Low floor with terrace apartment, advantages/disadvantages?

[22Bobinsky]

Yes, I had to clean my terrace very frequently. In addition to having filthy people above me throwing stuff down, the clean people above me thought the build up of trash on my terrace was an eye sore to them so they complained to our doorman.

[TheBrit]

Wow, the responses in this thread are absolutely disgusting. A nice clear answer for the OP though!

[tinlissie]

It's the same in our building. From time to time, we get notices asking people not to throw stuff (including used sanitary items) out of their windows.

I'd also add that the lower down you are, the more likely you are to have trouble with other people's air-con units dripping down - a nuisance in terms of mess and noise.

[HK_Katherine]

I can't answer the question about rubbish falling from above (although I second TheBrit's comment!) but I can answer the question about whether the novelty wears off. In my view, yes, it does. We have a LOT of outside space (we live on a boat) including a nice deck right off the living room and a wonderful outdoor area on the top deck. We rarely use either. We have hosted parties and events on the top deck (perhaps an average of 1 or 2 a year since we moved here!) but most of the year it's either too hot (summer), too polluted (winter) or too cold (a few days in winter). FYI.

[MandM!]

First floor or lower floor definitely going to get a lot of trash and nasty trash. And probably everyday. I you don't mind condoms and tampons on your terrace then you don't have to clean it up everyday.

Higher floors will get a little less trash but I think you need to find a terrace at the 20+ level and not a rooftop because you'll never use it.

[Open Casket]

First floor or lower floor definitely going to get a lot of trash and nasty trash. And probably everyday. I you don't mind condoms and tampons on your terrace then you don't have to clean it up everyday.

Higher floors will get a little less trash but I think you need to find a terrace at the 20+ level and not a rooftop because you'll never use it.

So true. Nothing more overrated than a Hong Kong rooftop.

[-1983-]

Yes, I had to clean my terrace very frequently. In addition to having filthy people above me throwing stuff down, the clean people above me thought the build up of trash on my terrace was an eye sore to them so they complained to our doorman.

So it's the tenant's responsibility to keep it clean for anyone who might find the mess to me a nuisance, either as an eyesore or as a general hygiene issue?

I guess the local roadside pollution from cars and stuff would also add to the general grime and dust buildup, requiring frequent cleanings of the outdoor area.
I live in a mid floor apartment right by the ocean, away from the road and we get crazy amounts of dust in hour house if we leave the windows open all day. I can only imagine how much worse it will be on a low floor apartment by the roadside.

[-1983-]

It's the same in our building. From time to time, we get notices asking people not to throw stuff (including used sanitary items) out of their windows.

I'd also add that the lower down you are, the more likely you are to have trouble with other people's air-con units dripping down - a nuisance in terms of mess and noise.

Yeah, I forgot about that. Not only air-conditioners dripping directly on your unit but the ones where they divert the water flow down the sides of the building will eventually make their way down and result in pools of water on the lower floor. I've had experience with this sort of thing in our building, the FEHD sent their officers who stand around and take notes but do little to sort it out.

[hongkong7]

Similar in my building has serious drainage issues : also a broken pipe from my floor spewed waste water onto their terrace .
Don't buy or rent
From what I saw a health hazard

[hongkong7]

Hey everyone on this thread is in total agreement .
And It's all coherent and consistent advice .
Lucky OP hopefully dodged a bullet with that apartment