Neighbours left this note at the bottom of our stair >>

*Kat*

We live on the 5th floor in our flat. My OH has kept his bike at the bottom underneath the stair. It has been there for 2 years without any problems. OH uses the bike but about 6mths ago a part of it broke and he has to order a new part to get it fixed.

This area under the stair is not blocking anyone's way, it doesn't block any fire exits, it doesn't stop anyone from holding the rail or anything. It is literally underneath the staircase out of everyone's way.

Previously, the neighbour who wrote this letter had also kept their old furniture and paintings under there which they recently cleared.

Our neighbours across from us keep plants on our landing, they are elderly and our landlord has told us that they have done this since he lived there (early 80s). In other words there's no place for the bike to go on our landing. Unless we put it on the railing but this sounds dangerous to me.

My question is...does that piece of stair belong to Flat #1? Or not? I noticed this morning that there are bits of MDF outside their flat and under the stair, so I'm assuming they left that note purely to use that space for themselves.

Guest101

It depends what the management company have to say about understair storage. nothing to do with flat 1.

Simply go and tell them it is your bike.

The letter doesnt seem threatening at all. Probably concerned it was left, as you say not moved in 6 months...

ILW

Why not keep the bike in your flat?
Unless your tenancy agreement specifies that common areas can be used for storage.

hellokitty08

It sounds to me like they are trying to establish if the bike has an owner in the building. If I were you (and its your bike) I would go and have a chat with the person who left the note (presumably flat 1) and explain.

I would leave a note like that to find the owner, if I didnt want anyone using the space and I thought / new it was mine then I would have just removed it.

loubel

Have you checked your lease? Most prohibit storing anything in stairways and landings. Is there nowhere outside the flats you can store your bike?

googler

The legal position may differ between E&W and Scotland.

E&W flats have leases, ground rents and management companies.

Scots flats have communal ownership of common areas, and factors.

May help to know where you are...

beecher2

Just go and have a wee word with them - they sound reasonable enough. I know that the area under my stair is a communal cupboard, but that doesn't help you much.

Are you in England or Scotland? Thought only us Scots referred to it as a stair? Do you have a factor?

*Kat*

Scotland!!

jbainbridge

Seems like a reasonable request. They are trying to establish ownership of the bike. In any case it is likely that you are not allowed to store items in the common areas of the building.

Sounds like your OH has given up on it anyway. The way they have worded it suggests that if the bike was being actively used there would be less of a problem.

googler

Which bike supplier takes 6 months to order a part, anyway? Or has the owner still to order it?

*Kat*

ILW wrote: »

Why not keep the bike in your flat?
Unless your tenancy agreement specifies that common areas can be used for storage.

There's not enough space in the flat, it's pretty common in communal stairs here (at least with all my other flats) that the bottom area is for everyone's use.