When looking for your new perfect place to live on marketplaces and property sites, you can often come across two popular terms: “mini flat” and “self-contained”. Without any real estate experience, it’s easy to think that those terms mean the same thing, but in reality, they are used to describe different types of apartments. Here is the difference between a self-contained and a mini flat.
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1. What is a mini flat?
A mini flat, which you can often find on property sites under the name of “room and parlour” is a flat that consists of one bedroom and a living room, which means that there are essentially two rooms in the apartment. In addition to that, a mini flat always has a kitchen that is sometimes conjoined with the living room, as well as a bathroom and a toilet, which can be separate or located in the same room. Here is a mini flat plan that will help you better understand the specifics of this type of apartments.
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2. What is a self-contained?
A self-contained flat is popular all over the world, but everywhere except for Nigeria it is better known as a studio flat. A self-contained apartment consists of a bedroom, which also doubles as a living room, an en-suite kitchen, and an individual bathroom with a toilet. The name “self-contained” could not describe the purpose of the apartment better, as it literally has everything a person may need for an adequate living situation in one place and doesn’t need to share any of the facilities with other tenants. Check out a self-contained flat plan to understand it better.
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3. Which one should you go for?
Ultimately, the choice between a self-contained apartment and a mini flat depends on two factors: your family situation and your budget. A self-contained is the ideal choice for a single man or woman who is young, doesn’t make a lot of money yet, and doesn’t plan to get a family in the next few months or years. Self-contained apartment complexes are often located in busy areas near the main business spots, which makes them perfect for employees who want to quickly commute to their workplace. Self-contained tenants are usually fine with the relative lack of space and they don’t spend as much time in the kitchen to insist on having a separate one.
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A mini-flat, on the other hand, is better suited to the needs of people whose living situation requires more space and they can easily afford it. A mini-flat is great for a family of two and can even become a lovely home to a family with one child. The kitchen location is also a nice touch, since there will be no smell of food in the bedroom. A mini-flat gives you much more space compared to a self-contained. At the same time, a mini-flat is more affordable than a separate home and can be the ideal stepping stone of your independent living.
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