Bedford House, CR0

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

I’m happy as I’m near a main train station and bus stop, the bin collections are weekly and the maintenance people keep it tidy and clean. The building is with solid double glazing windows and good seals so I do not hear street noise. The landlord is actively addressing an insect infestation of ants currently.

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

Quite well without too much if a delay to act, there’s still a few outstanding issues though.

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

There is nothing I’d of liked to know before I moved in.

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

Close to Croydon town centre so plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, etc. Transport links are many: buses, trains & trams. Street can be a bit dirty but busy with plenty of shops.

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

Most repairs are fixed within a week or so. Some can take months.

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

I wish I realised that there is no secure bike storage.

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

The range of shops are quite good, we have a local tesco, many news agents, a solicitors, DIY shop and beauty salons a new cafe has opened up the road and quite a few takeaway shops although not many restaurants at all. There's a few parks around the area and pubs all within walking distance. The transport is good; buses just outside the apartment or a walk away and then the main Croydon train stations are not far either. The area is a bit untidy and has a lot of signs of poverty and even street crime but generally its quite okay.

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

I wish it was more of popular place to swap with, as I would like to move from the area one day in the near future but unfortunately its not very desired, from my years of experience of property searching. I wish I knew I couldn't own part of it as I'd like a place I can part own one day soon and I wish I knew we weren't allowed a plant in the foyer as it just looks cold and poverty stricken and dire without. The car spaces were also very pricey which was not helpful.

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

The immediate area has a good selection of small stores: Tesco Express and many ethnic groceries; also various harware stores. It is not far to walk to Croydon town centre where there are larger shops. There is a good Chinese takeaway across the road. There are also plenty of chicken and chips takeaways in the local area. Also one or two ethnic eateries. For bars and dining out, one would need to go into or around Croydon town. There is no green space in or around the block. For transport, there are a numbber of bus routes that stop very close to the block. West Croydon train and bus station is within walking distance. East Croydon station, with high speed trains to London, Gatwick and Brighton, is a 25 minute walk or a bus ride away. Croydon has trams to Wimbledon, Beckeenham and New Addington. Each flat in owner occupied 1 Bensham Lane has a single parking space in a covered car park. Cars enter via fob operated gates which frequently do not work and are left open. Pedestrians can enter from the road through a fob operated pedestrian gate. Residents of 3 Bensham Lane can also enter via an exit from their block even though they have no car parking spaces there. The same applies to the block on London road. There is no free parking in the street during weekday daytimes, though there are metered spaces where one can park for a limited time. After 5pm and on Sundays, parking on the single lines is free. There is a lot of traffic noise, especially from emergency vehicle sirens and motorists sounding their horns, although when the windows are closed, the double glazing mitigates the sound significantly. The area in which the block is located tends to have a numer of less desirable people who have been known to cause trouble in the car park when the gates are left open. In the evenings and night some local anti-social behaviour can occur. I would not recommend single women to walk between the block and West Croydon station in the dark evening when crowds of youths congregate on the streets. There have been a number of stabbings recently.

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

I am an owner occupier so Clarion will not help with internal repairs. For small repairs in the communal areas, they are reasonably responsive. For more major issues such as the car park gates or the lift out of action, one may wait for some time.

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

I wish I had known that secure bike storage is unavailable. I wish I had known that there high speed broadband is unavailable. The internet is the copper cable ADSL. I had assumed that a block as new as this would have fibre to the flat or, ate the very least, fibre to the cabinet but this is not the case. It is impossible to obtain an estimate of when this might become available although the residents are attempting to have it installed privately, i.e not through BT Openreach.

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

There is plenty of parking around the flats and a few residential parking bays underneath the flats. Public transport is extremely easy.

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

There is a very nice view, especially when the sun is setting which gives a lovely calm atmosphere.