{"id":5504,"date":"2026-05-26T11:30:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T11:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parte.be\/blog\/\/6-summer-sins-in-an-apartment-building\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T09:41:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T09:41:10","slug":"6-summer-sins-in-an-apartment-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parte.be\/en\/blog\/terrace\/6-summer-sins-in-an-apartment-building\/","title":{"rendered":"6 summer sins in an apartment building"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Summer in an apartment building: everyone wants to enjoy it, but no one wants to be the neighbor who ruins it for the rest. Yet it happens every year. The parasol that lands on the neighbor's car across the street, the barbecue smoke drifting through an open kitchen window three floors up, the inflatable pool that suddenly becomes a waterfall on the terrace below. <\/p>\n\n

We have listed the six classics. Each with an honest answer: is it allowed, and how do you do it without your Property Manager knowing your number by heart by August? <\/p>\n\n

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Sin 1: The traveling parasol<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cheap parasol, a five-kilogram base, a gust of wind at six Beaufort. You know how the story ends. In the best case, it ends up in the garden below. In the worst case, on a parked car, a window, or worse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to do instead:<\/strong> choose a parasol with a base of at least 25 kilograms, or a model that you actually secure to the balustrade with an approved clamp. Do not drill holes in the facade or balustrade without permission, as that constitutes a change to the common areas. And when you leave: close the parasol and lay it flat. Always. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good to know:<\/strong> damage caused by your own parasol is covered by your personal liability insurance, not the building's insurance. Check your policy before summer begins. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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Sin 2: BBQ smoke that aromatizes the entire block<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your merguez smells fantastic. To you. The neighbor who just hung her freshly washed sheets outside might think otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether a barbecue is allowed on your terrace or balcony depends entirely on your building's co-ownership regulations. Some buildings prohibit it completely, others only allow electric grills, and some allow everything as long as there is no nuisance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We previously wrote a full article on this: BBQ on your balcony or terrace: what is allowed and what is not.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The short version:<\/strong> check the regulations, choose electric or gas instead of charcoal if in doubt, and never place your BBQ against a facade or under a canopy.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Sin 3: The inflatable pool that becomes a waterfall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirty degrees, two children, a fifteen-euro inflatable pool from Action. What could go wrong? A lot, actually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A filled children's pool two meters in diameter can easily weigh more than 500 kilograms. Not every terrace is designed for that, especially older balconies. And if it leaks or tips over, the water flows freely onto the terrace or facade below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also have a separate article about inflatable pools in apartments<\/a> which covers everything in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The essence:<\/strong> a small pool for the children on a large terrace: usually no problem. A three-meter family pool on a narrow balcony: asking for trouble. When in doubt: one email to your Property Manager and you will have clarity within the day. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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Sin 4: The air conditioning you can still hear 5 buildings away at night<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mobile air conditioners with a hose through the window, split systems on the facade, fans on the balcony that hum like a tractor. Summer is the time when differences in noise tolerance between neighbors become painfully clear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you need to know:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n