Storage rooms: damp, locks and the eternal "whose is this one?"

Nobody thinks about the storage rooms until there is a break-in, a leak or a house move with a surprise.

Who owns each storage room?

Three possibilities, according to the deed of horizontal division:

• An independent unit (with its own share): fully owned by its owner.
• An annex to a flat: inseparably tied to it.
• A common element assigned for exclusive use: the community owns it; the neighbour has the use.

Knowing which matters: it determines who pays for what and what can be sold. When in doubt, go to the deeds and the horizontal division.

Maintenance and damp

The structure and the common installations running through the storage rooms (downpipes, stopcocks) belong to the community; the interior and its door belong to the holder (except for common elements, where the door is usually the community's). Damp follows the general rule: whoever the cause sits with, pays.

Security

Theft from storage rooms is the classic. High-return measures: a security lock on the main door to the area, a light with a motion sensor and — if the meeting wants it — a camera in the common corridor (three fifths and data protection rules). Important note: check whether the community policy or the home policy covers the contents — almost always with low limits.

The tidying-up tip

A simple plan showing the number and ownership of each storage room, filed with the community's papers, saves the recurring argument every time a flat is sold.