Ground floor flat

datlex

The only place I have lived in which was burgled was when I rented a room off a family who owned a 7 bedroom home in a very expensive part of the country which did not have a high crime rate.....

Since then I have lived in various house/flat shares and then had my own flats. I have even lived in a flatlet with in a house attached to a church the communal areas of which were decorated by serving prisoners on day release and had no issues with break ins then either.

I now live in a ground floor flat which I have been in for 4 years. I have little issue with noise. Until recently when they made cut backs, I was more likely to be disturbed by the noise from the local police helicopter at 2am than any noise from neighbours, traffic noise or passers by. I have actually had more noise in other properties which were on the first floor but located on a main road.

andybenw

Ground floor can be very noisy depending on building construction and people above.
Ground floor you have to remember and go round checking all windows every time you go out.
Ground floor more susceptible to damp, drainage problems.
Flats above leak downwards not upwards.
2 bonus points are possible gardens(so can add shed storage) , and if old/have pram etc then no stairs.

I would definitely avoid semi basement flats as susceptible to flooding.

In order 1.House, 2. Top 2 storey maisonette, 3.Top floor(with loft if possible) , 4.Ground Floor. 5. Mid floor

That being said, I currently own a gf, what turned it for me was a huge cellar which I could possibly convert to a studio flat in the future.

seven-day-weekend

mumps wrote: »

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.

Whilst not questioning your husband's experience, why does this not apply to ground floors of houses, or to bungalows? (Or does it?).

mumps

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Whilst not questioning your husband's experience, why does this not apply to ground floors of houses, or to bungalows? (Or does it?).

I think it is because people often leave bathroom/bedroom windows open a bit thinking it is safe, if they are on the ground floor access is easy, if its a house they might need a ladder although where my mother used to live it was the flat roof on the porch that gave them access to the bedroom windows.

Someone up thread mentioned leaving their bedroom window open in a g/f flat and someone breaking in,

J_i_m

I don't think there's any steadfast rules in ground floor versus upper floors because let's be honest 99% of the reasons to eschew a ground floor flat are equally applicable to a house.

I do think you have assess every Induvidual property on it's own merits which involves physically viewing the property.

Some years ago I rented a ground floor flat which I was very happy with, it was spacious and quiet. Noise from the above flat was minimal and I only ever heard neighbours if they were in the communal hall ways.

My only real gripe was a lack of privacy. My lounge and bedroom frontera bit too close to the high street for comfort and I was susceptible to nosey people peering into my windows as they passed including teenagers who thought it funny to knock on my Windows etc..

For that reason I promised myself that I'd ever have ground floor again. Fast forward some years and I'm now actually in the process of buying a ground floor flat.

I was won over by viewing the flat and making very practical observations, it's not really overlooked in anyway and therefore people would have to really go out of their way to invade the privacy.

dirty_magic

I lived in a nice little ground floor flat. Ours had its own front door and garden. I wouldn't have wanted the first floor one because the garden wasn't shared and I love the garden.

We weren't ever burgled and I always felt safe there. The only slightly annoying thing was that we couldn't open the window on warm nights because we didn't have a top light, just wide opening windows. I would have left it open if we had a top light.

Most people don't leave windows open when they're out anyway do they? Our neighbours always leave their ground floor windows open and we've always thought it a bit dodgy to leave them open when you're out!

There were no noise issues, we could occasionally hear laughter and sometimes next door's TV which was next to our bedroom, but nothing intrusive.

It's also much easier not having to carry shopping bags up stairs. I would actually prefer a ground floor flat to any other floor.

seven-day-weekend

mumps wrote: »

I think it is because people often leave bathroom/bedroom windows open a bit thinking it is safe, if they are on the ground floor access is easy, if its a house they might need a ladder although where my mother used to live it was the flat roof on the porch that gave them access to the bedroom windows.

Someone up thread mentioned leaving their bedroom window open in a g/f flat and someone breaking in,

In see what you are saying, but windows can be left open anywhere, and it doesn't answer why bungalows are not seen as just as vulnerable.

