Communal area storage cupboard fire risk?

paulbrannan

Not entirely where to post this, so hope no one objects.

I have just received a letter from the management company who looks after the block of flats where I live (and own my flat).
They are objecting to people storing stuff in their boiler cupboards which are located in the communal areas adjacent to their flats. Apparently it contravenes Health and Safety regs?!
I'm a bit peeved as the cupboard belongs to me and I feel I should be able to do what I want with it as long as the boiler is still relatively accessible.
They obviously have different ideas and are threatening to empty it forcibly or prosecute.

Could someone advise on the legalities here as I don't really want to fold on this matter?

Many thanks.

TJ27

Your management company are not an enforcing authority and I doubt that they are in a position to prosecute.

However, cupboards on escape routes do indeed present a fire risk. It will either be the council or the fire service who can tell you what to do. Usually the cupboard will need to be 30 mins fire protected. The door will need to be a fire door. It might need a vent in it for a bit of air to circulate around the boiler, even if it's balanced flue.

As for storing stuff, well I don't see a problem. Unless it's petrol or something.

puddy

yeah, we've just had all that at mine. they sent round a snotty letter, which just happened to show photos of some stuff that was in the communal hallway oustide my flat which i was on the verge of taking down, making me look like some sort of degenerate.

they have now locked up the communal cupboards on each floor (not individually owned) and given the only key in each block to one of the owners. in the case of my block, it has to be the nosy OAP on the ground floor who keeps sending notes through my letter box about the bins (nothing to do with me)

so they said it was health and safety that meant that they took away a plant pot outside my front door which i was waiting to pot something in, health and safety to lock the cupboards and health and safety to take photos of some rubbish just about to be taken down to the bins. apparently all this was a fire risk

paulbrannan

TJ27, what do you means by 30mins fire protected?

Well, my cupboards already locked up and just the gas board have the key for meter readings etc. There's nothing in the hallway so I'm unsure how I'm contravening H & S, unless the boiler set on fire and burnt all my stuff!?
An nope I'm not storing fertiliser or the like there.

Greenr

jenner wrote: »

yeah, we've just had all that at mine. they sent round a snotty letter, which just happened to show photos of some stuff that was in the communal hallway oustide my flat which i was on the verge of taking down, making me look like some sort of degenerate.

they have now locked up the communal cupboards on each floor (not individually owned) and given the only key in each block to one of the owners. in the case of my block, it has to be the nosy OAP on the ground floor who keeps sending notes through my letter box about the bins (nothing to do with me)

so they said it was health and safety that meant that they took away a plant pot outside my front door which i was waiting to pot something in, health and safety to lock the cupboards and health and safety to take photos of some rubbish just about to be taken down to the bins. apparently all this was a fire risk

nothing should be left in communal areas in blocks of flats for any amount of time 5 mins or 5 days. imagine if everyone put one or two things in the hallways - the place would be a tip and a hazard. all it takes is one other person to see stuff being left about and then other people start doing the same...

pinkshoes

As the boiler room is the most likely place for a fire to start, then it would have been designed so that should a fire occur, then it can be accessed to be put out, and would take 30 mins to burn through the closed door.

Stuff in a boiler room would accelerate the fire, making it hotter and more fierce, so it would probably burn through the door quickly, and then start buring down the flats.

It's a boiler cupboard. Why can't people store things in their own flats?

TJ27

paulbrannan wrote: »

TJ27, what do you means by 30mins fire protected?

Well, my cupboards already locked up and just the gas board have the key for meter readings etc. There's nothing in the hallway so I'm unsure how I'm contravening H & S, unless the boiler set on fire and burnt all my stuff!?
An nope I'm not storing fertiliser or the like there.

Typically the cupboard should be lined with supalux. A fire resistant board.

The door itself should ideally be a proper fire door but may also be a door lined with supalux. The joints need to be good, well sealed, close fitting, etc. There should also be a decent catch on the door, so that it does not blow open if there is a fire inside. Smoke seals should not be fitted though because a small amount of smoke should be able to escape and set off the alarms if there's a fire inside.

The issue is that it is extremely important to keep the escape route protected from fire and free from obstructions. It's the primary means of escape. Any bikes, rubbish or obstructions in the corridor are a real hazard, especially if you have a fire at night and the lights fail.

If there is a fire in the cupboard, it should set of the alarm but the fire should be contained so as to allow people to escape.

paulbrannan

pinkshoes wrote: »

As the boiler room is the most likely place for a fire to start, then it would have been designed so that should a fire occur, then it can be accessed to be put out, and would take 30 mins to burn through the closed door.

Stuff in a boiler room would accelerate the fire, making it hotter and more fierce, so it would probably burn through the door quickly, and then start buring down the flats.

It's a boiler cupboard. Why can't people store things in their own flats?

Thanks for the info.
I store stuff there, obviously, due to space limitations or I wouldn't need to. Pain in the !!! to go out there to grab something

Greenr, if you had read my post properly, you would have seen that I am talking about in a storage cupboard, not in a hallway.

poppysarah

The door shouldn't burn through in 30 mins - is that where it comes from?

poppysarah

And if you want to argue the toss get the nice man from the fire brigade round. If he says no, then you should listen.

Greenr

we have space limitations in our place but i'd never store stuff in communal areas (this includes hallways and cupboards) - i'd get rid of some stuff or move to a bigger place. our lease document says that we're not allowed to store anything in communal areas and LUCKILY everyone seems to abide by this....