Drawbacks of apartment living.

That sounds lovely jenwren. Its reassuring to hear that places like exist and residents are so happy. Can't ask more really!

Hubs and I are trying to decide to whether to sell our house and buy a flat, simply to make make life easier for him as he has health problems. However, retirement apartments in our area of Essex charge rediculous amounts of monthly maintenace fees. Plus when selling they take a percentage of the selling price. We have looked at a few and although very nice inside they are so small. Shared laundry facilities, communal garden, far too many restrictions. We are beginning to decide to stay put. Oh yes, most of our furniture and possessions would have to go and moving is very expensive, thousands in fact. If moving turned out to be the wrong decision it would be very depressing. Very difficult decision.

I love my flat and have been here for 20 years. Victorian, large rooms with high corniced ceilings, sash and case windows and lots of them so fantastic light, traditional hallway but modern kitchen and bathroom. Own front door to the tiny wraparound garden (ground-floor corner) and back door to large communal garden with drying space.
It's in one of the nicest areas of the city - independent local shops, bus routes, library across the road, 10 minute walk to the gym and 15 minutes to city centre.
As I get older I'm happy to have young neighbours around.
After many years living in big old houses I have to say this is my favourite home.
Downside - occasional noise at front door or in communal hallway.
By the way it's in a traditional solidly-built Scottish tenement block.

We lived in a flat for about 18 months and moved out mainly because of the neighbours. Not because they were noisy infact they constantly complained about our noise when grandchildren came to visit etc.

Also, despite being surrounded by neighbours, flats can be very lonely places.

AlgeswifeVal. Why don't you look at a Bungalow?

Greyduster - thanks for kind words. The ironic thing is when I sold the house the new young owners set about tearing it to pieces.

They knocked down walls and fireplaces and the noise must have been horrendous.

The nasty neighbours learnt what real noise was all about and soon had a sign up and moved out about a year after I left.

According to my sources they now live in a detached bungalow.

We've checked out bungalows as an alternative but soon stopped as the prices, even out of our area were way over our budget.

We are on the ground floor of a three storey block of flats.
The flat itself is lovely, large rooms, plenty of space. But the neighbours drive us crazy,loud parties, barking dogs, shouting, rows in the middle of the night. Definitely need a pair of earplugs.
We have a large communal garden, but having brought up our now 10 year old here, I so wish we d had a garden of our own. We've tried to give her what we could in our own garden. We have a slide, we've had a sand pit and paddling pool. You can't leave anything out though or it goes walkies. We started a garden of pots and people were even pinching the little spinning ornaments.
Much prefer to be in a house.

I would say the biggest issue with living in an apartment can be summed up in 2 words; noisy neighbours. We were blighted for 11 years with the neighbours from hell. They were BELOW us so heaven knows what it would have been like if they had been above us. When they moved out 4 years ago it was a huge relief. The new people are as quite as mice.

Two of my sons live in flats and they are both very happy, but one is Georgian and the other is Victorian (the flats, not my sons ). Both flats have very good soundproofing and both have really good neighbours.

I lived in several flats and if I'm honest I wouldn't like to live in one again; there are too many variables out of my control.

mcem your flat sounds lovely, but we are very lucky with the housing stock here in Scotland. I have family in England and these kind of solidly build properties are rare and therefore very expensive indeed. And they're not cheap in Scotland!

After I sold the family home I bought a little terraced house but was burgled four times. Then I moved to a first floor flat which made me feel secure. We have had a little nuisance from neighbours from time to time but nothing too bad. We manage the flats and I am a director of our company which gives me a say in the rules we impose. Last year we all negotiated to extend our lease and paid a lot less because we banded together. I have never regretted moving to a flat. When I go on holiday I can just lock the door behind me without having to worry about burglars.
I miss having a garden but not enough to make me move to a house.hope this is helpful.

Hello Petra, We would love a bungalow but they are more expensive than what we would get for our terraced house. A bungalow would be ideal. I don't know whether it's possible to get a council apartment and then sell our house. They may not do this as we own our property.

I've lived for 20 years in my current city centre flat - 4th floor of a 60's / 70's purpose-built 13-storey tower block, built into a hill, so experiences are different at different levels.

It is rented social housing but with mixed private / owner /social housing occupants. It is generally peaceful and action is taken (if slowly, over a period of time) when there are noise / antisocial problems. For most of my 20 years it has been peaceful.

More than anything, location has kept me here - it is away from main road traffic but within walking distance of all city centre facilities, and the main bus station (with a bus pass that is a GREAT bonus). It is not attractive from the outside, but the flat is in good condition and common areas are well maintained.

As I write I know that for all the disadvantages, the advantages have kept me here and I am content. I regularly consider doing a social-housing-swap which is possible, but each time I do this, the upheaval of moving v the mixed benefits and disadvantages of this flat mean that - yes, I am content.

For / Against

1. The Balcony - It has a much-used sheltered balcony, small, with room for pot plants, small table and a couple of chairs, tiny greenhouse, and even a useful windbreak, but it faces east / north / east. (There are flats on the other side of the block which are facing west / south / west which must get sun all afternoon.)

