Disadvantages of Basement Apartments Nobody Talks About

In a previous post, we discussed the benefits of living in a basement apartment. Click on this link if you haven’t checked that out yet. This time, we’re going to explore the disadvantages because there are a few to living in a basement apartment that are not discussed as much as the benefits.

At the end of the day, there are no right or wrong answers to whether you should live in a basement apartment; it depends on your circumstances. Anyhow, we advise you find humour where you can.

Here are some of the disadvantages:

Spiders and pests

Basement apartments are more prone to insect and pest infestations, particularly spiders and centipedes. They may find their way in more easily due to the proximity to the ground and less effective sealing. They also thrive in damp environments. We used to spray our basement apartment every week even if we hadn’t seen them. We just assumed they were waiting for the right moment to make their entrance.

Noise from an internal staircase

If the basement apartment is connected to the main house via an internal staircase, you may experience noise disturbances when the upstairs residents use the staircase. Even if they are using the staircase to the attic, you may still hear them. If they run up the stairs, your unit will be animated as a discotheque – maybe a good opportunity to take up breakdancing.

Back door to the rest of the house

Basement apartments usually have an internal door that is locked but provides access to the rest of the house. While you might have concerns about privacy and noise disturbances, maybe you should be more concerned that if the door opens, you’ll step into a different dimension where everything is made of candy.

Legal compliance

Basement apartments may not always meet local zoning and building code regulations. Living in an illegal basement apartment can lead to eviction or legal issues, which means you won’t have a safe living environment.

Shared storage with landlords

Basement tenants often have limited storage space and, you may even have to share it with the landlords. This can make it challenging to store your belongings securely and privately, especially if the storage is inside the unit, meaning they disturb you every time they want to grab something.

Laundry facilities

Having laundry machines next to the basement units can cause inconveniences. It can be noisy, and many people come and go, which can be annoying, especially when it\’s supposed to be a quiet time.

Mealtime conversations from upstairs neighbours

If you live in a basement apartment, you’ll know when the family upstairs is having meals. If you focus on their conversation, you might even be able to hear what they are talking about. However, since we were not interested in anyone’s lives but ours, we would prefer to don our invisibility cloak and disappear for hours.

Lack of privacy for intimate moments

Basement apartments have lower windows that make it easy to peek in and offer fewer options for curtains and blinds. This lack of privacy makes intimate moments more challenging to maintain discreetly. Additionally, any intimate sounds will have to be contained, though that’s the reality of living in any house.

Emergency exit

In case of an emergency, exiting a basement apartment can be more challenging. Narrower windows can pose a safety risk in certain situations. Legal basement apartments are required to have an exit door in case the windows aren’t an option for escape.

Vitamin D

The lack of natural light can make the apartment feel dim, gloomy, and sometimes even depressing. The absence of sunlight can have a significant impact on your mood and overall well-being. Limited exposure to sunlight in a basement apartment can lead to vitamin D deficiency, which is associated with various health problems.

Difficulty growing plants

If you enjoy having indoor plants, a lack of natural light can make it challenging to maintain them, as most plants require adequate sun for photosynthesis.

Limited natural ventilation

Basement apartments may have limited opportunities for natural ventilation, which can lead to a feeling of stagnation and poor air quality or the build-up of food scents. Mechanical ventilation systems may be necessary, but, if possible, make sure you open all the windows daily, even in the winter.

Careful with open windows

We never had an issue with leaving windows open overnight as long as they weren’t very noticeable from the outside. If your windows are close to the trash cans, people looking for recyclables will get close to them, and this may catch you off guard. Toronto is a big city and we would recommend caution. When it was daylight and we were home, we never had any issues but if you’re not home or if it’s dark, use your best judgement.

Relationships and social life

Limited space and privacy might affect your ability to host social gatherings, have friends over, or engage in romantic relationships discreetly.

Disconnection from outside

Once we moved above-ground out of our basement apartment we realized how the sunset would change over the seasons and how the clock changes affected the daylight hours. Yes, basement living had disconnected us from the outside completely.

Stigma and lack of status

Some people associate basement living with lower socioeconomic status. This perception may lead to the belief that basement dwellers are less successful or privileged. This is far from the truth in Canada! There’s nothing wrong with basement dwellers, especially due to the expensive real estate in Toronto.

Secondary concern

Landlords might unintentionally show more attention to tenants on the main floors, making basement tenants feel less important. Landlords typically aim to treat all tenants equally. However, if you have evidence of consistently being treated unfairly, go where you’re treated best. No matter your situation, remember you can take control and explore other options. Nobody should stay in a place where they feel ignored, undervalued, or disrespected.