Lower ground floor flat like this one: would you consider?

[AfterTheRainComesSun]

I am still searching and considering options and came across a few lower ground garden flats like this one (now sold) in ny area. We cannot afford a house here as FTB and very £££ but an option like this would allow us to have a garden and some are truly beautiful, like this one.
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/139536782#/?channel=RES_BUY

Issue is that I know lower ground flats can bring problems, mainly humidity/dampness, low light, potential flooding and less safe? Would it be a big mistake??

This one is raised ground floor so a lot lighter and not such chance of damp. Shared garden, cheaper. Bit further from the station but nearer central Kingston and still a lovely area. The walk to the station through Claremont Crescent Gardens would be gorgeous every day.

I used to live on the area. Ignore people saying you could just get a house! Tolworth and surrounding areas aren’t a patch on Surbiton and I’d rather have a surbiton flat than a Tolworth house.

We did briefly look at flats around here before deciding to move to the South West to buy. But if we’d have stayed this is the kind of flat we’d have looked at. I suppose my only concern with basement flats is damp. I’d maybe prefer a ground floor garden flat rather than a basement garden flat.

I lived in a Georgian basement flat for seven years and loved it.

We were worried about damp when we we viewed the property so had a good survey and our builder went to check it out. They said there was no problem and indeed we never had any damp issues. We dried washing in the garden mostly, but when we did dry it in the house we opened a window - same with cooking and we had no condensation issues.

We decorated with light in mind - lots of white, mirrors and blinds to maximise light coming in.

To improve security we fitted locks on all the windows (listed building, so all wooden sash windows) that we could use with the windows closed and ajar. We were safe and sound the whole time.

It had a lovely 'tucked away from the world' atmosphere and was a light and lovely place to live. Visitors were always amazed how quiet, light and peaceful it was. We only moved as we changed areas and I look back on that flat with huge fondness. They are often cheaper as people have preconceived ideas so you might do very well for your money.

It's nice, very well decorated and quite a good layout for a conversion (sometimes they can have very awkward lay outs) bit it is pretty expensive for a flat in zone 6, especially as the garden is shared.

Are you set on Surbiton/west London? That budget would definitely get you a house in zones 5/6 SE or E of London.

@Hedgehoggate

it sounds nice! How did you find the noise from above??

@AfterTheRainComesSun

I like the one you linked to because of the period features. I'm currently in a flat with no Useable outside area so I'd settle for the patio & communal garden.

i currently live in a flat, it's upstairs though (external stairs with a balcony we share, own outside doors). I would LOVE a garden, but I've ruled out downstairs flats & can't afford a house here.

im not suited to living underneath other people as I'm sensitive to noise and it would drive me batshit. But if that wasn't the case I'd definitely look at ground floor flats, probably not basement though as I'd feel claustrophobic/ the weight of the. Building above me. But that's my neurosis not a general thing.

when I was younger (pre menopause half these things wouldn't have occurred to me/bothered me).

also I'd feel different renting.

I'd say if there's no blindingly obvious reason you don't like the idea & would prefer to live in Surbiton in a flat than elsewhere in a house, then go for it, but don't rush in as there are a lot of flats there so get the one most suited to your likes/dislikes.

@AutumnNanny Like most flat conversions that aren't top floor there was some noise from above, but not enough to disturb us. The lease had rules about no hard flooring which kept noise to a minimum and there was a good management company who monitored that kind of thing. The whole building had been professionally converted to a high standard. These are things to look out for when buying I'm sure.

Nope from me due to
A/ noise from above
B/ damp and mould
C/ Sharing a garden if at all
D/ Flood risk due to groundwater
E/ Break ins
F/ getting things (i.e furniture) in and out is an absolute ballache

@Jessforless there is absolutely no way you’d get a 3 bed house in Kingston or New Malden for that budget, unless it’s in a very dodgy area or needs tons of work (which we cannot afford).
I don’t like Worcester Park so wouldn’t consider

@OwlWeiwei this one is much much smaller though. The thing about that was that you’d get a bit of your own patio and it was spacious considering local standards

I'd be concerned that the garden is a good deal higher than the flat. The issue would be rain runoff in a severe storm. It's a truly gorgeous flat though.

The flat in Surbiton that another PP posted wouldn't have that issue.