What sounds better an apartment or flat

What's the difference other than flats being the usual English term and apartment being the usual American one? In any case, if it's a bedsit, it isn't either of those but I don't suppose they – whoever they are – would want to use that term as it sounds poky and old-fashioned. I think these days, they are more often called studio flats or just studios.

I think "apartments" is a developers word for selling "flats" .12Michael How different it sounds to say "I live on the top floor apartment" than to say "I live on the top floor flat" .

gillybob "I live in the penthouse sounds even flasher".

apartments is estate agent speak

An apartment is also just a room, isn't it? <goes off to check>

Here in Australia, it's called a unit - duh!

Actually, I think apartment sound quite posh

Oh it certainly does Absent !

Sounds so much better saying "oh mine is the penthouse Dahhhhling" than saying "me? I'm in the top floor flat"

The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge will be moving into Apartment 1A (21 rooms) at Kensington Palace.

Wouldn't sound the same described as Princess Margaret's old flat!

Personally I prefer apartment. Bed sit sounds like a student pad. As absent says studio apartment sounds much more appealing.

I think flat/apartment must have been interchangeable on both sides of the Atlantic in the past.

I remember reading in the American novel A Tree Grows In Brooklyn which was written in the 1940s, the family home described as 'a tenement flat'.

Riverwalk your comment made me chortle thanks

Mrs. Bouquet would certainly say 'apartment' but I would say a 'flat' then everyone knows what you mean.

This (moi) "Mrs Bouquet" would say apartment only because when I was at work selling properties at The Albert Dock/Waterloo Warehouse on The Docklands it was not acceptable to ask a client would you like to view The Show Flat !! far better would you like to view The Show Apartment,I live in a first floor apartment fondly known as The Penthouse to my downstairs neighbours

My DD lives in what she bought as an 'apartment'. It's on a third floor and has a living room, kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms.

I did refer to it as 'your flat' and was promptly corrected.

For me it depends on size, location and type of building.

For what it's worth I think apartment sounds better.

Change the description when selling a flat by calling it an apartment and increase the asking price by 25% . Does calling it an apartment sound better now.
I know what I would rather call it.

You would never use the term "tenement" now. It sounds like a Glasgow slum.
I expect one day they will have to reinvent a word for apartment. Do the huge and posh mansion flats in London now get known as Mansion apartments? Or is it "suites."?

Nellie I think that many residents in tenement flats in Glasgow's West End would be incensed if they heard you referring to their homes as 'slums'

For example:

Offers over
£359,000
4 bedroom Flat

More details and 11 photos

Saltoun Street, Dowanhill, G12 9AR

A substantial and stunning six apartment second floor flat within a landmark traditional blonde sandstone tenement within the heart of Glasgow's West...

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Granny23 I am sorry! I didn't mean to offend but I was commenting on the impression the term "tenement" gives to me down south.

a tenement is building for human habitation especially one that is rented to tenants....its a rundown low-rental apartment building whose facilities and maintenance barely meet minimum standards...in this day and age its appalling to think that these tenements still exist!!

re; apartment/ flat they are the same but people seem to think apartment sounds more upmarket...a bit of snobbery me thinks!

Dollie did you not read Granny23's post?

dollie have you been inside a Glasgow or Edinburgh sandstone tenement, most of which are privately owned?