Drawbacks of apartment living.

I am moving to a top floor flat (3rd) floor in the autumn just down the road from my daughters on the same housing development. I will have a large balcony to sit on with enough room for a table and chairs and some plants in pots so can sit out in the fresh air. As my daughters are so close I can use their gardens to sit in if I want to, they are literally next door to each other so have combined their garden space with no fencing in the middle like the other neighbours who are not related. I am looking forward to not having stairs and the flats are purpose built, they are actually being built at the moment. There is a lift and I'm not really anticipating any problems ,looking forward to being there

When my dh passed away I moved to a ground floor apartment. It's sound proofed and I pay a fee so that the building is maintained.

I don't have a garden which was my decision as I had a few gardening accidents the worst being a pulled ham string.

It's very secure and a relief not to have to worry about falling down the stairs. I have an ensuite bathroom as well as a bathroom/toilet for visitors.

It's easy to keep clean and one of my sons (who is in ill health) lives 20 mins walk away.

I occasionally miss being able to walk out into a garden but the pros outweigh the cons. It's nice to be able to watch Gardening Programmes and not be worrying about all the jobs that need doing

We had a top (1st floor) 60s built flat when we were first married. Concrete floors so no noise from below, central in the city, and with an enormous balcony over two rooms of the flat below. Plenty of light and lots happening outside. Loved it. But it was rented of from the firm so we moved on. The downside would have been the stairs and the lack of storage.

When the time comes we'll keep an eye out for a ground floor flat in a newish assisted living complex near us.

We were lucky with that first flat, I have lived in bedsits and small flats with no outside space and hated it.

I've had some bad experiences of living in a flat. In America I was in one above a deli (which was the plus) but the students living next door blocked the loo with sanitary towels and a load of 'sludge' came up through the plughole of my bath!
In Portugal we had some obnoxious neighbours directly above us whose son had a drum kit. When he played it, the whole apartment shook. My OH complained and, although the drumming ceased, the neighbours then blanked us on every occasion.
In the UK I was in one flat with a rubbish chute which people blocked by putting cardboard boxes down it, meaning I had to go down several floors (no lift) in order to dispose of my trash.
Overall, this has totally put me off apartment living. I am a bit of an anti-social bugger anyway and the proximity of neighbours lacks appeal!

I've lived in in my second floor flat of 12 floors for the last four years and I love it.
Its a bit noisy at the moment because there is a lot of work being carried out to the building . I think noise and other neighbours habits arent just restricted to flat dwellers, my daughter lives in a terraced Victoria property and has had to endure crying children or constant arguing.

My son would prefer me to buy a flat for retiries.
But everywhere I look they are on main roads or very busy roads. When I did find one it was a long walk to the nearest village which didn't have much public transport.

I love living in my flat. Like Jane 10 mine is ugly on the outside and in the UK might be regarded as a tenement. However we have all sorts living here; a judge, television presenter, young families etc. We have a communal garden and it is very quiet around us. Low maintenance which means more time to be out and about.

MiL lived in lovely spacious 1960 flat for 17 years A bit of noise but ok .The worst was the youngsters who rented on the top floor letting the front door close automatically and noisily late at night MIL wouldn't let me speak to.them but am sure they'd have been more careful if they'd realised .Lovely communal well maintained gardens but lots of people tended the border under their Windows and put plants in. There was a lawn behind you could get out into .Huge communal bins in cupboard off communal hallway.she couldnt have a cat though..

Dd1 lives in second floor flat
She hates having to take bins down
Not being able to walk outside and read in a garden
Taking bike up three flights
Not feeling she can run washing machine in late evenings

Has bought and is about to move to ground floor Victorian conversion with a garden .Unusually for Londo is freehold with upstairs owner .She hasn't been cooperative so that's a bit of a worry .

I'd suggest renting a proper flat (not a holiday apartment) if you go away for a break to test out the pros and cons. We've done that in Berlin, Madrid and Nice in the last few years and it gives you a chance to see how you feel about comminal dustbins! It's also a very comfortable way to take a holiday and makes you feel more like a local. You can rent just for a few days or longer.

I manage leasehold retirement flats. The biggest mistake made is not reading the lease and fully understanding it. Remember the lease always dictates. It's no good moaning that you can't have sky, fit differennt windows and so on if you didn't check your lease. Also very important, make sure your flats have a very healthy sinking fund. That way you won't get stung for the cost of any repairs. It's a life style that suits many, but not everyone.

My flat is quite nice, but not much storage room. There is a management committee, but getting them to answer my phone calls and emails is a nightmare. Have been to Citizens Advice about them twice. Last year I thought about moving, but some of the places I looked at were awful, so I decided to stay here, and make it warmer. It's handy for buses and not noisy because it is tucked away behind a few more flats which are on the main road.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.