Council takes couple's doormat 'because of Grenfell' then charges £20 for return

26 March 2023 , 13:21

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Officials claimed the doormat was a fire risk (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/Image Source)

A local council seized a couple's £7 front doormat - then told them they must pay £20 to get it back.

Inspectors told them they were confiscating it 'because of Grenfell' and they would have to cough up if they wanted it back.

They grabbed the mat from the front of their flat in Brighton, Sussex with a note explaining why it was suddenly taken.

The couple then contacted Brighton and Hove City Council to try and get it back.

But they were stunned to be told that if they want to see it again, they'll need to pay three times its value.

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Inspectors grabbed it in the flat in Brighton

They say £20 was justified as covering the “the cost of making enquiries, serving this notice and looking after the property adequately”.

The man, who asked not to be named, told The Argus he was stunned to find his property gone.

“It doesn’t make sense, £20 is more than the cost of the mat itself," he said.

“I wasn’t going to pay to get it back. If we had been told about it we would have put it indoors.

“After the Grenfell flats fire they said fire regulations could be very strict, but we rent privately and we never received a letter before saying it was a problem."

The Council backed down and eventually waived the charge.

The council eventually returned it free of charge (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A statement read: “We have zero tolerance of items left within the communal areas of our purpose-built blocks of flats.

“This is in line with national fire safety regulations.

“One of our staff did knock on the man’s door to give them the opportunity to take the mat in, but unfortunately the tenants were out at work at the time.

“Our staff member was obliged to remove the mat in line with fire safety regulations.

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“One of our housing managers has now spoken to the man, apologised and explained why the mat had been removed.

“We are returning the mat free of charge tomorrow morning.”

Sam Elliott-Gibbs