Bicycle storage in a condominium: common room and rules

Setting aside a common room for storing bicycles is an increasingly frequent request, driven by the spread of bikes and micromobility vehicles. In a condominium it is possible provided the intended use is compatible with the nature of the room and with the rights of the other owners. If the room is already common and unused, the meeting can regulate its use as bicycle storage with an ordinary management decision; if instead the aim is to permanently change the intended use of a space, greater majorities and precautions are required.

Use of common property for bicycles

The legal basis is Article 1102 of the Italian Civil Code, which allows each owner to use the common property provided they do not alter its intended purpose and do not prevent the others from making equal use of it. Placing bicycles in an entrance hall or a spacious common room, if it does not obstruct passage and does not impair safety, falls within lawful use. When, however, spaces are limited and requests exceed capacity, a meeting decision is needed to organize use fairly, for example with assigned or rotating spaces.

The meeting can approve usage rules for the storage with the majority of those present representing at least half the value of the building, under Article 1136, second paragraph. If instead assigning the room to bicycle storage amounts to an innovation, that is, a functional change of the common asset, the qualified majority required by Article 1120 of the Italian Civil Code for innovations is needed.

What to provide in the usage rules

Well-drafted usage rules prevent conflicts and liability. It is advisable to govern:

• the number of available spaces and the assignment criterion, fixed or rotating
• the prohibition on storing vehicles other than bicycles or obstructing escape routes
• the rules for electric bicycles and battery charging, for safety reasons
• cleaning of the room and responsibility for order
• access arrangements, with possible handover of keys or codes
• the consequences of abandoning unused vehicles

The issue of charging electric bicycle batteries deserves special attention, because lithium batteries can present fire risks. It is prudent for the rules to prohibit unsupervised charging in common rooms or to make it subject to precise precautions, so as not to compromise the building's safety.

Safety and escape routes

Bicycle storage must never compromise safety. Bicycles cannot obstruct entrance halls, stairs and escape routes, which must remain clear for evacuation in an emergency. If the room set aside for storage has specific safety requirements, for example regarding fire prevention, the administrator must verify compliance. Placing bikes in common transit spaces, if it obstructs passage, may lawfully be prohibited to protect everyone.

It is good practice for the administrator, before voting the use, to verify the room's compliance and, if necessary, obtain a technician's opinion. Improper or dangerous use may expose the condominium to liability in the event of an accident.

Liability for theft and damage

A recurring theme is who is liable for the theft or damage of bicycles kept in the common room. Absent a deposit or custody contract, the condominium does not as a rule assume an obligation to supervise individuals' goods, which remain in the owners' availability and at their risk. The condominium is instead liable for damage stemming from maintenance defects in the common parts, for example if a defective door or a faulty system causes damage, under the rules on liability for things in custody.

To increase safety, the meeting can decide to install locks, video surveillance or racks, complying with personal-data protection rules when cameras are involved. The costs of these works follow the ordinary splitting criteria among those who benefit.

Managing assignments and communications

Managing the storage involves keeping track of assignments, communicating the rules to owners and updating the lists in the event of handovers. Digital tools allow the rules to be notified quickly, requests for a space to be managed and resolutions to be kept in a consultable archive, reducing misunderstandings and disputes.

AmministraPro makes it easier to communicate with owners and manage common documents, from the usage rules to the list of assignments. You can discover the available features on the /funzioni page and evaluate the plan suited to your condominium on the /prezzi page.