Maisonette Meaning UK
In the United States a maisonette is often referred to as a duplex, but it is the same meaning as a maisonette in the UK, which is:
A property that has two units in the same building.
Each building has their own front door and generally they are on top of each which is the most common form of maisonette in the UK.
Maisonette V Flat
Why would you choose a maisonette over a flat or an apartment?
There are several reasons that you would do this:
- With a maisonette, you generally only have one person either above or beneath you. Therefore, you are likely to experience much less noise than in a flat, when you may have people on all sides and above and below you.
- In a maisonette, you will have your own front door. If you are on the first floor there will be steps leading up to your front door, but it will still be your own entry and exit point. Some people prefer this to flats or apartments where entry and exit is shared by many people. In addition to this, the staircases or lifts will also be shared by many. If you like your own space and privacy, and cannot afford a house, a maisonette may be a great solution for you.
- In a flat or an apartment, you rarely have your own outdoor space. With a maisonette, you usually either have for your own, exclusive use, a front or back garden, or a specific section of the back garden. You often have additional storage space in a maisonette over a flat, such as a garage or a shed in the garden.
Maisonette V House
When it comes to choosing either a maisonette or a house, the main difference is likely to be cost, but there are other considerations.
- With a maisonette, costs of any repairs to the outside of the property including the roof will be shared equally between both owners of the maisonette. In a house, all of these expenses will be your own.
- The overall cost of a maisonette per square metre will be less than the cost for a house.
- Often a maisonette will come with a smaller garden than a house, because it is shared with the other maisonette owner. Some people will consider a smaller garden space a benefit.
- With a maisonette, you only own a lease of the property. The freehold is owned by a landlord. See our article entitled “Why would anyone buy a leashold?” for more information.
- Because a maisonette is a leashold property, you will have to pay an annual ground rent to the landlord, which you do not need to do with a freehold property, because you are in effect the landlord of a freehold property that you own.
Does A Maisonette Have A Garden
As stated above, a maisonette usually does have a garden, either at the front or the rear of the property.
This is a unique space for the owner of the maisonette to do as they wish with.
Can A Maisonette Be On One Floor
Frequently a maisonette will be on one floor, the ground floor or the first floor.
Often the floor space is larger than an equivalent space.
Disadvantages Of A Maisonette
The disadvantages of a maisonette are the flip side of all of the advantages above, including:
- You only have access to a part of the garden for the property.
- Someone lives above or below you in the other maisonette.
- You have to apply for planning permission for any extensions, and because it is a leashold property you also have to seek the approval of the freehold owner.
Is A Maisonette A Good Investment
A maisonette can be a very good investment for a landlord because they tend to have a higher sale price when you eventually decide to sell, but more importantly they will attract a higher rent than an equivalent flat or apartment for all of the reasons stated above.
Whether you are considering buying a maisonette, a flat or a house, seeking early advice from a specialist property solicitor is a very sensible thing to do.
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