Doormats and stair runners in a condominium: rules

Doormats in the hall and runners on condominium stairs are allowed if they do not obstruct passage, do not alter the appearance and do not create trip hazards. A mat placed by an individual owner in front of their door falls within the use of the common thing allowed by Article 1102 of the Italian Civil Code, provided it does not prevent others from equal use. Common doormats and runners installed by the condominium, by contrast, are decided by the meeting and the cost is shared according to the criteria for common parts.

What the individual owner can do

An owner may place a doormat in front of their entrance door, on the common landing, based on the principle of Article 1102 of the Italian Civil Code that lets each participant use the common thing without altering its purpose and without preventing others from equal use. The limit is twofold: it must not obstruct passage or escape routes and must not clash with the appearance of the common area. A modestly sized, loose and removable mat generally remains within lawful use.

When a meeting decision is needed

Installing a continuous runner on all flights, high-value entrance rugs or systems fixed to the floor is a choice that concerns the whole building: it involves a cost and affects appearance, so it must be resolved by the meeting under Article 1135 of the Italian Civil Code. The meeting may also set uniform rules on individual mats, for example maximum sizes or a ban on models that cover the whole width of the landing, as part of the orderly management of common parts.

Safety: trip hazards and escape routes

Rugs and runners that are not properly fixed are a frequent cause of slips and falls on stairs, especially for the elderly and children. The choice of materials and fixing must prioritise safety.

• Prefer non-slip mats or ones firmly fixed to the stairs.
• Avoid raised edges that can cause trips.
• Do not reduce the usable width of passage and escape routes.
• Remove worn mats or ones with lifted corners that become dangerous.

Architectural appearance and uniformity

A proliferation of mats varying in colour, shape and size can spoil the appearance of the entrance and landings, protected by Articles 1120 and 1122 of the Italian Civil Code. If an individual goes too far, the manager or the meeting can recall them to the common rules. A uniform runner decided by the meeting, on the contrary, can improve aesthetics and reduce wear on the steps, benefiting everyone.

How the cost is shared

Runners installed on the stairs follow the criterion of Article 1124 of the Italian Civil Code, that is half by thousandths and half by floor height, because they serve the function of the staircase. Mats and rugs placed in the entrance hall or shared entrance, which serves everyone equally, are shared by general thousandths under Article 1123, first paragraph. Periodic cleaning of common rugs follows the same criterion as the element it relates to.

Maintenance and periodic replacement

Common mats and runners wear out and must be cleaned and replaced regularly. Minor maintenance and low-value replacement fall within the manager's duties under Article 1130; larger works return to the meeting. Scheduling replacement prevents worn mats from becoming a hazard or a sign of neglect at the entrance.

Planning small works with order

Even small decorative works, like mats and runners, deserve tidy estimates, resolutions and splits. With management software such as AmministraPro the manager can record the meeting's decisions, attach estimates and correctly share the cost among owners, keeping a history of the works. The features are shown on the /funzioni page and the plans with costs are on /prezzi.