Brook Place, S11

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

We are just about to start our 3rd year here - and this is the second time we’ve lived here. We love the place; the location is perfect with easy access to the City Centre by foot, M&S Food, Waitrose, Aldi and Tesco are all within a few minutes walk as well as the vibrant Ecclesall Road and Sharrow Vale Road. So there’s no need for a car and there are numerous bus services including the Bakewell bus which is one minute away, taking you straight out to the Peak District. If you own a car there is some free parking on the streets around the building and some other paid options just a few minutes away. There’s also a secure garage below the flats but spaces there come at a price.

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

We haven’t had any real problems. The only minor issue I recollect was the plastic strip at the bottom of the glass shower door had perished and split - we reported it to reception and it was dealt with in just a few days.

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

The building is pet-friendly; I enjoy meeting owners dogs in the lift but there could be noise or mess issues if you live next door to some animals. I don’t think there are issues but it could be worth asking before you take a flat.

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

Very convenient for shops, as it's at the start of Ecclesall Road, so you have Waitrose, Aldi, Tesco and M&S within a 10 min walk, as well as countless bars and restaurants. Street parking can be tricky especially at busy times but generally fine if you drive around for a minute. Not as noisy as it may seem.

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

Maintenance reporting was very smooth and quick, with most issues repaired the same day.

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

As the building is a new built, the only energy type available is electricity only, which means higher energy bills at times.

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

Positives: Ecclesall Road is just a few minutes walk away so good amount of cafes, restaurants, ALDI and Waitrose etc within walking distance. There's a GP ten minutes walk away too. Good bus access - also few minutes walk away - and will get you into city centre and some areas of the peaks. Negatives: Non-reserved parking appears to be difficult, but we don't have a car so this is only based on our guests reports rather than a daily issue we deal with. There is also onsite parking. Quite a lot of noise from streets, but that's expected considering the area. Only notice it when need windows open during the night.

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

Issues are usually quickly dealt with from a customer service perspective, but I don't think that the solutions are always satisfactory. One issue was the dehumidifier/extractor - somebody was sent to look at this, but those workmen told us that it was an issue of replacement and that they could do nothing to help. The fan is incredibly loud and has become an issue for me from a disability standpoint. When we asked, we were informed that the building management was in the process of fixing this, but we're unsure how long this process will take. Many people in the building have the same issue, so it is not an isolated issue.

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

Our electricity bills are quite high for a one bedroom flat with 2 people and normal electricity usage, so I wonder if this is due to the boiler setup? Or the dehumidifier?

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

Fantastic for the university, or young professionals looking for a place to rent just outside the city

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

Reception again were incredible, it's the team above that were frustrating

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

There is planned development next door, this is going to become noisy, and increase traffic in the area long term

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

The property is only a short walk from Ecclesall Road, with loads of shops, cafes and restaurants. You get a range of grocery stores in all budget ranges, with Aldi and Waitrose on one end, and M&S and Tescos on the other. The building sits next to Porter Brook and the Cemetery, which is lovely for a walk in the afternoon, as well as the Botanical Gardens only 7 minutes up the road. Transportation wise, its okay. Ecclesall Road is notorious for its unreliable traffic and busyness however the property sits at the very start towards the city so it's not affected much. Summerfield street however is a nightmare, especially during rush hour as you get cars coming from all sides, and the crossroad doesn't help at all. There have been quite a few times where we would hear screaming and police cars down the street, and we often got people pointing at our window with a laser beam. Parking is also a nightmare during rush hour and the covered private parking pricing is extortionate London prices which makes no sense. The bin rooms are quite big so there's always space and the bin collections seem to have been very organized. Traffic noise wise, the double windows help a lot and we rarely had issues with noise coming from outside.

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

Whenever we had issues with any appliances they responded promptly.

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

The fact that its electricity only as well as a new built doesn't make it cheaper for energy bills and such