What is a maisonette?

It’s hard to define a maisonette house, depending on your region. Maisonette is a two-story floor with its entrance; you can go out without any disturbance. Within a semi-detached building, a maisonette is a two-floor flat with a staircase and entrance in suburban areas in the UK.

A maisonette is referred to as a duplex in America, but on the other hand, a maisonette is a group of duplexes in Scotland.

So what is a maisonette in more detail? The term derived from the French word petite maison, which means small house. Most maisonette is found in the Uk.

Maisonette was first introduced in the 1960s and 1970s. They were most popular in the same years as now.

When asking what is a maisonette  compared to a house, one key difference is the size.  Maisonettes are similar to houses in some ways but not identical in terms of the average size of houses. Have your garden and garage like a house in a maisonette.

Maisonettes have two bedrooms, whereas dwellings have more than two bedrooms. Maisonettes are cheaper than houses.

If you’re wondering, what is a maisonette versus a flat, the major distinction is the number of floors. Maisonettes have multiple floors, and flats have single floors. Maisonettes have their entrance and private garden space. Maisonettes don’t share communal space; flats share communal space and entrances.

Maisonettes own a private life, whereas flats don’t have a private life. If you lived in blocks of flats better know how you will hear the immoral behavior of your neighbors. Children are shouting and yelling all day. Maisonettes are the best option for those looking for their own private space.

Maisonettes are more significant than flats usually because of their two-floor stories. Flats are smaller than maisonettes; flats expand on a single floor. More extensive flats are more comprehensive than maisonettes because of their square footage.

Maisonettes are small communal areas. Due to this, they are cheaper than flats. For example, if you live in a story maisonette, you own the ground floor, foundation and garden, whereas the second and third floors have some other owner.

Maisonettes have many perks, some of which are listed below.

Benefits of a maisonette vs flat

Maisonettes have their own private space and accommodation. Maisonettes have private gardens and balconies, and flats have shared communal space. Maisonettes have separate entrances for posts and deliveries, whereas flats don’t.

Benefits of a maisonettes vs house 

Maisonettes are smaller in size than houses like semi-detached house. Larger families own houses, but families with fewer numbers fit in maisonettes. 

Things to consider about maisonette housing

Despite many benefits of maisonettes, there are also downsides of maisonette you will have if you consider a maisonette.

Permitted Development Rights

Maisonette owners don’t benefit from permitted development rights. Significant home improvements require planning permission, sometimes putting you at risk of rejection. Some maisonettes are leaseholders, which means you need the consent of the freeholder to apply for planning permission.

Limited expansion options

Maisonette is limited in size, which leads to severe issues. Larger families need extensions, so they want to opt for a house. 

Neighborly cooperation

It would be helpful. It would help if you had neighbors’ cooperation to pitch in help for any exterior work of the maisonette. The financial burden of exterior work for the maisonette is allocated to each household equally.

Potential noise pollution

If a maisonette is located above commercial places, it becomes irritating and noisy.  Maisonettes are not loud like flat blocks, but sometimes they become noisy because of neighbors.

Maisonettes are leasehold and freehold as coach house. Firstly, confirm maisonettes as leasehold or freehold when you buy them. 

Leasehold property means you own property for a certain period. You will pay ground rent to the freeholder. As maisonettes are shared between classes, only charges for maintenance of external areas, whereas service charges are not applied.

Freehold maisonettes are responsible for maintaining the property you own or want to own. You will not have to pay ground rent or service charges. If there is a shared freehold, you will have joint ownership with your neighbor and manage all the maintenance together.

It depends on your choice and needs; a maisonette may or may not suit you. It depends on what you feel about leasehold and freehold issues. Maisonette is a perfect fit for smaller families, but growing families need a house.

Maisonettes can be extended when there is a need for extension, whether upper or lower. The upper maisonette has a rooftop area to build an extra bedroom, and the lower maisonette has a garden space to enlarge your kitchen or dining area.

Any proposed work you want to do requires a planning application, which takes around 8 weeks to submit drawings to the authority that is present locally.

So  What is a maisonette really? It is a unique housing option that offers the benefits of a private entrance and multiple floors, similar to a small house. Whether you prefer more privacy than a flat or need a smaller space than a full house, a maisonette could be the perfect fit for you.