What Is a Maisonette in UK? Investment Potential and Comparison with Other Properties

Maisonettes sound quite romantic and appealing, but what exactly are they? Is a maisonette the same as a flat? Should you invest in a maisonette? My handy guide tells you everything you need to know about maisonettes including all the pros and cons, and their value as an investment property.

Table of Contents

What is the difference between a flat and a maisonette?

What is the difference between a house and a maisonette?

Is it better to invest in flats or maisonettes?

Pros and cons of maisonettes

Are maisonettes a good investment?

‘Maisonette’ is French for ‘little house’, and they are self-contained two-floor flats with their own front door. A maisonette is smaller than a house but does not share any communal areas like corridors with other people, so it’s more private than a flat or apartment. Maisonettes came about in the 1960s and 70s fuelled by a need for low-cost, high-density housing.

Maisonettes are known as duplexes in the USA and other countries and are often located above shops or other businesses. In Scotland, a maisonette refers to duplex flats that are part of a housing block.

What Is The Difference Between A Flat And A Maisonette?

All maisonettes are flats, but not all flats are maisonettes. A flat is usually spread over one floor, has a shared entrance and corridors, and rarely includes any outdoor space. Flats are usually found in purpose-built blocks and all flats within are more or less the same size, shape and layout.

Maisonettes are split over two floors, have their own entrance and no shared space. Maisonettes may include a private outdoor space like a garden or terrace, or perhaps a garage. Maisonettes are often converted from larger buildings like old period houses and can vary a lot in size, shape and layout.

What Is The Difference Between A House And A Maisonette?

A house is usually a lot larger than a maisonette, although, like houses, maisonettes have a separate entrance not shared with others. Maisonettes are smaller than houses and will not have more than two bedrooms, whereas houses can have multiple bedrooms. Houses are purpose-built, but a maisonette can be converted from another type of building to a living space. Maisonettes are normally cheaper to buy than houses.

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Is It Better To Invest In Flats, Houses Or Maisonettes?

Maisonettes sound almost like the best of both worlds – they have the relative affordability of flats but with the privacy and extra amenities of a house. Maisonettes are not quite as popular as ‘luxury apartment’ style flats, so they can often be even more affordable than a flat in a similar location. While leasehold maisonettes are subject to ground rent, there are usually no service charges due to the lack of common areas that you get in flats. There are pros and cons listed below, as with any type of property, but a maisonette could be a really smart choice for a savvy investor.

Pros And Cons Of Maisonettes

Pro – Maisonettes Are Often Cheaper Than Houses

Maisonettes are normally cheaper than a house and offer more space than you would get in a flat, making them ideal for first-time buyers or property investors.

Pro – Maisonettes Have More Space Than A Flat

Maisonettes might not be as big as a house but usually offer more square footage and storage space than a flat. They also may include private outdoor garden space, loft space or a garage, which are rarely offered with flats.

Pro: Maisonettes Are More Private Than Flats

With their private entrance and no shared spaces, maisonette living is ideal for those who value their privacy. This can make them a more tempting choice than flats, where entrances and corridors are shared with other flat inhabitants in the same building. Post can also be delivered to an individual letterbox rather than into a shared building, improving security.

Pro: Maisonettes Are More Unique Than Flats

Most flats are purpose-built and have a very similar layout, size and shape to all the other flats in the building. Maisonettes are often converted from other types of buildings and there is a lot more variation in their shape and layout. Maisonettes can also be very unique and stylish, especially those converted from older period buildings.

Con – Maisonettes Are Normally A Leasehold Property

A leasehold property is one where the owner owns the building itself, but not the land it is built on. You can also only own a leasehold for a fixed amount of time which could be years or even centuries, after which the ownership passes to the freeholder. Leaseholds may make it difficult to get a mortgage. You will also have to pay ground rent and potentially service charges to the freeholder.

Con – Maisonettes Don’t Have Permitted Development Rights

Like flats, maisonettes don’t enjoy Permitted Development Rights. These allow homeowners to perform certain improvements and extensions on their property without the need to apply for planning permission. Flats and maisonettes require planning permission to be granted before any improvements or renovations, like fitting new windows or loft conversions can take place. You will also need to get permission from the freeholder.

Con – Maisonettes Above Businesses Could Be Less Desirable

If a maisonette is located above a business, this could be inconvenient. The maisonette may get a lot of noise pollution and smells from the business below. A maisonette above a restaurant, bar, late shop or off-licence is going to be less desirable than one above another dwelling or something like an office premises.

Con – Maisonettes Are Less Private Than Houses

While maisonettes are more private than flats, you may have to share a driveway with other dwellers and live in pretty close proximity to others, so depending on your neighbours, this could be a blessing or a curse.

Are Maisonettes A Good Investment?

For the reasons mentioned above, a maisonette can be a great investment, especially in desirable suburban areas. Just be sure to look into the property itself to find out the length of the leasehold, as this can make it tough to obtain a mortgage. Check out the ground rent too, as this can cut into your profits and affect your ability to sell the property later on.

Are you interested in property investment? Whether you want to invest in flats, maisonettes, houses or commercial properties, AFL is here to help – check out our upcoming property investment summits here.