A guide to living in Dorset

We were looking forward to moving into potters wood as we bought off plan and it looked very nice . after three years of being in this house, we are still having issues and it seems that Pennyfarthing don’t really care and with very bad communication.

The development is a great location, and looks wonderful aesthetically (interior and exterior). A lot of things in flat needed repairs however, and to get a booking it could take weeks to a month. Also parcels have been getting stolen a lot so security could be better!

Building is not too good to be honest as we have been having lots of issues over past couple of years but the plus is that it gets really warm all year round really so we do not really have to use the heating in teh winter and obviously summer. It is ok.

The building is very ascetically pleasant I must say. The flat is warm and requires no heating during the winter, which has a very positive impact when it comes to paying bills. Unfortunately tho, the quality of the building is not great. Out of 3 lifts, only 1 or 2 work at the same time and the lights flick constantly.

The apartments themselves are typically very nice (assuming the previous tenant looked after it). The private roof top garden on floor 14 is nice although the panels have been ripped off the building, there is a burnt patch of plastic grass and we will soon loose our view/sun light to the building being developed next door. The communal lounge has seen better days. Although it has a very nice view, everything is in the lounge is worn and battered. The doors from the lounge to the garden are literally screwed shut and have been broken for 2+ years. The floor is warped from the consistent leaks/flooding. The Gym is small but typically clean and well kept by the residents. Ideal for light work outs. Events at the helm are very hit and miss. When done properly, they cannot be faulted however, they’re inconsistent and poorly advertised. Parking at the Helm is not included in the rent and has more than doubled over the past 12-18 months. The car park is always flooded. The shutters to the carpark are typically broke every other month and bikes are not safe as some members of the community decide to make the carpark their new home/help themselves. The energy supplier for the Helm make up the figures as they go and charge what ever they feel is right. When issues are raised with the energy supplier, they advise to speak with the building manager who of course, sends you back to the supplier. Any issue reported in this building is “noted” and “passed on”. Items required for repairs are always “on order, will be here in 2 weeks” - this has been the case for months. Maintenance is not existent in the Helm, if you want something fixed you’re better off doing it yourself. You’ll find out maintenance guy sat outside the front of the building next door, with a coffee and a cigarette. Our night security typically shut the office door and catch some sleep. They do not answer the phone when required. As tenants, we are consistently told by building management that repairs are coming, improvements will be made, consistent events happening, refurbishments in the works. We are yet to see any of this happen. Management occasionally write their own positive reviews on Google to increase the bonuses they receive from their employers. Rent prices increase while the standards of this building are just about maintained. Once an alternative high end apartment building becomes available, the Helm will be left in the dust