Escape routes and emergency exits in a condominium

Escape routes are the paths that allow people to leave the building safely in the event of a fire or other emergency: stairs, landings, entrance halls, corridors and exits to the outside. In a condominium these areas are common parts and must always remain clear, lit and passable. Cluttering them with objects, closing them improperly or neglecting their maintenance endangers lives and creates civil and criminal liability. The manager has a duty to supervise and to have obstacles removed.

What the rules say

The reference is the Fire Prevention Code (Ministerial Decree of 3 August 2015) and, for buildings subject to it, the procedures of Presidential Decree 151/2011. The rules govern the width of escape paths, their maximum length, the number and features of exits, fire doors and signage. Taller or more complex residential buildings may be subject to specific requirements. In any case, the general principle is that escape routes must be permanently available and free of obstacles.

Banned obstructions

Escape routes are not a storage room. In the common areas it is not allowed to permanently leave objects that reduce the usable width or feed a possible fire.

• Bicycles, prams, shoe racks and furniture on landings and in entrance halls.
• Cardboard, waste materials and combustible objects under the stair flights.
• Cylinders, containers of flammable liquids and improper storage.
• Thick doormats, planters and furnishings that narrow the passage toward the exit.
• Fire doors blocked open with wedges or permanently held ajar.

Individual use and common parts

An owner may use the common parts under Article 1102 of the Italian Civil Code, but without altering their purpose or preventing equal use by the others. Permanently leaving objects on the shared landing exceeds the right of use and, when it compromises escape, becomes a breach of safety rules. Article 1122 also bans works by the individual owner that harm the common parts or impair the safety of the building.

What the manager can do

Under Article 1130, the manager oversees compliance with the by-laws and the preservation of the common parts. They may issue a written warning to the owner who clutters escape routes, recall the by-law provisions and, if the danger persists, adopt the urgent measures of Article 1135 and act for removal. It is good practice to document every dangerous situation and its resolution with photographs and written communications.

Maintenance and checks

Escape routes must be kept efficient over time: working emergency lighting, exit panic bars in order, fire doors with intact automatic closing, legible signage. It is advisable to schedule periodic checks and retain the records, which prove the diligence of the administration in the event of disputes.

Scheduling checks in an orderly way

Keeping track of warnings, inspections and maintenance deadlines is easier with dedicated software. AmministraPro lets the manager file communications to owners, plan checks on escape routes and retain records in a traceable way. The features are illustrated on the /funzioni page and the plans with their costs on the /prezzi page.