What's the difference between a flat and an apartment?

[WildRosie]

According to various estate agents, I live in an apartment but that's not what I call it. I call it a flat. To me, apartment suggests at least two bedrooms, generous size, possibly split level and some sort of terrace or balcony. Perhaps basement garages and a concierge service in swanky blocks. My home is on the small side, one bedroom, one floor and only communal outdoor space. Admittedly, the kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom are all separate. Again, none of the rooms are big.

I wonder if apartment has become estate agent speak for flat, because it helps to sell them ? Perhaps it's one of those American words that's becoming adopted in the UK.

@Luzina

Apartment is American for flat.

Upscale flats are often described as apartments in marketing materials, but I just call them all flats.

It's a French term .

I live in a flat, another flat in our building is for sale, it is being described as “an open plan penthouse apartment designed by simon conder”. Its a flat in an ex industrial building. It also says its in Islington, nope, Shoreditch.

We have two large bedrooms, two bathrooms, large open plan living area, utility, two balconys. Its still a flat, the word flat doesn’t determine if a home is nice or not.

Ha ha I thought flats were called flats because they were all on a flat level.

In America, an apartment without a lift is a "walk up apartment." (I know because I googled this & why it was a bad thing after listening to the Fuckton of Cats song from Crazy Ex Girlfriend. )

My place has two double bedrooms , bathroom , kitchen , large lounge/diner and a large walk in cupboard. It's a flat.
The French doors lead out to my balcony............or should it be verandah

If I was talking to anyone back home about my flat I'd call it an apartment. Because that's out word for it. And it's used for anything from a one bed dingy flat, to a penthouse, stairs or lifts, a few levels or a high rise.

I'm European not American.

I find it funny how any "new" words are blamed on the Americans.

I lived in an appartement when I lived in Paris. The whole place was the size of the second bedroom of the three bed flat I live in now!

British = flat
American = apartment (taken from the French/Italian/Latin)

Didn't know maisonette was a flat with it's own entrance, MN is a great source of information!

To me an apartment is a collection of rooms in a 'big' house for the use of one person or a family, with (possibly) some shared amenities, a flat is purpose built or a smaller house divided.

So if you live in Windsor castle or Buckingham palace you live in an apartment within that house, you may not have your own kitchen and must order meals from the 'staff', if you live in a Victorian terrace divided into complete individual living spaces you are in a flat. If yo are in a purpose built space you are in a flat.

No idea where that comes from and it could be totally wrong.

I always used 'flat' to describe a shared residence. One with flat mates. And apartment when it was your own space.

Flat is British for apartment?

By and large, homemade, yes. But there is more to it. For example, I consider my home to be a flat because of its small size and modest facilities. My definition of apartment would be a larger flat with extra things like balconies, garages, caretaker or concierge (janitor in the US). I don't think there are any right or wrong ideas about what constitutes a flat or apartment. It's a matter of personal opinion and has no material effect on the dwelling itself. I'd venture there is a broad consensus that estate agencies use the word 'apartment' in favour of 'flat' as it has broader appeal, a useful tool when you're in the business of selling a dwelling.

Some people think ‘apartment’ sounds better, more upmarket or desirable, but there’s no actual difference.

I recall someone on the news being interviewed after something unpleasant had happened in a block of nothing-special flats.
Journalist asked whether she lived in one of the flats.

The reply was an indignant, ‘It’s not a flat - it’s an apartment!
Which just about sums it up.

‘Apartment’ is often seen as American, but it was also used in the U.K. many decades ago, often in the plural.

I’ve lived in my flat for more than 15 years and I’ve only just realised reading this thread that it’s actually a maisonette.

I knew of maisonette’s, my Nan lived in one in the 90s. Just never put it together with where I live.

I thought a maisonette was a 2 storey property above a shop or ground floor flat?

Flat vs apartments is terminology only - there's nothing objective that differentiates between. The properties that some on here are describing as apartments would previously be known as 'purpose built flats' to differentiate those in a block of flats, rather than a house that's been divided. It just sounds 'nicer' but is otherwise meaningless.

Like when you go on holiday and rent a villa if abroad, but a cottage if in the UK. These are just houses and would be named as such if the property was a permanent residence instead of a holiday home.

what is a cottage anyway?
to my mind a cottage is a detached, shedlike habitable house in a remote area.

I think the problem is these aren't defined terms with strict meanings.
Sometimes people want to play down or play up the grandeur of their home so you get people describing their terrace as a 'town house's or their castle as a 'lodge.
Meh

Oh fucking fucking autocorrect!

YY to terraced houses being called cottages.

To my mind a cottage is a detached but small dwelling. Usually has two floors.

If it's bigger than small - house
If it's on one floor - bungalow
If it's joined to one other - semi

To my knowledge,a flat is a self contained living area,whereas an apartment is a room,or set of rooms in a building that is occupied by others. But in the US,they call what we regard as a flat,an apartment.

I lived in a flat once and everyone called it an apartment. It was above a shop (partly)! It also had its own front door, was set over three levels, was huuuuuge inside, was right in the centre of town and very high spec. It was still a flat in my opinion though. I’m not sure why but Inthink because it was a conversion rather than being part of an apartment block.

Flat= British English
Apartment = US English or sometimes used in uk marketing material