Buying a ground floor flat?

lika_86

We live in an upside down house where 2/3 our bedroom windows are on the street. We don't open those windows (even with limiters on them) at night. Aside from the safety aspect, we have secondary glazing which deadens any street noise. 

Do give thought to where you will dry clothes and vent any moisture out as well.

The thing that hasn't been mentioned about ground floor flats is heating. The ground floor of any building is generally much cooler than upstairs, great in summer but not so much in England where you're more likely to want your house to be warmer, not cooler. We used to live in a flat bordered on almost all sides by other flats and we didn't put the heating on once in eight years and rarely wore socks or jumpers.

onemouseplace

I lived in a ground floor flat for 15 years and my only real concern was not being able to open the windows overnight in hot weather - (a) risk of burglary and (b) I was nervous about foxes in our children's rooms (we had a lot in our back garden as I think the side passage used to be a bit of a fox run/ fox highway).

Other than that I loved it - big living space (Victorian conversion) and garden.  Only one person who viewed when we sold had concerns about security and that was because she was a single parent and we had French doors in all the rooms at the back of the house.

user1977

Burglary generally is much less a thing than it was in say the 70s or 80s (many these days are going no further than grabbing the car keys), and burglars want an easy life, not a confrontation with the residents - they're hardly likely to be clambering through the window of an occupied bedroom. They'd also prefer to get in and out via the door (not much point awkwardly climbing through a window if you also have to leave the same way carrying your haul).

I think the stats are that top floor flats are the worst risk anyway (less likelihood of being disturbed by passers-by).

What sort of windows does it currently have?

I'd be more likely to mark down a ground floor flat because of noise (from street, security entry going and everybody passing your door in the close), less privacy, and less light than upstairs.

badger09

Another bungalow owner here. When we’re at home, which is most of the time, we regularly have several windows open wide enough for a burglar to enter easily during the day. Even leave the French doors to the garden room open. At night, small windows in our bedroom & ensuite (rear & side facing) are left open but latched. We’re in our 70s and are not concerned about burglars. 

But we do live in a semi rural, very low crime area. I think that’s the most important factor. 

luvchocolate

bouicca21 said:

I live in a ground floor flat, with direct access to a garden, a small bit of which is mine, the rest communal.  It’s much like living in a bungalow.  The only flat in our block that has been burgled is on the top (2nd) floor.  

I do open a window overnight - it’s a transom so not a security risk.  I have other windows open during the day especially in this weather.  I fitted a burglar alarm when I moved in but that’s not really a reaction to the risk, it’s because I was burgled some 30 years ago (house not a flat) and have never lived without a burglar alarm since.

In terms of noise from other flats I think the risk is much the same as if in a terrace or semi.  It depends partly on the neighbours, and partly on the type of construction.  My block isn’t pretty but it’s solid - mid 1960s brick built.

I would be much more concerned about length of lease, service charges and ground rent.

Believe me if like me you'd lived in a ground floor flat with a family above with toddlers...noise would definitely be a priority. 
These children were up until 11pm it was horrendous 

bouicca21

@luvchocolate. As I said it’s partly neighbours and partly construction.  Previous upstairs tenants had toddlers, didn’t hear a thing. The last lot were heavy footed adults prone to shouting at each other - and I could hear them.  Pretty sure I’d have heard the shouting if they’d been in a house next door unless very detached.

Blank11

BungalowBel said:

Bungalows are very popular and they have all their windows on the ground floor......

If you are so worried about it, then don't buy a ground floor flat.

Majority of the bungalows have a secured front and back garden that wouldn’t be shared with anyone so you know for definite people shouldn’t be in your garden. 

There are some ground floor flats I’ve seen that are nice I was hoping to read comments that prove my over anxious mind wrong on the security aspect and that it isn’t such a big worry as I think it is. Reading the comments have made me feel a lot better about the security aspect. 

Blank11

lika_86 said:

We live in an upside down house where 2/3 our bedroom windows are on the street. We don't open those windows (even with limiters on them) at night. Aside from the safety aspect, we have secondary glazing which deadens any street noise. 

Do give thought to where you will dry clothes and vent any moisture out as well.

The thing that hasn't been mentioned about ground floor flats is heating. The ground floor of any building is generally much cooler than upstairs, great in summer but not so much in England where you're more likely to want your house to be warmer, not cooler. We used to live in a flat bordered on almost all sides by other flats and we didn't put the heating on once in eight years and rarely wore socks or jumpers.

There is a communal garden so it could be dried there but given this country’s weather most washing would be dried next to the radiator with a heated clothing airer in a cupboard. Thanks for the heads up on heating. I don’t mind wearing more layers but I’d like to hope there are cheap tricks to keeping the flat warm without forking out so much!

Blank11

user1977 said:

Burglary generally is much less a thing than it was in say the 70s or 80s (many these days are going no further than grabbing the car keys), and burglars want an easy life, not a confrontation with the residents - they're hardly likely to be clambering through the window of an occupied bedroom. They'd also prefer to get in and out via the door (not much point awkwardly climbing through a window if you also have to leave the same way carrying your haul).

I think the stats are that top floor flats are the worst risk anyway (less likelihood of being disturbed by passers-by).

What sort of windows does it currently have?

I'd be more likely to mark down a ground floor flat because of noise (from street, security entry going and everybody passing your door in the close), less privacy, and less light than upstairs.

Your comment has put my mind a lot at ease! Just difficult when you hear and read so much negativity associated with ground floor flats. 

The flat has side hung outward windows so a bit of fear where a person might try and stretch the window to force it to open bigger? Or I am over worrying haha. 

I will need to try and test the noise out for security entry and that as I seen it during the day. To be honest I don’t mind a little bit of noise as I do find it oddly comforting since I’ll be living alone. 

oldernonethewiser

You will not know about levels of noise until you live in a place.

I walked past an empty looking ground floor flat at the beginning of last week. It is on a fairly new (maybe 20 years old) estate and is on a corner with two large windows.  There is about a metre of grass between the flat and the pavement then the road and a roundabout.  Horrible location.  Saw it today on an estate agents site and it about £30k less than comparable flats better situated.  

Only you can judge what you will be happy with but in a decent location I would go for it.