Why the hallways need to be clear

Why the hallways need to be clear

Thursday, 04 June 2026

We get it. Getting a buggy up to your flat while juggling shopping and children can be a mission.

Hallways and walkways can be a bit bland – plants add a bit of life.

So, why are we asking you to take them away?

Fire safety – that’s the one and only reason.

On the day-to-day, a buggy or plant pot doesn’t look like a risk. But ...

Add smoke, darkness, and confusion - and all these objects become much bigger hazards. Something left in the hallway could be the thing that stops you getting out, or the Fire Service getting to you.

E-bikes and scooters

You may be aware of the ongoing safety concerns about electric bikes and scooters. The figures on fires caused by their batteries are eye-watering. Firefighters are being called to one lithium-ion battery fire every 5 hours, and these batteries are used in these items. 

We're seeing more and more of these bikes being stored in communal areas. They're a huge safety risk because of fires caused by the lithium-ion batteries. They're also at risk of blocking fire crews should they need to access your home quickly. 

We'd also like to stress the importance of buying legitimate and regulated items with these types of batteries. Fake, unregulated, poorly made, or modified e-bikes and e-scooters pose a greater safety risk. In just 2025 alone, they resulted in 520 callouts to firefighters involving e-bikes. 

If you have an e-bike or scooter, please DO NOT store it in the shared areas of our blocks. If left unattended, they will be removed without notice. And please make sure you're charging them safely, regularly checking batteries and storing them as directed. 

 

Yes, we’re planning for the worst-case scenario. But in that scenario:

  • People can’t get past or trip over objects in the hallway.
  • The objects themselves can catch fire, giving off toxic fumes or spreading the fire and blocking an escape route.
  • Some materials (e.g. certain types of glass) can explode at high temperatures.
  • Some items with lithium-ion batteries can cause fires if not stored or charged correctly, or if they're poorly manufactured.
  • The Fire Service are struggling to get past obstacles, slowing them down when every second counts.
  • Objects in open spaces could be targeted by arsonists.

Although you might have spotted notices and tickets from us more recently, it's something we'd been working on for a while.

In recent years we have learned a lot, so we are being even more 'hot' on this and trying to do more to raise awareness.

While we can’t compromise on safety, your home still needs to be somewhere you enjoy living. We are happy to work with you to explore options – sometimes we may be able to find alternatives storage, or instead of the walkways we could make other areas available for planting.

If you want to talk to us about this in more detail, get in touch at enquiries@b3living.org.uk or on 01992 457300.

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Safe in the Knowledge is our home safety campaign. It covers all the things we're doing to make our homes safe - plus all the things you need to know about how you can stay safe in your everyday routine.

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