Living in apartments can be convenient, cosy and easy, but there are also some problems can make you reconsider of moving into one. Here are the six main cons of apartment residency.

1. Restricted space
Apartments have limited space. The size of the living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms are pre-designed; and there is no chance to annex anything large to them. It usually has a small-scale bathroom and most probably no window. You will need to use your creativity and interior designing knowledge to furnish and decorate your apartment to make it cosy, comfortable and relatively spacial.

2. Problematic neighbours and Noise
Living in the apartments not only means you share the lifts with your neighbours, but also your gangways and walls. Not all of us are lucky enough to live in a quiet and friendly apartment community, where neighbours are warm and helpful and obey the noise rules. Sometimes, your neighbours would make use of the public zones as their private areas and also disrupt other tenants’ rights. If these happen, our first choice is to report to the building manager. If the noise from your neighbours is after 10 pm on working days or 11 pm on weekends, you can call the police when you are unable to quiet them.

3. Parking issues
In case you have your own car, there is another problem you need to think through before moving into an apartment.  Parking spaces can be expensive in an apartment block, particularly if you don’t have your own parking space. This also poses a challenge for visitors.
Well, if you have your own parking space, there is also no guarantee that your spot will be free once you come back with piles of groceries in your car. Sometimes, it can be your unfriendly neighbours who like your spot because it is closer to the main door or easy to drive their car in; or their visitors that block almost every free spot near the building. Although you pay for your parking space, you may find yourself driving around without finding any space that you can park your car.

4. Lack of outdoor space
Living in an apartment can be unpleasant and distressing for outdoor people or gardening freaks. There is no way to plant trees, flowers or vegetables. Well, you can plant some spices indoor if you like. The outdoor space like a patio is usually a shared common area, where you need to obey the rules by the building corporate.

5. Pet Restrictions
Pets are usually not welcome in most apartments, not only for the hygiene reason but also for the noise issues.   Even if most residential buildings allow you to keep pets at home, you need to double-check with your landlord or building managers as well.

6. Fire hazards
The fire alarm system is your lifesaver, but also a bit annoying if you live in a tall building. The fire alarms are so sensitive. Earlier this year when the wildfire was out of control, some fire alarms in Melbourne CBD’s buildings were triggered and beeping for the whole night. Also, there were some irresponsible tenants who smoke at their balconies and then throw the butts carelessly. A building near South Cross was on fire last year due to this reason.

Click here for the advantages of living in apartments.