A guide to living in Borough of Barnet

I recently became aware of this review page after learning that a select group of residents were invited to submit reviews in exchange for entry into a voucher competition. While I was not asked to participate, I feel it is important to share my experience for anyone considering moving into Maple, as my time here has been disappointing and below what I would expect from a premium new build. I moved into Maple in June 2025, and since then I have experienced numerous issues. Below are just some examples: Mould: A large patch of black, furry mould appeared on my wall due to a leak from the neighbouring flat. This issue took a considerable amount of time to resolve and required an industrial dehumidifier to be running in my flat for over a week. Flat front door: A cheaper, incorrect paint was used on the flat front doors, causing the door to stick to the frame and making it extremely difficult to open. Management eventually admitted that the wrong paint had been used as a cost saving measure. They attempted to repaint it, but the door failed to dry properly, forcing me to keep my front door open for three days. Only then was it agreed that the door needed to be replaced entirely. Sofa: My sofa fell apart within months due to incorrect installation. A contractor who attended showed me that screws had been left loose. When I requested a replacement, management falsely claimed that the damage was caused by "guests sleeping on the sofa", something I have never done. The contractor later changed his account to say the sofa had been fitted correctly and that I had caused the damage. This felt like an attempt to avoid responsibility rather than resolve the issue honestly. Leaks and damp: The balcony tiles above my flat were not fitted correctly, allowing rainwater to leak into my property. As a result, I now have damp patches on my ceiling edge and water entering my flat during rainfall. False information and sales conduct: The sales representative was rude to me on multiple occasions and provided false information in order to close the sale. Promises were made regarding the opening of facilities, which were later delayed by many months with no compensation offered. My advice to prospective tenants: get absolutely everything in writing. Utility providers: Residents are restricted to specific utility providers, and the rates offered are not competitive. Balcony door: The balcony door has not been fitted correctly and allows cold air to enter the flat. Despite multiple visits, this issue remains unresolved. Washing machine and Wi-Fi: The washing machine cannot be used at the same time as the Wi-Fi. This is a known issue affecting multiple flats. Communication and management: Communication with management is extremely poor and requires constant chasing. Issues take an unreasonably long time to resolve. Following an incident where we allowed contractors into the flat while I was out, I no longer feel comfortable allowing access unless I am present. On a positive note, the concierge is great and have always helped me. They have also put on a couple of events, I haven't been able to attend many due to my working hours but the one I went to was nice. Overall, Maple appears to prioritise appearance over quality and accountability. My experience has been stressful, time consuming, and wholly inconsistent with the expectations set for a premium development. I would strongly urge anyone considering moving here to do thorough research and proceed with caution.

I have lived in my new flat for over two weeks now and I honestly love it. It is so stunning and cosy and the decor is also so pretty. Everything has been thought out a lot and it shows. Also the furniture is comfy and also very sleek and stylish too!

The design of the communal areas is impecable! The flats themselves too. Sadly though, the materials used for the flats are very cheap. We've started noticing easily stained walls and cracks after as soon as a week of moving in - so not sure what that will do for our deposit. To list the positives, the flats themselves are filled with high spec electrical equipment which is nice, but very little thought has gone into crafting a functional kitchen/dining space. If you're someone that enjoys cooking, you'll find that your counter top space is severely restricted. The facilities....well, they're "Alright" when they work. As others have noted, the service is inconsistent. The gym is not that great to be honest, it's always relatively warm and the range of equipment is limited. There was an attempt to introduce classes but the schedule was chaotic. The pool is nice when it's open, but the opening hours don't really work for working professionals and is not the 24 hours I was promised.

The development is nice. Good finishings. Clean and has been easy to settle into and get used to. As it is a new development, issues are expected and this has been the case for me, but all issues have been resolved promptly and with ease. All issues have been taken seriously and the staff understand the inconvenience.

I’ve lived at the development for a few months and, unfortunately, the day-to-day reality has been very different from what was presented during viewings. My main advice to anyone considering moving in is simple: don’t rely on anything you’re told unless it’s confirmed in writing and don't get caught up by the flashiness. A number of key promises haven’t materialised. We were told the square would be opening within months; it still hasn’t, and we’ve since been told it won’t be fully open until 2026. We were also told the pool and sauna would be available 24/7 — they’re not. These might sound like small details, but they’re central to how the development is marketed and priced, and the gap between the “lifestyle” pitch and the lived experience is a recurring theme. From a design perspective, the building looks good on paper and in marketing materials, but it doesn’t translate into good value in practice. For the rent being charged, you expect the basics to be seamless and the headline facilities to be reliably available. Instead, amenities feel inconsistent and poorly managed. The pool situation in particular has become genuinely frustrating: restricted hours despite the original promise, and closures at short notice for “emergencies” or “maintenance”, or because nobody turns up to open it. At this price point, it’s hard to justify paying a premium for facilities you can’t consistently use. Building and property management have also been a major downside. Responsiveness is poor, complaints don’t go anywhere, and following up feels pointless because issues repeat without meaningful change. Communication is often chaotic and reactive rather than clear and proactive, which adds to the sense that resident experience isn’t a priority. To be fair, the concierge team can be excellent when the right people are on shift, but there’s been noticeable turnover, and I’ve repeatedly struggled in the evenings due to a language barrier, which makes basic requests more difficult than they should be. Finally, the costs don’t stop at rent. Utilities are expensive, with centralised heating/hot water and steep charges, including a minimum standing charge of around £40/month for hot water before any usage. That pushes the overall cost of living even higher, and makes the value proposition feel worse. Overall, I wouldn’t choose to live here again. The development is marketed as premium living, but inconsistent facilities, poor management response, and high ongoing costs mean it doesn’t deliver anything close to premium value for money.