Can you have a barbecue on a terrace or balcony? This is what the law says

The answer is yes. In fact, it is much safer to have a barbecue on the balcony than in the field. The law, which prohibits doing them on forest land between June 1 and mid-September, does not specify any prohibition to do them on the terrace, balcony, or roof of your home. So if you want to cheer yourself up, remember the 10 types of meat that the perfect barbecue must have and the 10 keys to preparing it. But first, read the fine print of what the law says.

Despite the fact that the Spanish, as a general rule, are more of beach bars, and terraces as soon as the sun shines, barbecues also have their followers. Turning on the fire, starting to roast Creole chops and chorizos, and eating them with your family or friends is an absolutely perfect plan (these are, by the way, the 10 types of meat that the perfect barbecue must have ). But many are those who wonder if barbecues can be done inside their own homes without risk of sanctions or if it is better to save themselves trouble.

Are barbecues prohibited in houses?

there is no law at the national level that prohibits barbecues on private property, so in principle, it is legal as long as the barbecue is lit in a private area such as one’s own balcony, garden, or terrace instead of a shared one in the community.

However, it is necessary to have the current norm in each locality or community. According to article 7.2 of the Horizontal Property Law, “the owner and the occupant of the apartment or premises are not allowed to carry out activities prohibited in the statutes, that are harmful to the property or that contravene the provisions information about annoying, unhealthy, harmful, dangerous or illegal activities”. This entitles the neighbors to complain about the inconvenience of coexistence related to noise, odors and any possible risk of fire in their building or surroundings. 

So, out of common sense, if you live in an apartment block where the balconies are very small or close together, your neighbors might reasonably complain if the smell and kamado smoker from your barbecue were to enter their living space through a window. open. There is indeed some precedent of judges having fined, after some complaints from neighbors, so there is clear precedent that the law is not on your side if you choose to have a barbecue in an apartment where others may be affected by your decision.

And, although there is no express prohibition in the statutes of the community of owners on the use of barbecues, the neighbors, through the president of the community, can ask you not to do them and, if you insist on doing them, they usually end up expressly prohibiting it in the statutes.

What barbecues can be used in terraced houses?

In the event that the community allows it, you always have to find the best place to put it. At this point, built-in barbecues are not authorized because roof terraces, balconies, and terraces are considered part of the building’s façade, so permission from the City Council would be required to install a fixed barbecue.

It is also convenient to follow some basic measures to avoid and prevent fires: ignite coal or firewood properly, without using fuel or other elements to accelerate the combustion process that may contribute to its uncontrollability. Do not lose sight of the fire at any time and keep it under control. Once it has been cooked, it is convenient to extend the embers towards the bottom so that they do not fall out. Check that the embers have cooled and turned off and do not do them on very hot or windy days.

When choosing the most suitable barbecue to avoid smoke, you can opt for an electric barbecue. It works by cable, so you also have to make sure you have a plug nearby or a good extension cord. There are different sizes and some of them are portable and removable. There are iron-type ones, which reduce the amount of smoke they emit when cooking, which is why they are the most recommended on terraces. One of the most demanded is the Weber Pulse 2000.It costs 999 euros and is the most powerful of the American brand. It has two vitrified cast iron grills with differentiated resistances, which allows cooking on the same barbecue at two different temperatures and has integrated iGrill technology, which allows the use of up to four temperature probes -although only two are included-, which are synchronized with the Weber application that we installed on our mobile phone.

Another option is the hanging barbecue, like the Moddeny Grill, for 78.50 euros. It is a charcoal stove barbecue to be placed on a wall or on the railing of a balcony. It is very light and practical. It is used for roasting, cooking, and smoking fish, meat, vegetables or poultry. They have an easy-to-remove rack, and the grill is designed with ventilation holes, which can easily control the airflow so that the heat is evenly distributed. They also generate little smoke.

As for charcoal barbecues , they usually have a ventilation system that allows, on the one hand, to control the combustion of charcoal, generating the necessary heat for cooking and, on the other, to prevent grease or liquids that may drain from the grill come into contact with charcoal or embers, so there is not much smoke generated. An example is the LotusGrill, which costs 219 euros, and comes with a ventilation system that allows you to control the combustion of coal, causing it to burn much more slowly and generating only the necessary heat for the food to cook, but hardly generating any heat. smoke. It is ready in a few minutes and comes with a carrying bag and batteries.

Another option is the Gifort charcoal grill, for 29 euros, foldable and easy to transport and store. It is made of cold rolled iron and stainless steel. It has a drawer type gill net with 12 vents opening design make it burn more strongly with oxygen and it is suitable for 3-5 people.