Reply to: What Sort Of Flat Would You Go For?

[redgiant]

The main problem I have with other flats above is their water leaks. The damage takes time to sort out. I agree that not having control of repairs is a big drawback to any flat.

If you want to have control try to find a place that has a share of freehold. At least then all the flat owners have a say on what is spent and where.

[IR35 Avoider]

The main problem I have with other flats above is their water leaks. The damage takes time to sort out. I agree that not having control of repairs is a big drawback to any flat.

Water leaks aside, I have no regrets about being on the ground floor. Having a garden is great, and an integral garage isn't bad either.

[redgiant]

The current london giant's den is a ground floor flat. It's a maisonette as it does have it's own door off the street and a courtyard.

Not much noise except some muffled footsteps from the flat above and the drone of a tumble dryer.

Best the bar chest and coffers would allow for a place in Zone 2.

[IR35 Avoider]

Flat? Isn't this a contractors forum?

I received an estate agents flyer yesterday with 12 local flats shown, they ranged in price from £1,250,000 to £2,500,000.

[IR35 Avoider]

Two floors makes it a maisonette

I have a flat with two floors (ground and first) with small garden and garage. I think two floors isn't that unusual, I've seen it in new and old developments, and in expensive developments as well as in social housing. (For an old example, I think some Barbican flats have two floors.)

I looked up "maisonette" many years ago, and I think the definition is that you must have your own entrance from outside the building. My flat qualifies because of the glass sliding door leading into the garden, even though that isn't the front door, but there are lots of other flats in my development that don't, for example one split between 4th and 5th floors.

[Fishface]

Nothing wrong with first/ground floor flats - as long as the damp proof course is good - who wants to schlep shopping up a stairway? and you get the garden.

Nothing wrong with a flat on 2 levels, a 'duplex' (I understood a maisonette did not have a shared door to the street) - I believe Trelick Tower has flats on 2 levels.

Nothing wrong with flat roofs - correctly done, maintained and resealed every 12 years - no problems.

The management company and landlord need to be thoroughly researched - as many have pointed out here, they have the ability to f**k everything - for me this is the most underated aspect of buying a flat type property. Ask the neighbours what the management company is like - this will speak volumes. The take a look at the building's accounts and projected works.

[Freamon]

Trust me, not every flat roof can be converted to a sloping one, at least not without ruining the architectural lines of the rest of the house (i.e. making it look crap).

Even so, at least with a house, should the roof develop a leak, the repairs are under your control.

[Sysman]

Trust me, not every flat roof can be converted to a sloping one, at least not without ruining the architectural lines of the rest of the house (i.e. making it look crap).

[Freamon]

Don't get any property with a flat roof.

That includes extensions on normal houses.

You're not thinking like Beeny.

On your own house you can always alter it, add a pitched roof or whatever (which will add value).

In a flat you can't.

[Sysman]

Another obvious tip: Don't get a top floor flat with a flat roof. You will have water coming in and the freeholder/management company will almost certainly do nothing to fix it.

Don't get any property with a flat roof.

That includes extensions on normal houses.

[Freamon]

Another obvious tip: Don't get a top floor flat with a flat roof. You will have water coming in and the freeholder/management company will almost certainly do nothing to fix it.

[Sysman]

Flat? Isn't this a contractors forum?

A flat is a pretty good solution if you are spending a extended amounts of time away from home.

[PAH]

Don't get a top floor one if there's no loft space above, even if it has plenty of windows. It will be a sweatbox in summer due to the heat soak through the roof.


Unless they've used whatever super-duper insulation one of my cousins lined his loft conversion with. It was pretty thin stuff, silver backed like a posh padded tinfoil, but cost ~£100 per square metre. Worked though.

Ground floor is crap as you can't leave the windows open when you pop out, and will have people looking in if it's near a pathway.

Middle floors are crap as you have noise from at least three sides.

So overall flats are crap. Especially when they have you over a barrel with the service charges.

[SueEllen]

Either the top or the ground floor.

The top if the building has two or three floors and you never have problems walking up the stairs. As you don't have any neighbours above you. Even if the building has a lift, lifts break and also they are expensive to maintain. (BTW I would never buy a flat in a building with more than 3 floors.)

The ground floor if you can have a garden, the lease has a condition that people cannot have hard floors and you have problems walking up stairs. Also the front needs to be higher than the pavement outside or have a front garden to stop nosey passers by having a look in.

[Sysman]

I would agree, avoid ground floor flats and preferably have a top floor flat, you avoid noise from above then.

My experience at college was that noise travels upwards, and I chose a first floor room above a void.

But without students to contend with, top floor as long as there's a reliable lift.