# New Rules from mgt co. Can I object?



## Clarion (3 Aug 2010)

Owner of 2nd floor Apt for almost 5 yrs .
 In the past year a new management company took over and are enforcing new Rules & regulations every few months. The most recent one is no bikes / prams in hallway. I sold my car and my only means of transport is my bike ( Apt is to small to store bike) and I have a 7 mnth old baby.There is no lift, carrying a pram up and down 16 steps every day is not possible and dangerous. I have parked the pram and bike under the main stairway, they are out of sight and not a health & safety risk. 
The Mgt Co. told me the Hallway is not an extension of my Apt and they have to be moved!
I have seen them already getting rid of bikes from other Apts.
Can I fight them on this? 

Thanks for reading,  any reply is greatly appreciated .


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## Threadser (3 Aug 2010)

I think the management company is correct to inforce the regulations and ask you to remove the bike and the pram. I accept that you have stowed away these items under the stairs but if other apartment dwellers decided to also put their bikes/prams out in the corridor then the place would soon become cluttered. Under health and safety legislation you are not allowed to place any obstructions in the shared areas which may impede other people's exit.


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## Pat Bateman (3 Aug 2010)

The rules and regulations sound reasonable to me.


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## Marietta (3 Aug 2010)

I sympathise with you, it is no joke hauling prams upstairs while at the same time trying to manage a small baby. Find out how many people in the apartment block have small babies in prams if they aren't many, write to the managment company citing the awkwardness of your predicament they might relent.


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## Threadser (3 Aug 2010)

Have you considered renting out your apartment and moving to a rented house where you would have more space for storage and a garden for your baby? It doesn't sound as if apartment living is suitable for your present circumstances and I am sure this is causing you considerable stress. I think the management company are unlikely to relent as to do so could endanger the lives of other residents in the case of a fire. The shared areas have to be clear for everyone's safety.


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## shesells (4 Aug 2010)

Bottom line is anything that's not your apartment is common property, owned by the MC and they can bring in any rules they want to.

If your bike fell on a small child..who is responsible? In the common areas it's the MC. If they don't protect their interest they are letting down every owner in the development. You selling your car has nothing to do with it. That's a personal situation.


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## jhegarty (4 Aug 2010)

Are they just enforcing a rule that has been there all along , or are these new rules?


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## Clarion (4 Aug 2010)

Thanks for all the replies guys, They are very helpful. 
jhegarty; the rule has been enforced in the past month only. Threadser; I would move out in the morning but financially wouldnt make sense. 
The items are out of view and not obstructing exits. I have Apt above and below me,( its a block of 3 Apts)  they have no kids.

Looks like i will have to get the hammer & nails out and hang the pram & bike off the ceiling...... _"anyone like to pop round for tea?, mind the wheels"!!!_


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## AlbacoreA (4 Aug 2010)

Only recent lidl sold a winch system to do exactly that. Its quite common in other countries, where theres far more apartment living.  An alternative is a folding bike. Ditto the pram. Usually thay can be folded into a car boot. So perhaps theres some space where it can be folded? Is there no storage area in the basement or similar?

Did you ask your neighbours about it? Maybe they have some ideas you haven't thought of.


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## ontour (4 Aug 2010)

In many developments bicycles are not allowed in to the blocks at all even if they are stored in your apartment.  The logic is that pedals and bicycle wheels tend to do a lot of damage to common areas.  It is reasonable to expect that a secure bicycle rack or storage is available for the bikes although most developments have very limited facilities for cyclists.  At least that would give you a little more space for the pram in the apartment.


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## Complainer (4 Aug 2010)

Many of the celtic tiger apartments were very badly designed with very poor storage space - no room for prams, or bikes or wheelchairs or scooters etc.



Clarion said:


> jhegarty; the rule has been enforced in the past month only.


But is it a new rule, or enforcement of an existing rule?

Remember that you are a shareholder in the management company, so if you don't like what they are doing, you should be talking to the directors, and going the AGM to explore alternatives. It would be a good idea to see if other owners would support your approach. Or maybe you could stand for Director yourself?


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## Clarion (5 Aug 2010)

Hi Complainer, 
thats a really good idea, i think I might do a little bit of research & check out what other owners think. 
This is a new rule and was brought in in May.


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## shesells (5 Aug 2010)

Are you sure it's a new rule and not a clause of your lease that just hasn't been enforced before. It's in our leases that we signed at purchase and having discussed it with our Management Agent it was an insurance requirement.


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## Threadser (5 Aug 2010)

It is a requirement under Health and Safety Legislation that the Shared Areas be left clear, so the Managing Agent should have been enforcing this from the outset. I was at a talk from a Fire Officer recently and he emphasised the importance of this.


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## Complainer (6 Aug 2010)

Threadser said:


> It is a requirement under Health and Safety Legislation that the Shared Areas be left clear,


There is nothing explicit in legislation about shared areas. Escape routes should indeed be clear, but the area under the stairs is not normally an escape route.


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## bigchicken (27 Aug 2010)

Complainer said:


> There is nothing explicit in legislation about shared areas. Escape routes should indeed be clear, but the area under the stairs is not normally an escape route.



The Dublin City Council Fire Officer inspected our apartment block and advised that we were in breach of health and safety regulations by storing bikes/prams in the corridor. They have insisted that they are moved.


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