# NC apartment egress



## maox

Hello everyone!
I live in a small second story apartment built in the late 70s/early 80s that only has one doorway exit that opens into an enclosed porch. From there, I have another door that open to an open stairway to the parking lot. Only 2 windows open to the outdoors. The windows were replaced (six years ago) with smaller opening vinyl windows. One is in the bathroom and only 20 inches wide. The other is 4 feet away from the exit doorway (on the same wall) and opens with the stairs beneath. This window's opening is 32 inches wide x 14 inches high. The only other window in the apartment opens into the same enclosed porch as the door. Is this legal? 

I live in rural North Carolina and the building inspector/fire marshal are of no help with information.


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## cda

Welcome

Sorry the ones that should help don’t 

Especially with simple stuff .

So is this a studio or is there a seperate bedroom??


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## maox

Hi.
There is a separate bedroom that has no window or door to the exterior.


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## cda

Normally if you have a seperate bedroom, it has to have one openable window.

Size may vary depending on the building code in your area.


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## maox

I was told by the fire marshal that the landlord would simply say the bedroom was a storage room and get around the window requirement.


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## cda

I am thinking the front exit/ stair is ok


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## cda

maox said:


> I was told by the fire marshal that the landlord would simply say the bedroom was a storage room and get around the window requirement.




Do you have a written lease??

If so how does it describe the unit??

Studio

One bedroom


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## maox

I do not have a written lease.


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## cda

Maybe contact the state to see if they have any pull 


http://www.ncdoi.com/OSFM/Engineeri...Building_Codes_USER&user=State_Building_Codes


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## cda

maox said:


> I do not have a written lease.




So what is the goal of your question??

It does not sound like the bedroom meets code.


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## maox

Thank you for your information and replies. The fact that a wood stove in the basement below me is now solely tended to by an 87 year old man has me concerned about fire safety all of a sudden. I was curious as to whether or not the apartment needed a second means of exit besides the door. I know the "bedroom" does not meet code in my area, but the aforementioned workaround would be used if I tried to get a remedy to my concerns. Again, thanks for your time.


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## cda

Are there smoke alarms in the living area and so called bedroom??


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## cda

Have you been inside other units in the building??

If so same set up ?? So called bedroom and no window?


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## maox

cda said:


> So what is the goal of your question??
> 
> It does not sound like the bedroom meets code.


My intention is to find another place to live that is a bit safer. But, I didn't want to see the landlord rent to another tenant without improving safety since the wood stove below is being used more regularly by someone that could be careless.


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## maox

There is one smoke alarm in the living area right outside the bedroom door. There is only one other unit and it has no windows in the bedroom either.


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## cda

maox said:


> There is one smoke alarm in the living area right outside the bedroom door. There is only one other unit and it has no windows in the bedroom either.




And these are true apartments??

Not a converted house.

I did not want to say it, 

But possibly this set up met code when they were built 

Or

They were built in an area that did not have any enforceable Building codes at the time


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## cda

The media is always looking for stories, and you can normally do it with giving a name.


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## maox

True apartments built over a garage/workshop. I'm not sure about the codes when they were built. I know they were constructed somewhere between 1977 and 1984. So they could possibly be grandfathered in with no recourse for other potential tenants?


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## cda

There normally is a renter advisory assoc somewhere in the state that can also advise you


https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/top-8-landlord-legal-responsibilities-north-carolina.html


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## maox

Thank you for the resource links. I will do some studying and see what I come up with.


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## cda

Good luck::


https://www.ncga.state.nc.us/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_42/gs_42-42.html

You might get more answers in the next few days


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## cda

maox said:


> True apartments built over a garage/workshop. I'm not sure about the codes when they were built. I know they were constructed somewhere between 1977 and 1984. So they could possibly be grandfathered in with no recourse for other potential tenants?




Normally if they met code when built, they are allowed to exist as is


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## cda

Any other questions


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## tmurray

maox said:


> I was told by the fire marshal that the landlord would simply say the bedroom was a storage room and get around the window requirement.



That might be the most negligent thing I've heard an official say.

Everyone else can call the room whatever they want. If it looks like a bedroom to me, then it is a bedroom and an egress opening must be installed.


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## maox

tmurray said:


> That might be the most negligent thing I've heard an official say.
> 
> Everyone else can call the room whatever they want. If it looks like a bedroom to me, then it is a bedroom and an egress opening must be installed.


The fire marshal told me he tells people that all the time. Basically they don't have a legitimate complaint because the landlord will simply say it is a closet instead of a bedroom. I found this to be a little lazy and concerning myself.


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