Which flat would you make an offer on?

[Shadow12345]

Hi Mumsnetters! - Hope you are well! Would you kindly help me choose to make an offer on the 2 options that I got? Thanks so much in advance!

both are top floor flats.

Option1:
Ground rent doubles every 25 yrs 😫, leasehold - but near shops & tube station

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/68279574/?search_identifier=89b5a0ee5a1cecf7c1643803f8337791d251a01968e9737c741785fbaa49730a

Option 2:

ex-council, leasehold but majority private owned - a bit far from shops & tube station

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/67900021/?search_identifier=e2daecf93fe22aa4d548edb9a42deefebff25f46f649be717971e5ae8cacd54c

The bedroom in flat 1 looks normal on the plan but seems to be in a corridor on the photos.

Flat 2 has one more bedroom which is an amazing asset. According to the website it's 0.3 or 0.4 miles to the tube depending on which stop. It looks pretty close to the shops too. If you're much closer you'll be in the ticket office. Depends how long the leases are but flat 2, through less attractive on the outside, looks a much better bet.

Flat 2. Internal space looks far more flexible and with lots of natural light.
You can also comfortably open your windows at night! Didn't like feeling a bit unsafe when I slept on the ground floor - prefer being away from road level.
What's the communal entrance like? Well kept?

Unless you really need two bedrooms, I would much prefer a flat where you don’t have to cook and eat in the not terribly large living room. I’ve known several flats in houses like that, they are basically solid and well built.

so no contest , flat one for me. ( plus you only have to share your space with one other leaseholder, I think)

Flat 2 definitely. 2 beds. Can use 1 as sitting room / office. Really good light. Would prefer first floor over ground floor.

I like the separate kitchen in the first one but you get the second bedroom in the second one. I think you will only know by viewing them and seeing how the layout would work for you

I have a friend on Sumatra Road- they’ve had issues with drug dealers etc gathering at the playground at night so I’d suggest going along at different times of day and seeing what you think (they live v close to the playground but you’d be further away). Ground rent doubling every 25y is not far off inflation so that doesn’t seem a deal breaker to me.

Tough choice! I think both are pretty comparable, so you just need to go with the feel of them I think.

I like the first one's proximity to station and shops (good for late night returns) and the separate kitchen is also a real plus. What is the outside situation like? Does downstairs have a garden for their use only? Might be frustrating watching summer parties when you are upstairs!

I like the second one for being higher up so there is a feeling of space - you can see the outside from more windows and the hallway looks like a nice size also. I don't like the kitchen being in the living room (maybe you could turn a bedroom into a snug and have the kitchen as more of a kitchen?) Also, if you are directly under the flat roof I would just be cautious about the lifespan of that.

Flat 1 every time. Character property, only one other flat to consider, low maintenance costs (although check if you would be solely liable for roof repairs). Separate cooking and living areas. Downside would be limited parking. PPs have thought this was ground floor but it's actually first floor and that's a cot in the bedroom not the stairwell!😜
Flat 2 is third floor, is there a lift? Can't imagine myself trudging up there with bags of shopping let alone moving in. Not for me.

If the LocalAuthority own the freehold and still have properties in the block be very, very careful, my friend has a floating a block with some Council properties and has found that she is paying substantially higher proportion of repair and replacement costs. She paid huge amounts when they replaced the windows in the block, and they admitted she was subsidising their properties. She had asked a local company for a quote and was stunned that was less than 50% of the Council demanded and queried it with them.

MY SIL has had similar issues with a council freeholder, inc being charged for work that isn’t done. Seems everyone rips the council off by overcharging or not delivering, and no one bothers to check, which is bad enough when you’re a taxpayer but much worse when you’re a leaseholder.

re dodgy streets - I am in a long street (in zone 1) and there is definitely a 'nice' end and a dodgy end. Dodgy end is by shops and station/hotels. Nice end (mine!) is really quiet/family/leafy etc. So yes, something to think about. I wouldn't live at the other end of my road, for eg.

Neither. Move somewhere else and buy a 4 bedroom house for that price. Jeez.

I can't open either link - Zoopla wants me to verify I'm a human, and then just hangs for a bit, then asks me again.

I'd go for flat 2 as more space. But has it got central heating or storage heaters?

Neither. Flat 1 is unmortgageable due to the doubling rent clause, so a variation would have to be done before or as part of the conveyance and flat 2 is local authority and as previous poster said, be very careful as you'll find a s20 will be very very expensive.

Neither for me as I would want some outdoor space, even if only a small balcony.

Regarding the second one - be wary of being on the top floor with a flat roof above. Many years ago I lived on the 5th (top floor) and all four flats were plagued by black mould on the ceilings - we were told it was due to the flat roof not being insulated enough.

Option 2 - second bedroom is a huge plus.

One for me.
Smaller but better location, character and not ex authority.

Also think about soundproofing - would flat 2 be better for this as it's a purpose built flat rather than a house conversion?

I would want to know about extending the lease in flat 1. 109 years isn’t awful but not super great either m.

Thank you so much for all your ideas/comments, much appreciated!!. I'm viewing them this weekend and I will ask those questions related to the flat roof/black mould, future works being planned by council for the second flat. The ground floor of the first flat definitely would have a private garden, as is common to properties like this. Paying substantially higher proportion of repair and replacement costs scares me for ex-council 😱