Against: So for me, no sun at all Nov - Feb, and for the rest of the year sun only approx. 6 am - 10 / 11 am. So on cold wintry days (as at present) I have to make the effort to get the lift and go downstairs for fresh air, after checking the weather on the balcony.

For: the view is good, onto a sunny (but the sun mostly not reaching my flat! sad!) sloping grassed area with mature shrubs and trees, and city centre birds (blackbirds, magpies, pigeons, crows and occasional smaller birds, with some birdsong) and a small quietly used children's play area and paths to city centre. I can watch the world come and go.

2. Noise -

For: concrete floors so no noise from other flats, altho if my bedroom were near the front door / the rubbish shute it would not be so peaceful.

Against: A resident living higher up is facing a pub and she complains about noise from the pub at closing time. Another resident complains of noise in / around west-facing flat.

3. Heating -

For: night storage heaters - not brilliant but I have learned to live with them.

Against: they were only upgraded recently. Prior to that, no night storage heaters in the bedroom - only inefficient and expensive electric wall heaters.

4. Lifts and stairs and walk-ups

For: this has worked well for 20 years. There are two lifts, but the nearest lift was replaced, so out of action for about 4 months. There are alternative walk-ups and steps to the 4th floor (my floor).

Against: I had a friend in a ground floor flat who was concerned about security. Check this if moving to a ground floor flat.

And lifts will take my bicycle, and I have room for it in my hallway. Also I have a storage cage on the second floor which takes spare bike, bits of furniture, storage boxes, Xmas decorations etc.

And lifts will take my bicycle, and I have room for it in my hallway. Also I have a storage cage on the second floor which takes spare bike, bits of furniture, storage boxes, Xmas decorations etc.

Not in a million years! Love my garden and being able to sit on my patio with a cuppa or glass of wine with DH and enjoying family BBQ's during summer months - communal garden? No thanks. My view but then again whatever 'floats your boats' !!

I spent my first 9 years in Germany in flats or apartments. Noise polution is tightly controlled here and I was unable to use the washing machine at night with a newborn baby. But I coped. you have to be flexible when you live in a block of flats.
After that I got my own town house with French windows leading to garden and a front door to the sreet. Lovely. I felt really at home then.
I suppose I may end up inan apartment for old people but try not to think but it.

Sorry I have never lived in a flat so can not help

I have lived in a Retirement Apartment for almost 5 years and on the whole it's better than being alone in a house since being widowed.
The main drawbacks are lack of storage space and having to share 4 washing machines and 3 dryers with around 50 others. Washing can be a gamble as to whether there is an empty machine and at best is a 2 hour job to wash,transfer washing to a dryer(hopefully) and then fetch dry washing. A bit of a track from the second floor to the laundry each time.
The other frustration is that the lift seems to break down quite often and always takes at least several days to repair.
The benefits are having a good social committee who organise trips out, an annual bbq , quizzes etc. It's good to meet up with other residents at weekly coffee mornings and with a small group of friends for an 'afternoon chat' when not busy elsewhere. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-35709405

trendygran - sounds good. I was widowed at 65 so decided to go for independent living in a ground floor flat.

I am content with it but sometimes wonder if I should have gone for the Retirement option.

I may do this in a few years time but so far I am content with my flat which is on the ground floor and not as lonesome as a house by myself.

I may go for a Retirement Apartment in a few years so thanks for the info. it sounds good and the pros seem to outweigh the cons.

When I was obliged to move a couple of years ago, I looked at all options including apartments but that was a definite No because of the annual maintenance charge which would always go up. I'm very happy I settled for a terraced house with an easily managed garden and nice neighbours.

So many posters have listed the drawbacks of apartment living that I would like to add a few pluses - You don't have to maintain the grounds if you're not into that or it has become too hard. Sure, you pay for maintenance, but compare that with hiring professionals to take care of your grounds at your own home. Also, there are no stairs within your apartment home, obviously. And you never have to worry about the basement flooding - or if it does, it's not your responsibility to resolve the problem.

But since OH really seems deadset against it, there really doesn't seem to be much point in looking into apartments. Perhaps a one-story house of some kind would be a better option?

But if stairs are your only concern, maybe that chairlift is the answer.

I don't know how old you people are, of course, but, at some point, you may have to move into assisted living. If that time is coming soon, then, maybe you need to start looking into that. If not, or if you would rather have assistance at home, then, once again, staying where you are and just getting that chairlift may be your best option.

Yes,Wendysue.I forgot to mention NOT having to cut the grass anymore ,or worry about the weeds. We have a Garden Committee for those who enjoy gardening, with one Resident who does a great deal in the garden. We donate to the committee to make sure there is enough in the funds to cover new plants, bulbs etc throughout the year. Maintenance takes care of the lawn cutting.

Thanks for all the input its been most useful to get things straight in my mind.. I think adaptation is probably the way we shall go.