Montreal Basement Apartments

Basement apartments are living spaces located underneath the ground floor of a building. This includes any housing that is below ground; bachelor, one- and two-bedroom apartments can fall under this category. Sometimes called “accessory apartments”, “second suites” or even “granny flats”, this type of apartment rental is more common in cities where where above-ground rental units are limited and rent is high.

Basement apartments in Montreal are typically found in low-rise apartment buildings, but they can also be found in a single- or semi-detached house, where the basement living space was converted into an apartment. Most basement apartments have private entrances.

Renting Basement Apartments

There are advanatges and disadvantages to living in basement apartments.

Advantages of Basement Apartments

For the budget-minded, renting this housing type is usually less expensive than other Montreal apartments. Montreal basement apartments are usually separate, self-contained rental units. They typically have their own bathroom, kitchen, and heating system.

Chances are you will have access to on-site laundry, and you will also get more privacy in a basement apartment than you might otherwisehave in a building. They are also cooler in the summer.

Disadvantages of Basement Apartments

Before considering a Montreal basement apartment, you need to find out who lives upstairs above you. Young children will make noise running across the floor above you, as will dogs. Another thing to keep in mind is if smokers live upstairs, some of that smoke might eventually end up downstairs

Basement apartments don't usually have as much light as a first-floor apartment. Depending of the age and condition of the apartmentbuilding, they have a higher potential for bugs and floods. And because of the inherent high humidity in basements in summer it is essential to be aware of potential mold hazards. A dehumidifier should help combat the humidity of the basement.

Very few people prefer to stay in basement apartments because of security reasons. However, this depends quite a bit on the Montreal neighbourhood.

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