A terraced house is a multi-level dwelling forming part of a continuous row, sharing party walls with the neighbouring properties on one or both sides. In Malta, “terraced house” and “townhouse” are used largely interchangeably by estate agents - terraced house emphasises the row/party-wall structure, townhouse the traditional or historic character - without a strict, universally applied distinction between the two labels. Per NSO’s 2021 Census, terraced houses make up close to a quarter of Malta’s main residential dwellings, the second-largest category after apartments. Layout is vertical rather than single-level, with private outdoor space typically limited to a small internal courtyard or roof terrace rather than a garden.
Party walls and ground rent are the two things to check
Party walls are shared structural walls; any work affecting them needs the neighbour’s agreement, and maintenance responsibility should be clarified in the deed rather than assumed. Older terraced houses and townhouses commonly still carry ground rent - see that guide for how perpetual ground rent works and how it can be redeemed. Older stock also carries more structural risk than newer builds - aged timber floors and roofs, damp, and non-compliant wiring are common enough that an independent structural survey is worth budgeting for before committing; see the Property Due Diligence Checklist for the fuller list of what to check.
Renovation can mean extra permits
Any external change - windows, doors, façade, balconies, colour, air-conditioning units - commonly requires Planning Authority permission, and that scrutiny is significantly tighter if the property sits within a designated Urban Conservation Area (UCA). See the Urban Conservation Area glossary entry for what qualifies, and Stamp Duty & Buying Costs for the tax incentives that can apply to a qualifying UCA purchase.
Where they concentrate
Traditional village and town cores hold the bulk of Malta’s terraced house and townhouse stock: Birkirkara has the largest inventory at comparatively competitive prices, alongside Naxxar, Attard, Balzan, Żejtun, Żabbar, Mosta, Ħamrun, Tarxien, Rabat and Birżebbuġa. Sliema and Gżira also have older terraced stock, though at higher, seafront- influenced prices than the inland village cores.
Buying and renting
Terraced houses and townhouses typically offer more living space, higher ceilings and more period character than an apartment at a similar price, plus solid family rental demand - but shared-wall noise transfer and, in the oldest village cores, narrow streets that constrain parking and vehicle access are real trade-offs. Renovation of older stock, especially anything requiring UCA approval, should be budgeted with both extra cost and extra time in mind.
Sources
- Perpetual Ground Rents in Malta Property - Chetcuti Cauchi Advocates
- Urban Conservation Areas (UCAs) in Malta - What Buyers and Owners Need to Know - Malta Sotheby's International Realty