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

[apartmentadvuce]

So we are looking at living in a brand new 4 story block.

They all have balconies apart from the ground floor.
There is also lift access.
We are not sure which one to pick.
This is to rent not buy.

To those who have lived in flats/ apartments which is the best floor?
Taking noise, safety, and privacy into consideration.

Many thanks x

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.