A guide to living in Barking

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Lots of restaurants have opened and closed in the last two years, so there is always variety and something new. Very walkable area and everything is 5 minutes or less (including the station) so it's very accessible. Not much noise from traffic.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

The bin rooms are often overflowing and I put in a request once and they were emptied the next day. Not sure if that was because of my request or just a coincidence. But reception is always friendly.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Nothing really to add here, apartment is great and no complaints about Barking.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Just arrived so can't speak too much about the area but it seems quite nice. There's a large park next to the building and the station isn't far. And the ASDA and Tesco are great stores and nearby.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Haven't needed to involve management for any issues but there's an app for maintenance requests.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Still exploring the area but I didn't know the market was open nearly every day which is nice. And there a lot of bus routes which is also great.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Not much anti-social behaviour that I've noticed, always something going on in the area like the market or events, Barking station is less than 10 minutes walk from the flat.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

No major issues, except when I couldn't receive a package in time and it had to be returned to sender. But reception had communicated via email they wouldn't be there in advance so it wasn't anyone's fault really. Other than that, no issues.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The area has a lot more going on than expected, which can be both a plus and a minus. Depending on what your vibe is and what you're after in your community.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

The energy of the area is unmatched. The market, the park, and the restaurants all contribute to a sense of community. That said, it's not quiet. If you're looking for a calm, residential feel, this isn't it. And the ongoing gentrification is changing the vibe, and prices are rising fast.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Reception is helpful and tries their best. The issue is follow-through—contractors take too long and sometimes don’t show up when scheduled. You have to be proactive if something goes wrong.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I didn’t realize how slow the maintenance process would be. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it does test your patience. Facing the park means lots of natural light—but also lots of sound.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

The area is vibrant and multicultural. You’ll find a blend of African, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Eastern European influences—especially in the food scene. It feels active and diverse, and the nearby market adds to that buzz, though it does contribute to some noise on busy days.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

If you raise a maintenance issue through the app, the reception is good about responding. The delay often comes from the contractors—they can be slow or hard to reach. Communication can be confusing, especially since tenants are sometimes expected to coordinate between reception and contractors themselves.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I had realized how rapidly the area was developing. The increase in construction and gentrification means rising rent and a changing vibe. Also, the apartment building itself hasn’t kept pace with newer options in terms of sustainability and modern features.