When there is snow on the doorstep, everything looks beautifully white and children and winter sports enthusiasts look forward to it. When it snows, the winter snow removal service comes to homeowners or tenants and they have to ensure that the sidewalks on your property and the access to the house are cleared and gritted. Below we will provide you with useful information about the obligation to clear and scatter.
Winter service snow clearing – who is responsible for it?
In winter, homeowners must ensure that the sidewalks in front of their property are free of snow and ice so that accidents can be avoided. As you may have experienced firsthand, homeowners are allowed to delegate this sometimes tedious task to their tenants through their rental agreement. However, owners must regularly check whether snow has actually been shoveled regularly.
Get representation
If you live in an apartment building, the winter service and snow clearing is of course distributed fairly among the residents so that no resident is disadvantaged. You are probably wondering how this obligation is to be fulfilled by working people? If you are unable to attend due to fresh snow or ice for any reason, be it because you are going on holiday or because you are ill, you will need to arrange for a replacement.
When do you have to vacate?
Don't worry, even if you are responsible for clearing snow, snow clearing winter service does not apply around the clock. Although the requirements regarding gritting and clearing times vary in the municipal statutes, the obligation applies on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. On weekends and public holidays it is sufficient if the snow is cleared at 8 a.m.
Width of the area to be cleared
The footpaths along the street and to the house entrance must then be cleared of snow over a width of 1.20 to 1.50 meters. For less frequently used paths, such as to parking lots or garbage cans, half a meter is enough. The removed snow mass should be piled up at the edge of the sidewalk or roadside and not thrown directly onto the road. If the snowfall continues all day, you will need to sweep and sprinkle several times.
Snow clearing equipment
Shoveling snow can be really strenuous and lead to unpleasant muscle tension. For this reason, the right choice of tools for winter snow clearing is very important. When buying whisks, snow shovels and snow shovels, pay attention to an ergonomic shape. If the snow is still light and loose, it can be easily swept with a broom.
When the shovel isn't enough
If it is already heavily layered, wet and heavy, you have to use the large snow shovel. If you want to clear larger areas, the snow tray is the better alternative for you. Depending on the size of the area and the amount of snow, the snow can also be cleaned with a snow sweeper or an electric snow blower.
Spreading for safe paths
In most communities, spreading salt is prohibited because it pollutes the surrounding area. The salt ions contained in road salt have a negative effect on the plants' water balance and displace important nutrients. Dogs also suffer from salt contact and it is not uncommon for painful inflammation on their paws to occur.
Alternatives Streugut
In cases where shoveling snow is not enough, you should work on the areas using other means. To ensure that the paths can be walked on even when it is snowy, you can sprinkle them with sand or grit. Another option is so-called chipping, which consists of granules and gravel or chippings. In some cities there are even grit containers on the street that all citizens can use.
Be careful with ice
In principle, you don't have to spread preventatively, but only when there is a risk of black ice, which is why you always have to expect gaps in the spread and be careful. Icy paths and stairs often occur despite clearance when frost and thaw weather changes. In such cases, road salt can still be used on stairs and in freezing rain.
Slippery stairs
Laborious ice chopping with an ice pick or spade remains the most effective precaution. You can also make slippery stairs non-slip with a woven doormat made of natural material, such as coconut barrels. You can also spread fir branches on the stairs, but you have to make sure that the branches lie as flat as possible. If they are designed with lots of branches, you can easily trip over them.
Gritting material must not be left lying around
To prevent the risk of slipping, not every material should be used. Wood shavings, for example, should not be used as grit. Anyone who uses wood shavings must be held responsible in the event of an accident and, in some cases, assume full liability. The grit must not be left lying around after the winter, otherwise there is a risk of slipping for cyclists and, often, pedestrians.
Costs for winter service, snow clearing and gritting
The question of whether the landlord or the tenant generally has to bear the costs for the spreading material and the work equipment is very controversial. The question of costs should therefore best be stipulated in the rental agreement. If there is no such regulation, the landlord is responsible for covering the costs. Furthermore, the costs can be deducted from taxes. If you have paid for winter maintenance, your taxable income will decrease.
Liability in the event of accidents
Unfortunately, even if the regulations for clearing snow are followed, accidents sometimes occur. If a pedestrian slips on the sidewalk and breaks his arm, he can claim compensation. The injured person must prove that he fell on the particular sidewalk and that it was not gritted. In order to prove their damage, the person affected also needs a medical certificate.
Take out insurance
It is therefore advisable for tenants to take out liability insurance that covers claims for damages and covers the costs of any litigation that may arise. Owners can take out homeowners' liability insurance because sometimes you can be held responsible quicker than you think.
