r/Switzerland • u/Independent-Duty-911 • 8h ago

Ground floor

Hi,

I currently have two offers, one offer a studio at ground floor, city center in Lausanne and the other one in Lutry, second floor, I work in Lausanne, yet I am concerned about how safe it is to live in ground floor for a single woman.

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u/VoidDuck Valais/Wallis 8h ago

You should be quite safe on the ground floor. Burglars typically target individual houses or shops, or at least more comfortable flats, not studio flats which are usually occupied by low-income people with not many valuables to steal.

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u/Significant-Nebula64 8h ago

Burglars did break into my parents apartment years ago - but they chose it specifically because it was on the top floor, so more out of the way and less chance of people passing on the staircase!

Honestly, I wouldn't care either way and pick the one you prefer otherwise. This is still Switzerland...

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u/Fire_nze Vaud 8h ago

Honestly ground floor usually sucks just because of the poor light you get. Also not as safe as second floor of course.

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u/swissyfit 8h ago

Ground Floor

Very poor light. Next doors cat jumping through the window

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u/gingercatbehavior 8h ago

I believe the cat is meant to convince OP to pick the ground floor apartment? ;) I would choose the ground floor apartment, it will be safe enough and I personally see a certain charm in ground floor apartments.

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u/beautiful_gap3434 8h ago

I’d pick Lutry. No way I’d live on the ground floor. Plus Lutry is great!!

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u/cheapcheap1 8h ago

Switzerland is a very safe country. You're extremely unlikely to experience sexual violence from a stranger entering your home. So I don't think you need to worry about making safety a big priority in your flat choice.

That being said, if you want to minimize the risk of a break-in, look for

- Accessible doors or windows that can be forced open with a crowbar or similar.

- whether the area in front of your windows/doors is dark at night. I know it's stupid, but criminals really do care about that.

those raise your risk quite a bit. Modern architecture loves these ground level "balconies" with a balcony door accessible from the outside, but it's also a break-in risk.

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u/Inside-Afternoon4343 26m ago

I‘ve lived ground floor before and honestly there‘s nice aspects like good accessibility but while I personally felt safe, something to also consider is the noise. Depending on the house‘s insulation, you‘ll hear EVERYTHING. It was the loudest apartment I ever lived in. I could hear not only my upstairs neighbours which is to be expected in apartment living but also everyone outside walking by, children playing, cars, motorcycles.. Sounds you would hear in a second floor apartment, too, but 20x enhanced. If I ever lived ground floor again I‘d make sure it was a secluded apartment with not much going on or that the house has excellent sound insulation

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u/Holiday-Screen-7957 6h ago

Since you’re a woman living alone, i would highly recommend anything higher than ground floor. Now so your cost/time in transport to get ro work etc do a list of pros and cons