Prams and Bikes in the Hallway: What the Law Says

Prams, bikes and scooters left in the hallway or on the landing are a classic condominium living issue. The entrance hall, staircase and landings are common areas, listed among the assets in Article 1117 of the Italian Civil Code, and every owner may use them under Article 1102, provided they do not alter their purpose or prevent others' equal use. Permanent, bulky storage that blocks passage or escape routes is not a lawful use and can be contested by the manager and the other owners.

The hallway and stairs belong to everyone

The entrance hall, staircase and landings serve the passage of all owners and their guests. Their primary function is to allow safe, easy access to the units. Permanently occupying these spaces with personal items partly withdraws them from common use, in breach of the principle in Article 1102 of the Italian Civil Code, under which everyone may use the common asset without preventing its equal enjoyment by others.

Not everything is entirely forbidden. Occasional, temporary placement, such as leaving a folded pram for a few minutes while unloading bags, falls within normal tolerance. It is different from habitual storage that turns the landing into a private store.

The absolute limit: safety and escape routes

The most important constraint concerns safety. Hallways, stairs and common corridors are the building's escape routes in an emergency such as a fire. Blocking them with bikes, prams or other objects reduces the usable passage width and can compromise evacuation, with serious liability in the event of an accident. That is why obstructing escape routes is the aspect on which action is sharpest and most urgent.

• Always keep clear the passage width needed for evacuation
• Do not obstruct exit doors, emergency exits and fire extinguishers
• Avoid storage near stairwells that would feed a fire
• Where possible, prefer dedicated spaces such as a bike room or condominium racks

What the rules may provide

The condominium rules may govern the use of common areas and, in particular, forbid storing bikes, prams and other objects in the hallway and on landings, or set aside a dedicated room for that purpose. These provisions are lawful because they regulate the use of shared spaces without affecting ownership of the individual units. If the rules provide a bike room or equipped area, that is the correct place.

Remedies: from report to penalty

The first step, as always, is an amicable talk: often the person leaving the pram has no immediate alternative, and a shared solution, such as identifying a dedicated space, solves the problem. If dialogue is not enough, report it to the manager, whose task is to enforce the rules and to look after the preservation and use of common areas.

Where valid clauses exist, the manager can contest the breach and apply the penalty under Article 70 of the implementing provisions of the Italian Civil Code, up to 200 euros and up to 800 for repeat offences, allocated to the common fund. When the obstruction compromises safety, action must be immediate, including through a written notice.

Finding practical solutions at the meeting

Many conflicts arise from a lack of adequate space. The meeting can resolve to install bike racks, allocate a common room for storage or organise orderly areas, reconciling families' needs with the building's safety. A shared solution is more effective than a series of penalties.

Bringing the issue to the meeting with a clear, documented proposal increases the chances of a shared decision. AmministraPro helps manage agendas, notices, resolutions and communications to owners in a traceable way: you will find the features on the /funzioni page and the plans on the /prezzi page.