Hooks in the hallway

barefoot · July 2007

Hi all-

This is my first time posting here but thought someone here would be able to help with a question regarding our apartment.

I live on the top floor of a limestone building- we rent our apartment. My husband (woodworker) has installed just outside our front door two rows of coat hooks on a recessed wall adjacent to the door. They do not jut out into the hallway whatsoever.

Our landlord (well, their daughter who lives in the building and acts as manager) has told us that she spoke with a fire marshal regarding the hooks and that the fire marshal could fine $5000 during an inspection. I have no documentation that these hooks actually pose a fire hazard, considering their placement. With the ambiguity that she has handled this, I get the feeling she is just trying to assert some sense of authority over us but I would like to know for sure if these particular hooks would be considered a fire hazard.

On the same thread, I would like to know how many people here who rent vs. own their place store anything in their hallways adjacent to their apartments. Do fire regulations apply differently to owners of a condo s. renters of a floor-thru?

Thanks for any information you can provide.

pitu · July 2007

I don't think the fire regs have anything to do with ownership, other than who gets the fine (the owner.)

I bet it's not the actual hooks that are the problem, but the bulky coats/carts that are presumably going to hang on them and block the hall. The actual fire regs might be on the nyc.gov site . . .

About public space in buildings
+ the hallway *is* public space and not part of your apt - and even the top floor leads to the roof for the other occupants, usually
+ you don't get to use that space unless you work it out with your neighbors/landlord, and even then you'd most likely be doing it in violation of city regulations. I lived that way in a rental (top floor, coat racks in the hall) but the landlord was cool with it . . .

barefoot · July 2007

Thanks for the response, pitu. I spent a good deal of time on the phone between various departments within FDNY this morning and received a passable explanation. In fact, even without the coats on them (as they exist currently) I was told that in a smoky environment a firefighter could walk into them. Eh.

As I said, the hooks will come down but I am not thrilled about it.

bunnycup · July 2007

For any reason she chooses, whether there are specific regulations violated or simply because she is having a bad day and has chosen you to bother, your landlord can require and you must submit to remove any personal items you've placed or installed in the hallway. This is, as Pitu says, because the landlord owns the "common" spaces and you have no right to them. If the owner (or the owner's agent/manager/designated representative/etc.) has asked you to remove the hooks, you must do so. I'm sure the coathooks are beautiful, and that the nice craftsmanship really is a value-add to the building in the long run, but the landlord is well within her rights to make any demand (however foolish, unnecessary, unjustified or ridiculous) that you remove personal items from common spaces. And just think, it is truly POSSIBLE that the fire code prohibits blocking the stairs or impeding roof access, and even if you can't forsee it now there may be a legitimate safety issue involved.

Hooks in the hallway

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