In 2017, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang moved into an apartment complex on Tran Huu Duc Street, Tu Liem Ward, Ha Noi. On her first day, she was immediately confronted by a "maze" of shoes, an estimated more than 20 pairs from the adjacent apartment, occupying more than half of the common hallway. Not only that, bicycles, shopping carts, and even a treadmill were also "conveniently" pushed into the hallway by the residents, as if it were their personal storage area.

"Many times, my door hit the pile of shoes, knocking them askew. Their entire family would immediately rush out to scold me and threaten, 'Don't blame us if it happens again'," Ms. Hang recounted. The conflict escalated on the evening of 8/1 when, returning home from work, she was stopped and assaulted by the entire neighboring family for "daring to voice an opinion" in the resident group chat. "One person slapped me, another grabbed my hair, punching my head repeatedly," Ms. Hang stated.

The altercation led to her hospitalization and a decision to abandon her own home due to safety concerns. Ms. Hang's story is not unique in densely populated urban areas, where every inch of land is precious.

Giay dep cua gia dinh hang xom lan chiem qua nua hanh lang chung, tai chung cu tren pho Tran Huu Duc, phuong Tu Liem, Ha Noi. Anh chup man hinh

Endless conflicts

Not all disputes escalate to violence like Ms. Hang's story, but the frustration caused by occupied hallways is common in many apartment buildings.

In Long Bien Ward, Mr. Le Hoang, 42, has also been in a "cold war" for two years because of shoes. New neighbors continually "marked their territory" with a shoe rack that expanded towards his door. The most bothersome aspect for him was on humid days, when the "specialty" smell from stale socks wafted directly into his living room.

"Polite reminders were ignored. I had no choice but to throw their shoes down the stairs or into the trash before they would finally move their 'showroom' back inside," Mr. Hoang said.

For Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc, 46, from Me Tri, when she gently suggested that the pile of shoes encroaching on the hallway be moved, her neighbor retorted, "We don't need your advice." This was followed by retaliatory acts involving dull brooms, trash, and noise throughout the night, making Ms. Ngoc's family "live in misery."

Fights and arguments have created disturbances throughout the area, but nothing changes because no management unit steps in to enforce penalties. "For the past two years, I've lived in my own house as if I were a guest. I'm so frustrated that I want to sell and move, but my child is young, and finances are tight, so I just have to grit my teeth and bear it," she sighed.

The "clean my house only" mindset

According to Mr. Nguyen Duy Thanh, a building operation management expert with 11 years of experience, the "clean house, dirty alley" mentality is the main cause of these conflicts in mid-range or low-end apartment buildings. Many residents, especially those in apartments at the end of hallways, automatically consider the common area in front of their door as their "private territory."

"They want their homes to be clean and spacious, so they push dirty, smelly, or bulky items outside. This is a typical petty farming mindset when living in a collective environment," Mr. Thanh commented. The expert warned that this behavior not only detracts from aesthetics but also represents a dangerous trade-off between personal convenience and life safety.

In fire incidents, the hallway is the only escape route. Black smoke and power outages can turn a shoe cabinet or bicycle into a deadly obstacle, hindering escape and even becoming a fuel source for the fire.

Secondly, apartment hallways are often enclosed. Forcing neighbors to endure the smell of shoes is an unpleasant experience, infringing on others' right to live in a clean environment.

Thirdly, it devalues property. "An apartment complex is not valued by the interior furnishings of the units, but by the civility of its common spaces. If hallways are messy, homeowners are actively reducing their property's value," the expert explained.

Chung cu HH1 - HH2 Dong Quoc Binh danh cho nguoi thu nhap thap o Hai Phong. Anh minh hoa: Le Tan

In many countries, hallway regulations are strict. Following the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy in the UK in 2017, a "Zero Tolerance" policy was adopted in many buildings: all items such as doormats and shoes are considered death traps, and management has the right to confiscate and destroy them immediately. In the US, if someone trips over an item left in the hallway and is injured, the homeowner could face a civil lawsuit with compensation reaching hundreds of thousands of USD.

In Viet Nam, the law also has strong penalties. Decree 16/2022/ND-CP stipulates fines of 30 to 40 million VND for individuals who illegally occupy common areas, requiring them to restore the original condition. However, actual enforcement in many places remains lenient, primarily relying on reminders from the Building Management Board.

The firm resolve of the operating unit is a key factor. Mr. Tran Tu, 43, from Ha Dong Ward (Ha Noi), admitted he once considered the hallway his "backyard" until the Management Board confiscated his entire shoe rack without prior notice.

"I had to go to the storage room to write a commitment, pay a fine, to get my belongings back. But the most embarrassing moment was carrying the rack and bag of shoes into the elevator during rush hour, being told by the security guard to move quickly," Mr. Tu recalled. The feeling of public shame was more effective than any threats. His family subsequently restored the hallway to its original state.

However, not everyone is fortunate enough to find a peaceful solution like Mr. Tu's building. After the altercations, Ms. Hang and her daughter are now adapting to a temporary rental home. "I have a home but cannot return to it, simply because of shoes not being in their proper place," the woman said.

Nga Duong