Keeping communal areas clear

We want to keep everyone safe who live in blocks with communal areas. This means that shared areas like hallways, landings and stairs must be kept clear at all times.

Items in these areas can:

  • Block escape routes in an emergency.

  • Get in the way of fire crews or other emergency services.

  • Become a fire risk.

 

What this means for residents

  • You cannot store personal items in communal areas.

    An image of a person falling over a plant pot

  • This includes things like doormats, flowerpots, benches or shoe racks.

 

What happens if items are left in communal areas

  • We will try to find the owner and ask them to remove the items.

  • If we cannot identify the owner, we will place a legal notice (called a Tort Notice) on the items before removing them.

 

What is a Tort Notice?

A Tort Notice is a legal document which we attach to any items that are left in communal areas. It gives you notice that we are going to remove the items once the notice has expired, which is usually after a period of seven days. A notice would be sent to the whole block if we don’t know who left the item in the communal area. The Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 allows landlords to dispose of goods, if reasonable efforts to trace the owner fail.

What happens if you receive a Tort Notice

  • If we identify items that have been left in communal areas we will attach a Tort Notice to them, which gives a date by when they must be removed.
  • You can either store the items within your own home or dispose of them as soon as possible.
  • If the items are not removed by the date shown, Westward will arrange for the disposal of them in line with our policy, and you may be charged for the removal.

Please work with us to keep your communal areas clean and safe for everyone. Whilst we understand that removing any items can be irritating and inconvenient, we are doing it to protect lives and to keep you and the fire service safe.

If you have any questions, please get in in touch.

Examples of Tort notices

Here are a few examples of Tort notices you might see Westward use. Click on each notice type to view more information.

Back to the list

Tort notice example 1

Tort notice example 1

The image shows a “Removal of item notice” from Westward Housing.

  • The notice says that certain items left in communal areas are a fire hazard and are blocking fire escape routes.

  • It explains that leaving items in these areas also goes against the Westward Housing tenancy agreement.

  • The notice tells the owner that their items will be removed within a set number of days (the number of days can be written in the blank space).

  • If the items are not collected by the given date, they will be disposed of under the law (Section 12 (3) of the Torts (Interference of Goods) Act 1977).

  • At the bottom, there are spaces for staff to write their name, role, date, and signature.

  • Contact details for Westward Housing are also included:

    • Address: Templar House, Collett Way, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4PH

    • Phone number: 0300 100 1010

Examples of communal space dos and don'ts

Examples of communal space dos and don'ts. Clear hallway is good. Mobility scooter in hallway is bad. Examples of communal space dos and don'ts. Clear hallway is good. Cluttered hallway is bad. Examples of communal space dos and don'ts. Clear hallway is good. Household items in hallway is bad.