To those who live/lived in apartments which floor is the best out of a 4 story block?

Are there any nearby trees? If so, does that make a difference to you ie do you want to be above the trees, or on a level with the top of the tree? Do you want to feed the birds? Do you want to have plants on your balcony? I’ve no idea what the answers but these are things I’ve always wondered about flats. I’ve never been above the first floor, so in that sense it was like a house.

Check rules for moving furniture in the lifts. I've lived in blocks where it's been completely banned so you have to hire an outside lift and others where the moving company have to provide protection for the lift. It makes replacing a washing machine a nightmare. I love my ground floor flat, but it's more of a maisonette with garden.

1st or 2nd - can take the stairs, better for insulation. If the block is so poorly soundproofed that noise is an issue then I wouldn't consider it at all.

I've lived on the top floor and the problems were:

• no lift so it got very old, very quickly taking things up the stairs
• I got burgled by the thieves breaking into the roof space and then kicking through the plasterboard ceiling into my flat (common according to the police)
• Affected by ceiling leaks when slates came off in storms but this would hopefully not be an issue with a new flat.

I think it's natural to feel more vulnerable at street level where people have direct access to the room you're sleeping in

That's not to say you are more vulnerable or that nobody should ever sleep on the ground floor of their house, but it's hardly an irrational feeling to have, lol.

But burglars unlike daleks can climb stairs and what do people in bungalows do? Personally speaking I’m in a ground floor flat now and no more concerned about security than I was in my 3 bedroom house last year and I keep my bedroom window open at night.

I lived in council flats as a student in the 80s. First 5 years (I did my 1st degree and masters) I lived in a large purpose block in 1st and 2nd floor maisonette. Had others above me and they decided to re-arrange the staircase at one point. I got burgled twice. Last 3 years I lived on the 12th floor of a tower block. Very secure and little noise from below but a pain in the ass when the lifts broke.

You pays your money and you takes your choice, as they say.

Lived on the top floor when I was a lot younger underneath were an old couple who used to complain every time I walked on the floor . It creaked and was housing association so beyond my control. I used to get stressed about going to the kitchen incase the banged or complained 😳ridiculous looking back

I'd choose first floor - balance between safely escaping a fire and being able to leave my window open at night.

Because bedrooms in houses don’t tend to be on the ground floor, so you’re not sleeping at street level.

I would say second or third. I have had the roof leak and it took ages for the management company to listen to me. They said the staining then mould at the top of a room most distant from bathroom was condensation at first.

I never understand the worry about the security of ground floor flats when pretty much all houses have a ground floor.

Top floor. No one thumping overhead. Fewer people going up and down the stairs outside your door. Furthest away from communal entrance and everyone coming and going. Good exercise going up the stairs (if you're fit enough).

OP, as others have said, it depends on what you want, and what you can or can't live with.

I used to be a top-floor person, because of noise, but now with the summers so hot, I would only do top-floor if it faced north or east, and had dual aspect windows for airflow.

I would also be concerned about escape routes in the event of a fire. Check if the building has the flammable cladding.

Ground floor might not be as secure.

Probably a compromise between noise from above and heat rising in summer.

As someone else said, middle of the building would keep you well insulated in winter, lower heating bills. But possibly noise.

Floor plans will help, yes. Make sure, if you can, that your bedroom would not be against the adjoining wall to someone else's bathroom. Not pleasant when trying to sleep!

Where are your compromises? That should help you decide.

Another vote for 4th floor. I'm on the 3rd of 3 floors- no noise from above is bliss.
I also only use the lift if I have a case or heavy bags - its amazing how much my fitness improved by just using the stairs every day.

Do you have the floor plans so you can see which walls adjoin so if there’s a bedroom that will be next to another flats kitchen or so on. If you can pick a flat not south facing so you don’t suffer the heat.

does the ground floor have an outside space?

I’ve lived ground and top floor ( not the same block) and so long as the lift was working preferred top as never felt entirely safe on the ground floor ( in particular never felt safe to sleep with windows open). Saying that we did get burgled in the top floor flat and the police said that while ground floor is prone to opportunistic theft from open windows, anything more forced they always go for the top floor as less likely to be heard or disturbed. It was also a pain having to wait for the lift when in a rush. I now live in a house, but I would probably go for first or second floor if living in a flat again. Although previous posters make good points about being surrounded and potential noise.
Can you see the layout of the entire block? A lot of modern ones are built so that bedrooms adjoin bedrooms, and living areas adjoining living areas which helps with the noise. Especially if the flats below and above match your layout.

Another consideration is North, East, South or West if you get direction choices as well. South if you prefer it warmer, North if you prefer cooler. Stay away from the top floor if you don't like heat, especially during heatwaves.

Ground floor 100%. Easier access when you've been shopping etc, and you don't have to worry about thudding about on the floor.

Or leaking showers from above

I lived on the middle floor of three with no problems. This entirely depends on your neighbours

I have lived on the top of a 2 storey block and on the ground floor of a 3 storey block. While the ground floor was good for accessibility that's not an issue if there is a lift. And being on the top does mean there is no noise from above which is sometimes worse than noise from below.

I'm on the ground floor and love it! The higher floors are so hot in the summer. It's council owned so obviously didn't get to choose, it feels like a bungalow. Probably better built than new builds as well as I don't get any noise from above. I'd have been over the moon with any though after living in a hotel room with my children for weeks so probably not the best person to ask 😂

I am on the second floor.
I wouldn't want to go higher because I think if there was a fire it would be too high to climb down from the balcony (if anyone thinks that's over dramatic there was a small fire in our block several years ago so I realised I had to have an escape plan).
Although the thought of having no noise above you does sound blissful so 4th floor would be good.
Check how easy it would be to get out in a fire if you were on the 4th.