Any disadvantage to top floor flats?

lydriver

apart from walking up the stairs...

my thinking is that there's nobody above you so less chance of noise

PasturesNew

Having to walk past the clutter of others' left outside their flats, because they think they've a god given right to clutter up the fire escape/communal area with bikes/pushchairs/prams etc.

anna42hmr

there can be issued with security, as advised here by the met police:

Burglars will often target blocks of flats because they can easily gain access to them through a communal entrance, which may have poor access control. Once inside they will often go straight to the top floor flats first, as there is less likelihood of passers by seeing them whilst they break in.

also fire safety is a consideration as will take longer to get out of a fire if on a higher floor than a lower floor.

Also when you look to sell on, the top floor may be discounted by some people, for example those with mobility issues and do not fancy going up and down stairs, or for those with a child and lugging prams etc up and down.

anna42hmr

Also restrictions on furnishings, i.e. if you like wooden floors these are often meant to be prohibited on higher floor properties due to the noise travelling below,

lonestar1

Some top floor flats are responsible for roof repair/replacement

christineperseus

When the roof leaks or the gutters overflow you're first to suffer.

Davesnave

Art_Contrary wrote: »

They can be cold. Mine was bloody freezing!

A lot depends on how well heated the flats below are and what the insulation above is like.

My top floor flat benefited greatly from heat lost by flats below, but the insulation wasn't fantastic, which meant it was rather warm in summer time.

Thrugelmir

christineperseus wrote: »

When the roof leaks or the gutters overflow you're first to suffer.

When the bath overflows or the washing machine leaks the problem is always downstairs.

Mrs_pbradley936

In a development near me the top floor flats have very low water pressure.

tizerbelle

If there's no intercom from the front door to your flat, it can be a long walk down and an annoying walk back up after discovering the muppet who rang your flat only did so cos no-one answered when he rang the bell of the flat he wanted.

fishcake27

I live in a top floor flat (2nd floor) built in early 70s. I didn't realise it when I was buying but I would now never ever buy anything but the top floor in an older building. I can hear my neighbours' conversations very clearly through the walls... And shower singing through the floor (ugh!)... so I can imagine how annoying it is for the downstairs flats to have us walking around above them all the time. It would drive me insane.

We don't have a secure entry system so I can't comment on that.... I feel much safer at the top though... There's only one way in for burglars and the doors are very sturdy. I guess this aspect depends on the kind of area you live in.