These photos were taken during a loft inspection for one of our clients today. They show a large build up of personal and combustible items in the loft space above flats in a purpose build block. The resident has taken to using the loft as their own personal storage space. As the loft space extends above other flats on the floor below this is a clear breach of fire safety standards and could have a severe impact on the safety of other residents. Good housekeeping and compartmentation are one of the fundamentals of fire safety in purpose built blocks of flats.
Our recommendation to the client has been to clear the loft of all stored items and that consideration is given to moving the loft hatch out of the flat and into the communal areas in order to better manage this risk.