I have gone out and left ground floor windows open when I had my house, just as easy to break into that as a ground floor flat.

mumps

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

In see what you are saying, but windows can be left open anywhere, and it doesn't answer why bungalows are not seen as just as vulnerable.

I have gone out and left ground floor windows open when I had my house, just as easy to break into that as a ground floor flat.

I've asked him and as he says nothing is 100% and burglars don't tend to explain why they do what they do but some of his suggestions are:

You are more likely to have a private garden with a house or bungalow, maybe with a fence and a gate. Some g/f flats do as well but more common in houses and bungalows. The burglar may feel that neighbours are more likely to notice him, question what he's doing in a private garden than in a communal one so even if they don't he might be put off by that. Also if you have a fence they might question why he is climbing it.

In a house a burglary is going to be less sure if someone is in, they might be upstairs or they might be at the back of the property and he can't get round there. In a g/f flat with a communal garden or car park outside it is easier to look in.

He has been to burglaries in all types of properties, of course it can happen anywhere. Someone broke into Buckingham Palace once I think. His point is if you have two very similar properties at similar prices he would use this to differentiate between them.

Basically theories but whatever the reason it is his experience.

I've only lived in a flat once and it was the top floor. I liked being at the top but carrying the shopping up, especially when I had a new baby, was a pain but for me it was worth it.

mumps

J_i_m wrote: »

I don't think there's any steadfast rules in ground floor versus upper floors because let's be honest 99% of the reasons to eschew a ground floor flat are equally applicable to a house.

I do think you have assess every Induvidual property on it's own merits which involves physically viewing the property.

Some years ago I rented a ground floor flat which I was very happy with, it was spacious and quiet. Noise from the above flat was minimal and I only ever heard neighbours if they were in the communal hall ways.

My only real gripe was a lack of privacy. My lounge and bedroom frontera bit too close to the high street for comfort and I was susceptible to nosey people peering into my windows as they passed including teenagers who thought it funny to knock on my Windows etc..

For that reason I promised myself that I'd ever have ground floor again. Fast forward some years and I'm now actually in the process of buying a ground floor flat.

I was won over by viewing the flat and making very practical observations, it's not really overlooked in anyway and therefore people would have to really go out of their way to invade the privacy.

I agree every property is different and every property buyer has their own list of wants and needs, not always the same, pointless trying to generalise really. What suits me might not suit you but it doesn't mean anyone is right or wrong.

My husband likes living at the top of a hill, this house and our last house were at the top of hills. It really doesn't bother me, except when its windy and we nearly get blown away. Just a foible of his.

seven-day-weekend

mumps wrote: »

I've asked him and as he says nothing is 100% and burglars don't tend to explain why they do what they do but some of his suggestions are:

You are more likely to have a private garden with a house or bungalow, maybe with a fence and a gate. Some g/f flats do as well but more common in houses and bungalows. The burglar may feel that neighbours are more likely to notice him, question what he's doing in a private garden than in a communal one so even if they don't he might be put off by that. Also if you have a fence they might question why he is climbing it.

In a house a burglary is going to be less sure if someone is in, they might be upstairs or they might be at the back of the property and he can't get round there. In a g/f flat with a communal garden or car park outside it is easier to look in.

He has been to burglaries in all types of properties, of course it can happen anywhere. Someone broke into Buckingham Palace once I think. His point is if you have two very similar properties at similar prices he would use this to differentiate between them.

Basically theories but whatever the reason it is his experience.

I've only lived in a flat once and it was the top floor. I liked being at the top but carrying the shopping up, especially when I had a new baby, was a pain but for me it was worth it.

Thanks for that useful information.

We have a burglar alarm at this bungalow, never had one before, and also a video doorbell so we can see who is at the door and speak to them without having to open the door or the drive gates. We seem to have gone security conscious all of a sudden

The investment flat we have bought is ground floor, it does have a public road and footpath right outside the front windows, and the communal car park at the back, so I see what you mean.

Our son lives in a flat but it is top floor (of three), the only way in without climbing the walls is up two flights of stairs and through his front door; so I can see how it is less vulnerable than the ground floor flat. However I couldn't see why a ground floor flat should be more vulnerable than a bungalow or ground floor of a house, but you have explained very clearly, thanks.