# Neighbors blocking common corridors by keeping personal stuff like stroller, bicycle



## lisa2022 (2 mo ago)

Hi All, Guten Morgen !
I needed your valuable advice on this matter.
We live in a building in Berlin where several apartments on each floor are accessible through a common corridor.
Initially one neighbor started keeping his personal stuff like stroller in common corridor but it didn't affect anyone as it was only their home at that end of corridor.
Now our neighbor has also started keeping his bicycle and stroller outside his door and it obstructs part of corridor to my home.
Usually it's fine but whenever my any deliveries come, the delivery people find the space congested to deliver my stuff due to obstruction by our neighbor.
The neighbor is already aware about the inconvenience it causes to us so he initially changed the place but after some days, he is again keeping stroller outside his door and causing the obstruction.
What are options in this case ? I want to avoid confrontation but on other hand it is really causing issues when deliveries come to my home.

Thanks in advance.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Might your neighbor be encouraged to better store the items inside his own area if some might 'disappear'. I would not recommend outright stealing, but maybe 'relocating' to the garbage pile, some other area (not your place) or something of that order. Of course for that to happen would require a somewhat clandestine operation and kept in complete secrecy never to be mentioned again.

Fred


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Does your building have a Verwaltung? If I have the term right, that's a committee of owners who handle the administration of the building and set the rules for the units, whether owner occupied or rented out. You should be able to contact one of the Verwaltung members about the issue and see what they can do about it.


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## lisa2022 (2 mo ago)

fmartin_gila said:


> Might your neighbor be encouraged to better store the items inside his own area if some might 'disappear'. I would not recommend outright stealing, but maybe 'relocating' to the garbage pile, some other area (not your place) or something of that order. Of course for that to happen would require a somewhat clandestine operation and kept in complete secrecy never to be mentioned again.
> 
> Fred


Hi Thanks for reply,
Yes, looks like it could be also a possibility that could occur and neighbors might that be careful about obstructions to other neighbors.


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## lisa2022 (2 mo ago)

Hi, 
Thanks for reply.
Yes our building does have Verwaltung i.e. property management. But i never talked with them, I just know in our building entrance their address and a number is given. Their address is in Hannover though my apartment is in Berlin.
Any idea if sending a letter is fine ? 
I am not sure about terms but i can check in my contract but in general i though keeping stuff in lobby is not permitted due to fire escape obstruction.


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## *Sunshine* (Mar 13, 2016)

lisa2022 said:


> in general i though keeping stuff in lobby is not permitted due to fire escape obstruction.


Do you have a _Hausordnung_? The rules on fire escape routes should be there.


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

lisa2022 said:


> Hi,
> Thanks for reply.
> Yes our building does have Verwaltung i.e. property management. But i never talked with them, I just know in our building entrance their address and a number is given. Their address is in Hannover though my apartment is in Berlin.
> Any idea if sending a letter is fine ?
> I am not sure about terms but i can check in my contract but in general i though keeping stuff in lobby is not permitted due to fire escape obstruction.


Who in your building deals with the Verwaltung? Often there is an elected group that manages the property management group - and handles matters related to the Hausordnung (that Sunshine mentioned) and is responsible for contact with the Property Management firm when necessary. It's the local owners' group you should probably contact first.


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## Harry Moles (11 mo ago)

Since it's Berlin - don't try anything if you don't have a Mietvertrag and an Anmeldung.


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## lisa2022 (2 mo ago)

I checked house rules in contract and apart of below found nothing relevant to fire escape routes



> Das Aufstellen von Gegenständen, insbesondere von Fahrrädern, Kinderwagen usw. auf den
> Vorplätzen, Gängen, Treppen und Trockenböden ist ohne ausdrückliche Einwilligung des
> Vermieters nicht erlaubt. Krafträder, Motorroller, Fahrräder mit Hilfsmotor (Mopeds) und ähnliche
> Fahrzeuge dürfen nur mit Einverständnis des Vermieters in den von diesem bestimmten und den
> polizeilichen Vorschriften entsprechenden Räumen, soweit vorhanden, untergebracht werden.


Translation


> The placing of objects, in particular bicycles, baby carriages, etc., on the
> on the forecourts, corridors, staircases and drying floors without the express consent of the
> Landlord is not allowed. Motorcycles, motor scooters, bicycles with auxiliary motor (mopeds) and similar
> vehicles may only be parked with the consent of the Lessor in the rooms designated by the Lessor and in accordance with
> and in accordance with the police regulations, if available.


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## Harry Moles (11 mo ago)

The Hausordnung very clearly states that tenants cannot park anything anywhere (forecourts, hallways, stairways and attics) without express permission of the landlord, so it doesn't need to say anything specific about fire escapes. 

Politely remind your neighbours that leaving anything outside the apartment is forbidden, that you don't particularly care as long as it's not blocking your deliveries or causing an inconvenience, but if it continues you'll be forced to complain to the Hausverwaltung.

How best you communicate this to your neighbour is of course the tricky part.

Perhaps send them this link?


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## badImage (Jun 11, 2013)

It depends mainly on the layout. There are several court rulings up to the BGH (Federal Court of Justice) that an outright ban of strollers, in opposion to for example bikes, is not legal and cannot be enforced even if a Hausordnung says so. Regarding the fire prevention, courts have argued that the hazard needs to be objectively be written up by the competent authorities (cf. LG Berlin, 15.09.2009, Az.: 63 S 487/08). The strollers hare not to be chained or fixated, though, so in case of an emergency they can be moved easily.

Best bet would be indeed to talk to the landlord, but seeing as the courts (finally!) are more siding towards children rights (children noise is no longuer legally noise and has to be endured, for example), it would surely be better to try to find a solution with the neighbour or with help from the landlord.


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