Neighbour blocking fire exit

[Guest Petra M]

Hello. I hope someone may be able to help me.

I recently moved my business into a unit on the local industrial estate. The building next door is a warehouse and vehicles are coming and going all day. They are frequently parked up close to my fire exit, which opens outwards and is therefore regularly blocked. The chap who runs the warehouse seems to think I am fussing too much and hasn't done anything about it, although I've mentioned it a couple of times. Does anyone know what I can do - I don't want to fall out with my neighbour but I am worried.

[Tom Sutton]

On the outside of the fire exit door fix a a mandatory sign indicating " NO PARKING FIRE EXIT KEEP CLEAR" or similar working and on the floor create a crossed hatched area. If it this doesn't work contact the local Fire and Rescue Service and report your concerns.

[Guest EdArmstr]

Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I own a restaurant and i want to install a fire exit to the rear of the building that would if used people escaping mean them crossing land owned by another individual to reach safety. Can this other individual legally stop me?

[Tom Sutton]

This is not a fire safety matter and you should be consulting a solicitor, but for what is worth, I am afraid, if it is his/her land and if you require a right of passage then you need their approval. Before the enforcing authority would accept your new fire exit they would require a formal document giving you right of passage across you neighbors land.

[Guest Vanessa]

My neighbour persistently parks his van across my residential fire escape. I live in an old cottage with a courtyard and so have no back gate. Apart from my front door, my side gate is the only other way I can escape if there is a fire. It is clearly marked as a fire escape.

the van also prevents me from getting furniture in or out of my house when needed.

This neighbour has provoked and caused me a lot of stress over the years. He parks his van there and doesn’t use it for sometimes up to a year. It’s parked there just to cause a nuisance. He’s done it again today!

I have attached some photos and would appreciate people’s thoughts on this.

Many thanks.

[Tom Sutton]

This is a legal matter not a fire safety matter, get solicitors advice.

[Guest Wastes blocking fire exit]

A group of businesses sharing an unadopted alley have a significant problem with uncontrolled waste blocking the route through it.

So much so that should there be a fire in one of the premises or indeed in the waste itself, the escape route could prove to be a death trap. 

Are there particular regulations that can be brought to bear here? 

Please note that the local authority say they have no powers to act here as the alley is unadopted.

[Guest Karen]

We rent a property that has a closed in garden. Our only escape should there be a fire is through a small gate between us and next door so we would have to walk through the back of their property.  They have completely blocked our escape route and there is no way we would get out. I have asked several times for them to clear it but they won't.  Can I ask my local fire department to send a fire inspector to have a look? Thank you

[AnthonyB]

As the properties involved are both single private dwellings the fire service have no jurisdiction as the relevant fire safety legislation does not apply. I assume you have a normal front entrance? Most houses only need a single final exit door so the rear route may not be a formal escape under Building Regulations.

Do you have a covenant, deed or other formal written legal right of access over the adjoining houses' land? 

This may be a civil matter and you should ask a relevant solicitor.