Flats vs Maisonettes

[anonymous-user]

Hi I’m looking at buying a 2 bedroom property in the next few months. With what I can afford to commit to mortgage wise I am in the buying zone between able to afford to buy a 2 bed flat or maisonette in decent area or a 2 bed house in a not so decent area.

With flats or maisonettes these will be leasehold, but what are the advantages or disadvantages of a flat versus maisonette. With both you have to pay ground rent? But with flats I may end up paying say another £100 a month in maintenance charges for maintenance which may or may not actually take place. In the case of maintenance for a maisonette how is this arranged?

Given the flats are normally cheaper by £15K or so than a 2 bed house in the area I live, I would rather spend that £100 flat maintenance charge on a more expensive mortgage on a house, but houses are in limited supply.

[vescaegg]

A maisonette may get you a private garden.

Also depending on size / amount of communal areas they may be little or no service charge. I'm just moving out of one and I think mine is £30 a year just as a token.

Edited by vescaegg on Monday 4th March 16:18

[jogon]

You can also get share of freehold flats/maisonettes. My ground floor 2 bed is and has a private garden.

Maisonettes normally benefit from a private entrance whereas flats are normally shared.

As for nice or ok area you need to think how long you plan on living there and look into what potential the ok area has to develop.

[vescaegg]

If its a long term move, always pick location over house. You can improve a house but not an area (by yourself at least).

If its shorter time, do whatever is best for the bank balance and will give you the best opportunity to 'move up' next time.

[Zeemax_Mini]

Sorry for jumping into this thread but I'm looking at a maisonette at the moment and the service charge is much lower than similar flats I've been looking at. Whilst I understand there are less communal areas etc, surely a fairly decent service charge still needs to be levied to pay for buildings maintenance (roof etc) and things like communal driveways and the garages etc?

Dom

[vescaegg]

It depends. In my maisonette lease (which is a detached house split in two) it says that any necessary maintenance will be split and any repairs / modifications which are not 'necessary' are to be agreed by both parties.

Flats can often have maintenance companies so costs can be fixed but in a maisonettes it's often just as and when required due to not (usually) having a communal hallway or garden.

[caprirob]

Personally as owner of both a traditional flat and a maisonette which I let out If I was going to live in one myself I would choose the maisonette every time.

With a traditional flat in a block not only will you have a monthly service charge to pay, you will also live in very close proximity to other people with communal areas etc and this can be a massive ballache if you dont have good and considerate neighbours.

Even with a service charge many traditional blocks will not have any sort of maintenance fund so if major expenditure is required you would still be expected to contribute.

With a maisonette you're more likely to get a garden and will have a better chance of having a private entrance to the property.

I've never had any aggro with the maisonette - whereas the flat has been a headache for almost all the time I've owned it.

[MocMocaMoc]

I'm in the process of buying a flat with a hat! (alright, I mean a maisonette) Just had my offer accepted this morning.

A few mates live in flats around a similar area. Your area may differ from mine, but honestly I'd struggle live in their flats. Not much room to move, noisy next doors etc.

At least with a maisonette you can disappear upstairs, and not worry too much about noise - hearing or making any.

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the replies, particularly Caprirob’s comment that you could be double stung for money with a flat in having to pay for maintenance on top of an already expensive monthly service charge.