Thinking of buying flat in gated community - anyone with any experience?

[FreshFreesias]

I've seen a beautiful flat in a gated community in west London.
I love the flat but not sure whether a 'gated community' is a healthy way of living as I feel it cuts you off from your neighbourhood.

There are 2 electric gates to get through (not including my flat door) and I'm worried that this might make it difficult for people to visit.

The service charges are quite high but I can put up with them as the flat is so nice.

Has anyone any experience of living in this kind of environment and do they find it friendly? I'm currently in a street with a good community spirit and this is quite important to me.

I lived in one, it was a rented flat. I knew none of my neighbours. .are many of the flats rented.?...I think it leads to a less community feel..but just my experience

I lived in a gated community in the US (but rented not purchased). It's more common over there. I did not get to know many neighbors, but found that's fairly common and did not bother me. I would not think it had a good community spirit, that never seemed to be fostered by the community. We had no problems with visitors (they had a numpad entry system, buzz our phones, and we could open the gate). I personally liked the additional security for parking garages, pool area, etc.

I hate the whole idea of knowing neighbours and would love this!

Wish I could afford an apartment in a gated community in West London.

I'm in a gated community in London - not a deliberate choice just how it worked out!

Don't be precious - you won't be cut off from the local community, as soon as you go out the gate you are there, just as if you come out of a cul-de-sac. Everyone in the surrounding streets goes to the same shops, gets on the same buses, has the same postman, etc.

@Westfacing I’m just wondering what benefit the electric gates give you?
Isn’t it a bit precious to seek out this kind of barrier from the hoi polloi?
Unless you live in Johannesburg I guess. The streets there were pretty scary. I don’t envisage those sort of pressures in Putney though.

I had family who lived in a gated community in Johannesburg. I used to visit them regularly, because my job happened to take me there every so often, and I’d stay with them instead of in the hotel room my company provided.

Whilst it was lovely to see my family, the gated community thing always felt really weird and I would have hated to live like that.

I own a flat in a lovely gated community. We have security guards on the gate who do regular rounds and it’s very safe.

You can't compare a block of flats in London with gated communities in Johannesburg.

@FreshFreesias, as I said in my first post it wasn't something I sought it was just a good flat to buy and I certainly don't think it's a barrier from the hoi polloi - I'm surrounded by multi-million pound houses; I'm probably the hoi polloi!

It's no different from someone with a house who has an entryphone at the front gate.

You're over-thinking things, IMO. You won't be separated from the posh people of Putney!

Many of the social housing blocks in London e.g. Peabody, Sutton, Guiness etc are gated - it's just another gate to keep out people who have no right of access and to stop illegal parking.

I live in gated community,

Pros - nice to have community events, bbqs, xmas drinks etc.
Nice environment.
Safe for children to run around in.

Cons - you have to compromise to certain degree. Live within rules of lease etc.
Prepare to pay for any big communal costs that may come up.

I’d say don’t get too involved in politics and it can be enjoyable experience.

I lived in a gated place before. I never thought twice about it as most blocks have entry systems anyway so there’s a barrier either way.