Flat vs house in London for single woman worried about safety

[Umeboshiune]

Hi,

I’m a single (and likely to stay that way) woman currently renting in SE London and wanting to buy a 2-3 bed with a budget of 700k. I know what areas are affordable within that budget and that I want to avoid leasehold flats entirely but wonder if share of freehold flats (in block of flats with a common secured entrance) are just as good as freehold houses? I’m very wary about having my front door and windows at street level due to breakins, especially in warmer weather. I live alone and that could be an extra risk factor if I’m being observed by well-prepared burglars or junkies. What should I keep in mind in my property search? Assume no area in London or the commuter belt is free from burglaries.
Thank you!

With the way the market is going with flats, I wouldn’t even buy a share of freehold flat. But a freehold house in the best area you can even in that means going further out. The shared entrance issue would be my clincher to not get the flat. You can’t control who lives in your block and who they bring round.

Also - there’s usually no outdoor space in flats, very much an issue these days as climate change impacts more and more.

Ooh, hadn’t realised the downsides of a shared entrance if there are bad neighbours!

True on the outdoor space. I know I need a freehold to install wall to wall air conditioning sooner rather than later and the outdoor space for the compressor units. Definitely lots to add to the house column

My friend’s top floor flat was broken into (Kensington) and police said that is common as burglars less likely to be disturbed.

I live in Mitcham so I suspect my risk appetite for crime is significantly different to many posters on MN 🫠🥴 however I'd be so wary about buying anywhere without outdoor space given the summer we've just had. Notwithstanding aircon (we are planning to install in our house too), for me, if I was buying a flat, a balcony (in a modern flat) or shared / communal garden would be an absolute must. Which might be harder to find if you are looking at middle / top flats.

About 10yrs ago (in a different part of London) our postman had his trolley stolen on the street and lots of us had identity theft incidents. The investigator at the time told us that random burglaries are becoming rarer because cyber crime / fraud / identity theft is easier, quicker and less likely to be caught. However I do appreciate that it is no consolation to anyone who has been burgled.

If buying 'share of freehold' look at how well maintained the common parts are. Then look up the freehold company on the Companies House website to see how many neighbours are Directors. Also look at reviews of the management company.

I am a landlord with three flats. Two have plenty of Directors and people take turns in helping oversee major projects. The third only has two - I am one. There was a huge amount of overdue maintenance including a roof that needed replacing. Flats were very umdervalued, and those on the top floor effectively umsaleable. It has been a vast amount of work. We are almost there and most people are grateful, but one family still seem to find dozens of complaints phoning the management company on an almost daily basis. It is disheartening.

I’d try and get a small freehold mid-terrace house, with a garden that backs on to other gardens. And a security gate fitted if that is possible on the front door. I have that set-up at the moment in East London and have had no issues in decades. I’m trying to buy now and am surprised by how many houses in London back on to alleyways, parks, or parking lots, or are end terraces that look easy to burgle. Much as I love the houses, I have to rule them out for peace of mind.

I agree that a small terrace house is a better option if within budget. I would not go for a flat in a mansion period block - while these are often lovely, with communal gardens etc - they generally have very poor sound insulation.

Nowhere in the entire country is burglary free.

Burglary really is really quite rare at an individual level.

And likely to be targeted at houses that look wealthier.

Houses have a ground floor.

Buy somewhere that suits you, get a Ring doorbell and an alarm.

(I have lived as a single woman in a flat and a terrace house in Brixton and now in a different affordable area of S London)

In a SOF you manage it between you. In my SOF flat we had a management company, the only people who could be members of the co were the flat owners, and all flat owners could be directors. One vote per flat. The mgt co granted ourselves leases, so no issue with short leases, set a sensible agreed maintenance payment to cover buildings insurance and maintenance, and commissioned works as needed. 5 flats, it worked well.

Hi, share of freehold flat would be fine, I have a flat in Putney (10 minute walk to the station or tube), there is a 3 bed 1st floor for sale at £680K, garage, off street parking, communal garden and parking - I would be going for that if it was me :)

In a SOF you manage it between you. In my SOF flat we had a management company, the only people who could be members of the co were the flat owners, and all flat owners could be directors. One vote per flat. The mgt co granted ourselves leases, so no issue with short leases, set a sensible agreed maintenance payment to cover buildings insurance and maintenance, and commissioned works as needed. 5 flats, it worked well.

That is the way we run our SOF as well with four flats.

I was a single woman living in a ground floor share of freehold flat in central London.

Re safety, it largely depends on the area itself, the best way to know is to visit the area the evening and/or ask the locals on the street. I am less worried about thieves breaking in (it’s in decline these days as most properties have alarms and don’t have much to steal), but more about being mugged on the way home at night. But upper floor flat is safer re buglaries if you can afford it.

Share of freehold isn’t the same as freehold but much better than leasehold - there isn’t much onerous charge, no ground rent, you hold more power over the management company, but you still need permission to do things depending on the lease terms. Freehold house is of course the best legal-wise but in london it’s often the case of moving out to farther areas i.e. change of lifestyle. We are in the process of doing so right now due to our baby, but if it weren’t for him I would never consider it.

For me it would depend on what else you have to compromise on in order to have the house. Usually it would be the area, and I'd much rather have a flat in a nicer and more central area than a house in a dull bit of suburbia, or a not-quite-gentrified area, especially with no kids. The share of freehold would be fine and wouldn't be a major drawback - the noise and having less privacy in a flat would be more of an issue, but personally I'd accept that for being more central.

I've never been too concerned about burglary in London, it has just never happened to me or my friends living here (for decades) and it doesn't seem high risk. Crime stats are only so helpful - I've lived in a few statistically high crime areas and never been affected, partly I suppose as I'm rarely out in the evenings (due to young dcs) and that's when a lot of crime happens.

There were more burglaries and car thefts in the desirable area I lived in previously than the place I now live, which is commonly derided by MN.

But still low.

I am out and about all over London late at night, always have been due to work. Never had problems.

Do you worry a lot about safety, OP?