Communal Spaces

Statement on keeping communal spaces in good order

Many Vine houses include communal spaces, including hallways and staircases leading to individual flats, as well as gardens and front porches.

It is the Co-op’s responsibility to decorate the interior communal spaces and to maintain facilities such as staircase lighting, porch lights and garden fences.

It is the joint responsibility of all the tenants in each house to keep their interior and exterior communal spaces in good order. This also applies to communal areas in shared houses.

This includes:

• Ensuring that the interior spaces are regularly cleaned
• Ensuring that the communal exits are kept clear –bicycles and other possessions are properly stored.
• Ensuring that there are no safety hazards in the communal spaces
• It is in the spirit of the Co-op that all tenants in a house co-operate in maintaining the communal spaces.

Our tenancy agreements state:

5.9 Decoration: The Tenant will keep the Premises, including the doors, windows, walls, floors and the Co-operative’s fixtures and fittings in a good, clean and tenantable condition……The Tenant shall further ensure that any gardens at the Premises are kept in a neat and tidy condition.

5.10 Common Facilities: The Tenant shall use the Common Facilities properly and responsibly. The Tenant shall not obstruct passages and landings and staircases leading to the Premises and leading to the means of escape from fire.

5.11 Damage: The Tenant shall make good or pay to the Co-operative the cost of remedying any damage done to the premises or the Common Facilities or the Property through the fault of the Tenant, anybody living with the Tenant, or an invited guest.