Duet in MediaCityUK, Manchester, is the highest-rated residential building in the UK according to resident reviews on independent review platform HomeViews.
[Please note – resident ratings change constantly as new reviews are published. This article was correct as of June 2020.]The purpose-built rental development on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal in Salford has achieved a remarkable overall score of 4.87 out of 5, with residents rating the building on design, facilities, location and management.
Duet is one of real estate private equity fund manager Moorfield’s three award-winning More. ‘Superenting’ developments, including The Trilogy in Manchester and The Forge in Newcastle.
Duet offers residents a range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments and is located within the city’s MediaCityUK district. As well as being home to the BBC and ITV, the area’s local amenities include 15 bars and restaurants, four shopping outlets, six leisure facilities, a cinema, a theatre and a nursery, earning the building an impressive location score of 4.95.
All Duet apartments are pet-friendly, and this, combined with the private gym, residents’ lounge and coworking space earned the building a 4.9 rating for facilities. Similarly, residents rated the 24-hour concierge, resident services and security teams a near-perfect 4.95 for building management.
Rory Cramer, CEO and co-founder of HomeViews, said: “Duet has already established itself as an exemplary build to rent scheme in the UK in terms of its design, construction and ongoing management – a credit to all involved.”
Marc Gilbard, CEO of Moorfield Group commented: “We’re pleased that Duet has been named the UK’s best residential building by our residents. When we entered the build to rent market we put an enormous amount of thought and time into building the brand standards we wanted our schemes to be designed and operated to, always with a hospitality led approach.
“The teams at Glenbrook and Allsop have been instrumental in helping us bring this to fruition through their respective detail focused development and operational management,” he added. “The recognition that Moorfield is now receiving in the build to rent sector is a reflection of the time we have spent providing high quality homes across the age and stage spectrum, from student accommodation through to retirement living. This exciting evolution of residential provision will continue to be a key focus of ours.”
A joint architecture/interiors team from architects Sheppard Robson was responsible for Duet’s design. Helen Berresford, head of the practice’s interiors group ID:SR, expressed her delight at the positive response to the building:
“I always feel like it’s those real user scores that are the most important of all. Our work is all about a people-centric understanding. Residential buildings have to be desirable or they don’t wash. We’re very, very proud.”
Read our full interviews with lead interior designer Helen Berresford and Duet’s building manager Dougie Orton-Wade. Find out more about Duet and the other 19 of the Top 20 new developments in Manchester according to residents.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, landlords and the Government to recognise high performers and help to improve standards in the built environment.
