You're doing it wrong.

It staggers me that there are places where this sort of stuff is regulated by the Government.

Yeah, so ridiculous that the government tries to keep sometimes-difficult-to-contol open flames away from combustible structures that people live in.

OP: Better to ask forgiveness than permission imo. Also, if 2 neighbors have them, then its a no-brainer.

Don't ask, just grill.

No fire problems in Australia, huh?

Sick burn

There is an old saying that "it is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission".

If they call you out on it you just say 'I'm sorry I didn't realize this would be a problem' and you get rid of the grill.

If you ask and they say 'no' then your stuck because if you put the grill out after they say 'no' then you're deliberately defying the rules.

This holds up in many other aspects of life as well.

still, what kind of fascist government would actually ban fires?

I would ask your neighbors if it's OK with them first. The last thing you want to do is tick off the people that live next to you/close to you. I hope it works out for you.

If the neighbors are old, they will report you. I lived on a first floor condo and kept my grill just outside the property line of the condo. Technically I was probably tresspassing on the non-condo neighbor's property, but their house was about a wooded acre away.

Condos are super strict and if you get a letter and you most likely will, those don't go away. You get a mark on your permanent record.

How true that is.

i just did exactly this at my new place. we had people arriving throughout the day and bringing lots of food so the concierge asked us if we were having a bbq, we said no, she told us good because it's against the building rules etc.

the place is top floor with a big balcony but the building next to us is higher and within minutes of having lit the bbq the concierge was banging down the door while screaming to put it out immediately and ranting some **** about this is how the great fire of London started. bitch must have been camping out in the building next to us to watch us light it and then run right over. in hindsight i should have just said no as i imagine she really has very little practical things she can do. gg brand new bbq.

i wouldn't bother trying. a fair amount of smoke comes off and everyone in the rooms around you will be able to smell the food and then it's pretty easy for one of them to call down.

FWIW, I'm signing a lease at a new apartment tomorrow. On the lease-agreement it says no grills/bbqs allowed, but when I toured the place the manager himself they are fine. For purposes of this thread I might ask him tomorrow about the discrepancy.

If it really is fine, he won't mind putting that in writing in your lease.

Updates?

Did you grill yet?