fire services drove past our flat entrance really slowly but didn’t come in. I’ve emailed fire brigade again as i dont know why they are not doing anything.

I would get onto your MP and the council. This is threatening your safety.

Yeet it all out the front door onto the street. Every time.

Fire brigade came out and after 2 days hallway clear🎉🎉🎉🎉