Laminate, vinyl flooring for Living room - All and any advice pelase

I would have the opposite argument re vinyl which is laid all in one piece versus laminate which is laid in individual panels.

Unless you are absolutely sure you will never have any spills or leaks, I would advise against the laminate as even a real wood veneer is mounted on a base of chipboard and this will swell up if water gets into the join.

We have this problem. However, it probably wouldn't apply in your case because it is mainly caused by rain getting in through the patio doors if they are inadvertently left open.

A vinyl covering would not have any joins, and spills can just be wiped off.

Swings and roundabouts.

We have engineered wood in the hall and dining room. It is wood layer with a finish that is quite easy to maintain. In fact it has been down for 10 years and all I do is mop it. I used to use a steam mop but lately have a microfibre one which does the job in no time.

Oh dear, even more confused than ever. I know with my Amtico floor had to be careful if there was a fluid spillage - to mop up quickly. I found this so easy to keep clean, just sweep most of the time, with the very occasional mop over with Amtico's own floor cleaner.
I do have vinyl in both my bathroom and en-suite and kitchen and they are lovely and easy to keep clean and warm underfoot. I would never have the very expensive tiles, that were laid in my en-suite at the house, which were so cold to walk on in the winter, that I had to keep a special pair of mules next to them for when I used it in the night AND they cracked easily if anything fell on them.

I am really taking note of all your comments on here and will keep them in mind when I start to trawl around the shops for this flooring. I do have a patio door opening onto my large patio balcony - but as the much smaller balcony of the flat directly above me overhangs this, I have never had an rain come in through it.
There is only me living here, and although I do have visits from g.children, none of them are very young. Obviously, part of my living room is the dining area, so there are the occasional spills from the table there, but do not think I really need to take those into consideration.

I have a very querky shaped room ( think the architecture to these flats had some weird ideas or he was on something (mid-80's). He quite obviously did not approve of any room being just four straight walls. Does make it all very interesting!!!! I really would like something which can have a border all around the Living room if possible, and do not think that vinyl sheets would be able to cater for that.

Franbern wishing you luck and thank you, your post has spurred me into action. New kitchen being fitted in November, so just made an appointment to have that measured, also l, room, hall stairs and landing (for carpet). I was erring towards vinyl for the kitchen/diner, much to husband chagrin, he’s a ceramic tiler! So your post has helped me too.

Think I’ll have to grit my teeth and go looking and feeling floor coverings there’s so many designs and textures these days. Something easy to clean seeing as how we’ve taken in a lodger and her wee doggy who likes a quiet moment in one of our rooms when she locks herself in.

I have laminate, but now wish I had gone for vinyl.
There are some beautiful ones around, which look like real wood.