"What Should I Do About Neighbors Stacking Shoe Racks and Wardrobes in the Villa Parking Lot?"

Conflict Arises Over Personal Belongings Stored in Common Areas of Apartment Complexes
Shoe Racks, Wardrobes, and Personal Items in Villa Parking Lots
Fines May Be Imposed According to Fire Safety Regulations

Conflicts have arisen in multi-family housing complexes due to residents storing personal belongings in common areas, and now a story has emerged about a villa resident experiencing inconvenience because of personal items piled up in the parking lot. On the 22nd, a post by a netizen claiming to live in a villa was widely shared on an online community. The author, Mr. A, attached four related photos in a post titled "Villa Resident Using Parking Lot as Personal Storage."

[Image source=BobaeDream capture]

The photos show various personal items piled up in one parking space, including large furniture like shoe cabinets and wardrobes, as well as thinner containers. It was said that the shoe cabinet was full of shoes, which suggests these were not items simply put out for disposal. Mr. A said, "Many items are placed without disposal stickers in designated trash areas," and added, "Whether in an apartment or a villa, having considerate neighbors is truly a blessing."

Cases of personal use of common spaces in multi-family housing continue to appear. In May, a story circulated about a Chinese neighbor who piled belongings and trash on villa stairs and in the parking lot, sparking outrage among netizens. At that time, the author, Mr. B, said, "There is a foul odor, and passage is blocked, making parking impossible," and lamented, "Some say just move out, but moving is not easy. True welfare is when the government uses its authority to resolve such inconveniences. If there is no law to do so, lawmakers should create one."

[Image source=Bobae Dream capture]

In December last year, a story was posted about someone parking near a resident who parked long-term in an apartment parking lot and witnessing several tires and shopping bags piled up against the wall. The person politely reported the issue to the management office to have the items removed, but after three weeks, the belongings remained, and a note with abusive language was attached. According to photos shared by Mr. C, the note on top of the items read, "You insignificant bastard. What are you doing crawling all the way here watching this? You trash-like bastard."

According to current fire safety laws, violations such as stacking items or placing obstacles around evacuation facilities, fire compartments, and fire protection facilities result in fines of up to 1 million KRW for the first offense, 2 million KRW for the second, and 3 million KRW for the third. However, corridors and stairs in multi-family houses, row houses, and multiplex houses under five floors are not classified as specific fire safety targets, so fines cannot be imposed in these cases.