Offered a ground floor flat?

[lookin4advice]

I bid on several flats in the same block and I have been shortlisted for a ground floor flat.

I received an email advising me my other bids had been slipped as I wanted to be considered for this home.

I have security and privacy concerns with a ground floor flat.

I am extremely grateful for this opportunity but as I was not asked which was my preferred choice would it be unreasonable to ask the HO at the housing association?

AIBU

Go and see it, you will be able to judge better then.

Ground floor is very practical. Points I’d watch for is where it is compared to the building entrance and lift. Does it have a proper hallway to create some isolation between the rooms and the corridor. What’s outside? Is it a carpark or road outside the bedroom? What is the view from every window?
Security is easy enough, it may already come with an alarm.
New build will be nice and incredibly cheap to heat.

@lookin4advice
Im excited for you, a new home in a new block!
I always thought that ground floor flats were the most sought after as there's no stairs to get a buggy and shopping up.
I lived in a first floor flat when dd was a baby, it was a pain with the stairs.
You've had some good advice from PP's above.
Update us in Friday, good luck

I used to work in Housing and GF flats were the most desirable. You're very fortunate to get one, as they're normally taken by elderly/disabled people.

Ground floor is the most desirable op??

My friend went on the list to swap to a ground floor from first floor she had to wait a few years. She's delighted says it's much better.

I struggle to sleep with the windows open in my ground floor maisonette and we don't keep windows open at night in the children's room at all. Something to think about in this hot weather.

I don't like ground floor flats on the grounds of safety plus noise above.

That is such a good point - all houses have a ground floor, plus a bungalow is a ground floor, and people seem to accept those without security concerns.

Hot air rises. I'm in a 2nd floor flat and it's unbearable in this constant heatwave .

In my block the GF flats anre allocated to tenants with disabilities and older people. It makes sense. If there is an evacuation and lifts don’t work, then you don’t have to get downstairs. Is the main entrance to the building fob/code entry . That means people can’t just walk in. In ours mail/couriers/tradespeople have a code allowing them in. Anyone else has to use the intercom system to be buzzed in. GF tenants keep windows closed at night for safety and some friends in private GF flats close windows during the day when they leave a room (they live in a high crime area). I’d definitely not rule it out because there are a lot of advantages, but just do what you can security-wise. I’m not in a good area at all but there’s just been one attempted break-in in 5 years. Also ask about cctv - does the building have any? Good luck

Are the windows secure and lockable?

If so, you don't have any extra security issues on the ground floor compared to others really, as long as you don't leave them open.

I forgot to say you can buy window film for privacy. It stops people gawking in but still lets the light in. It’s not expensive and you can get nice designs too. It doesn’t damage windows.

Okay, I’ll take your subsidised housing as someone who is absolutely ruined by rent each month.

Also ground floor is not more likely to br broken into necessarily. In one of my previous flats they targeted me and others on upper floor as they could break down the front door without anyone noticing and left the ground floor alone as it wouls have the most footfall past it.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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!!!