Ground floor flat

cloo

I don't think I'd ever limit my choice of property on security grounds. Area, perhaps, but not choice of property.


We lived in a ground floor flat for 7.5 years and it was quiet and never burgled (the area is medium-ish for levels of that sort of crime in London). But then our upstairs neighbours were an older couple and adult daughter, who carpeted their flat and kept normal hours. If you had a flat above of 20-something sharers with wooden floors it might be another matter, so you have to take each place on its merits.

Gigervamp

Why wouldn't you open windows in a ground floor flat? It's no different to opening GF windows on a house.

When I lived in a GF flat, I always opened my windows when I was home. Obviously wouldn't leave them open if going out, same as I do now in a house.

Laurensalive

I live in a ground floor flat. The main issue for myself is that is cold.

Nike79

i think in the UK you wont get much choice al the houses have GF and even the flats in Victorian house have no more than 3 floors.

Security wise they are of course less protected but you can always install dummy security alarms and other stuff which will scare off the potential burglars.

outlaw777

Thanks everyone, real food for thought here!

mumps

cloo wrote: »

I don't think I'd ever limit my choice of property on security grounds. Area, perhaps, but not choice of property.


We lived in a ground floor flat for 7.5 years and it was quiet and never burgled (the area is medium-ish for levels of that sort of crime in London). But then our upstairs neighbours were an older couple and adult daughter, who carpeted their flat and kept normal hours. If you had a flat above of 20-something sharers with wooden floors it might be another matter, so you have to take each place on its merits.

Wooden floors in a flat must be a nightmare. When my sister had a flat the woman upstairs never seemed to stop walking round and she wasn't light on her feet.

GaleSF63

If you were looking for a house I doubt if people would be telling you not to in case it was burgled.

It has to depend on the situation of the flat. In many instances it will be less vulnerable than a house set back from the road with trees or bushes in the garden. It may also have no doors opening directly to the outside.

l live in a ground floor flat that has the road at the front and the car park and garden at the back, so at any time there may be people at either side - less likely for a house.

I have suffered from leaks from above, but then that has happened in houses I've lived in as well. To be honest I'd rather be below the leak than cause it because I would feel so guilty and be scared to make the smallest splash in my bathroom.

bobobski

I've lived in 3 ground floor flats over the past 5 years (and am sitting in one right now). I've never had any break-ins, although one morning when I was in the kitchen a dog I was looking after (don't tell my landlord) started going crazy - when I checked, a guy was climbing out of the bedroom window. Nothing was taken. Perhaps my mistake for leaving a giant window open while in another room playing the radio loud, although it was 8am in the summer so very light, and it was a Sunday so very quiet. Still, the guy was probably high - he was chased out by a tiny dog.

Same thing could have happened in a house though.

burnoutbabe

Its nice in the summer to sleep with the bedroom windows open. I'd not do that in a ground floor flat (I am 1st floor)

Also, we leave the bathroom small upper window open to prevent condensation, sometimes when out at work.

mumps

anna42hmr wrote: »

all flats have their positives and negatives, reference security though the met police state:


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.

http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Flats-and-apartments/1400010715304/1400010715304

Your quote is about once they are inside, I think the point with ground floor flats is you don't need to be inside just go in through the window, hence in many areas you will see ground floor flats with metal grilles on the windows. My husband was a Scenes of Crime Officer for a time, he has done many different roles in his time in the police, and he always advises people not to buy a ground floor flat as he has attended so many burglaries in them.