Offered a ground floor flat?

A GFF is no different to living in a house or bungalow for that matter and I think you’re stressing over something before you’ve moved in and experienced the location.
As for people being able to look in, if you don’t want blinds to your windows you can put a film on the glass that obscures vision from the outside but you can still see from the inside - hope that makes sense.

I moved from a third floor flat to a ground floor flat and I much preferred the ground floor, it was so much easier and less hot. The only problem we had was that our bedroom windows faced the street so we couldn't leave them open at night but it was quite shaded so it was still more comfortable than our old flat. I had a baby and a toddler at the time and not having to deal with a lift / stairs was amazing.

Hopefully it goes well when you view it. Get a ring doorbell and an alarm and you might feel securer.

We lived in a ground floor flat for 15 years with young.children and it was fine,

This is exactly my attitude, when I lived in my house we actually got broken into on the ground floor, and slept right through it as we was asleep upstairs.

I have just moved and purposely only looked at ground floor flats, didn’t want to rely on lifts, can’t be bothered lugging shopping upstairs, cooler in summer, less neighbours (as in don’t have to worry about downstairs etc), outside spaces more accessible, often ground floors have patio doors to shared spaces, but even if you don’t have direct access to outside and you do want to sit outside it’s not a trek up lifts or stairs to the kitchen for drink top ups or to the bathroom.

Having briefly lived on a top floor flat in a newly converted building a few years ago, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy in the summer. It was like an oven with all the new insulation - 10 degrees hotter inside then out and we only had Juliet balconies, so couldn’t sit out anywhere to cool off. I was ready to pitch a tent in the carpark and sleep there.

I lived in a new build London flat on the ground floor. There was also a basement level (for bin stores, bike stores etc) and there was essentially a 2m gap between the pavement and the windows of my flat to allow light to the basement, so no one could access my windows or knock on them etc any easier than if we were on the first floor. And I never had to worry about the lifts not breaking, it was good really.

Only one neighbour to annoy you! Easier access to get furniture in too. You'll settle in nicely OP. I get your concerns, but once you are in you'll get it all sorted out and be fine. IKEA have nice viole type curtains you can use for privacy and they look classy too.

You are mad. Most people would bite your arm off for somewhere on the ground floor, especially if they have young children.

Honestly, it seems with social housing there is simply no pleasing some people. brand new and still not right.

Pass it up and leave it for someone who really, really needs ground floor. It sounds like you don't, so I'm surprised it was offered in the first place.

I loved our ground floor flat. The kids could run around with no fear of their footsteps being an annoyance. Our upstairs neighbours loved coming round to play for the same reason.

I live in a ground floor flat. It's a quiet area, although my upstairs neighbours are bloody noisy.

There's film you can get for windows that makes them harder to break, and I have night latches on all of mine. I'm also glad I have little windows high up that I can leave open at night instead of just having big vertical ones, if that makes sense?

I've lived in a ground floor flat - no issues with security at all. If you're worried get cctv installed, it's cheap to install and you can find no costs for viewing options too. An alternative is to Google which internal home cameras are best.

Same! (Except the deliveries part: mine has bushes under the windows so no one can get close enough to hand parcels in - but on the plus side, it's good for security.)

Used to live in a higher floor flat, but much prefer ground.

I’d be delighted with ground floor. If security worries you get measures in place including CCTV, insurance but positives are massive.

You can get a cat if you like pets. No carrying heavy shopping up/down stairs (or constant lift sharing).

In an emergency or fire you can escape at any time. It’ll be cheaper to heat. As you age you’ll never have to move. Much easier for deliveries. You can be in/out quickly and be as sociable as you do or don’t want to be etc.

Ground floor is best imho, not to mention if you ever have elderly or disabled friends visit. So much easier.

Yes its a massive pain asda told her to go down and collect her shopping. She has 2 special needs children that can't be left. They didn't care.

Accept the flat. See how it goes. If your fears continue you'll have no trouble arranging a swap with someone who is desperate for a ground floor flat, and swaps are far easier than getting a home in the first place.

The additional security concerns are easily overcome and there are just as many advantages to being on the groumd floor as disadvantages. Do you really think break-ins are likely? I mean, yes they do happen, but are you a likely target? Do you have plenty of high-vslue tech and other easy to grab and re-sell property?

Very good point. Most of my friends with kids live in bungalows as theres a lot of them round here. Ground floor

Im sitting in my ground floor right now!!!

Every bungalow is just ground floor and around here, they are very expensive and sell quickly.

Just put in safety features and imagine you're living in a fancy bungalow.

In your position, with child, buggy, shopping, I would prefer a ground floor. Theres lots of security meausres you can put in. It will be cooler in summer. If you want a pet you can get a cat flap in a window and they can pop in and out, deliveries are easier

I found noise travels upwards personally, you hear people below you, people dont believe me about that but its true.

I'm in a 2nd floor flat and yes nobody will deliver they leave it downstairs on the footpath ☹️ last year I had my Xmas parcels stolen

Pretty much every single person that doesn't live in a flat lives on the ground floor. (I.e houses don't have anything underneath them). I think you're overthinking it.

If you bidded on several flats in the same block. Did you actually bid in the ground floor? If so they could just say you knew it was ground floor when you made the bid?

As they are all in the same block maybe they would consider you for one of the otters instead. My council definitely wouldn't though.

But I agree with what others say. Theres more positive than negative. Ground floor with a child/buggy is fantastic so much easier.i agree with the person who said its not much different to a house. Theres millions of ground floor flats that do not get broken into.

I'm in a house but I have catches on my windows that only allow the window to open a couple of inches. You can have then wider by releasing the cap. But you can't open them wider from the outside. Since yours is a new build I should think you would have similar..

And definitely agree about easier delivery my DD is in a 2nd floor flat with a lift. And delivery people often won't go up there..

Honestly you will be fine. Enjoy your new home

A few useful things to tell you about a new build ground floor flat by a housing association.

The police would have been consulted on the layout of the scheme as part of the secure by design process in efforts to reduce the likelihood of crime in the future.

The block will need to meet high acoustic standards for the floors and walls between the flats.

New overheating regulations mean that bedrooms in ground floor flats must be able to be cooled down without needing to have their windows open at night, this means most now are fitted with extra ventilation.

Not all most schemes with flats I’ve worked on give the flats their own front door separate to the main lobby.

At least you can get out easily in case of fire. Also lifts breakdown. I know someone who got home from holiday and couldn’t get her case up to her second floor flat. My parents lived in a ground floor flat for 30 years and had no problems at all. They loved it.

Honestly if you have a small child and for a myriad of other convenience based reasons ground floor is very desirable.

You can also swap it wayyy more easily. We have an aging population and these are very
sought after in general if you look for a home swap in the future.

Personally I would take it.

Anecdotally I lived in a house converted into 4 flats one per floor.
The top floor flat was robbed repeatedly. Like 5 times??? Over 3 yrs.
there were cheap qirh poor concept around security.
Mine (1st floor) was tried via the front door but I had fitted a london bar on my door as well as double locks. Chubb and yale.

Ground floor was never touched or attempted throughout this ongoing saga.

If you wanted to find a mutual exchange at some point, people who would want to swap to a flat tend to want ground floor flats. That’s something worth considering