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Keeping communal areas clear

To keep you and your neighbours safe in the event of a fire or emergency, we have a legal duty to keep communal areas clear of items so you can evacuate the building safely. Gardens should also be kept clear of personal items (such as pets, trampolines and paddling pools) to ensure that that space can be enjoyed by everyone. When items are found in communal areas, we’ll add a TORT notice to the item, which allows us to remove and dispose of the item if it’s still there after the date provided on the notice.
 

A TORT notice is a legal notice that allows us to remove and dispose of items which have been left in the communal area. We must serve this notice in line with the Interference with Goods Act legislation before removing an item.​​​​​​

To ensure your safety in an emergency, all communal areas should be kept clear of personal items. And we carry out regular block inspections and fire risk inspections to ensure that communal areas are clear of any obstructions.

We also don’t allow any items to be stored in external communal areas, such as bike or bin stores or communal gardens, unless the area is designated for such items (such as bikes stored in the bicycle store). This is so everyone living in the block can enjoy the space, and includes trampolines, paddling pools and BBQs in communal gardens.

Any items will be removed after the date on the TORT notice.​​​​​​

All items of a low value will be collected by our Estates team and disposed of. If the item is of a high value, it may be stored for up to 28 days, and if not claimed will be disposed of. There is a small charge to return items that have been removed and stored. Please get in touch if you’d like your item returned.

 

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