A guide to living in Canary Wharf

I live on the 69th floor of the Landmark Pinnacle which has become a daily struggle with chronic as well as dangerous lift failures. What should be a flagship residential sky scraper has instead become a daily endurance test where residents joke about how "we take our chances". The situation has been ongoing for 5 years now. It was something I used to say (in my typically optimistic way) “oh it's only teething problems with a new building.” This has proven to be sadly untrue. It has become chronic and systematic with a feeling that we are taking a gamble with our lives to go back to our homes - not funny but dangerous. The lifts fail CONSTANTLY. NOT UNPREDICTABLY BUT CONSTANTLY. Here I document only the past week: 18/04/27 2 LIFTS OUT OF ORDER 17/04/26 ALL 3 LIFTS OUT OF ORDER. - NO ACCESS TO OUR HOMES 18/04/26 LIFT F OUT AT 9:20AM 18/04/26 ALL 3 LIFTS OUT AT 12PM - NO ACCESS TO OUR HOMES 18/4/26 ALL 3 LIFTS OUT AGAIN AT 4;52 - NO ACCESS TO OUR HOMES 19/4/26 1 LIFT OUT OF ORDER AT 8:30AM 20/4/26 1 LIFT OUT OF ORDER AT 9AM 20/4/26 1 LIFT OUT OF ORDER AT 12PM 21/4/26 (AT THIS MOMENT) 1 LIFT G OUT OF ORDER These failures are not inconveniences they have created genuine safety risks. Neighbours have been trapped in and had to be pulled out to safety. Medical teams visiting 2 disabled people were not able to get to their patients. grocery deliveries and appointments have had to be cancelled as people are left stranded in the lobby. Living here means the insecurity of not knowing if you will be able to get home, go out or get help when you need it. Until, the lift system here at the Tower of Terror is rebuilt, modernised and properly maintained, the building can not be considered safe - and certainly not worth the premium that we paid and pay to live here. Our concerns have been sent in writing to the governmental departments that handle this type of situation especially in high rise buildings. I have also informed all the managers of the building itself. There has NOT BEEN one reply! There has not been one apology. Then again apologies are cheap - like the way things are done here - on the cheap! I will keep this review updated every week.

The building is modern, stylish, and very well designed, with great facilities that make everyday living комфортним. The gym, pool, co-working spaces, and common areas are a big плюс and are always clean and well maintained. The community aspect is also nice, with regular events that help people connect. Management is generally helpful and responsive, and the building feels secure with 24/7 reception. The rooms are компактні but thoughtfully designed, making good use of space. Considering the location, facilities, and overall experience, it’s a very good place to live, especially for young professionals.

The design of the building is great! The mix of social, work and private space is very well done. The cleanliness of the building is a slight let down, areas could do with a lick of paint/ repair. Reception are very helpful in pointing you in the right direction/ helping you.

Poor living experience. The noise from the creaking walls is simply unbearable. When it's windy it sounds like being on a ship in a storm. The whole building groans loudly and at times I can even feel it sway. Even in low winds there is a persistent creaking noise from the swaying all around the flat. Last week the noise was going on almost every day, almost 24 hours a day. It has been impossible to sleep at night. It's taking a toll on my mental health. My neighbour has a daughter and the noise is affecting her performance at school because she can't sleep on nights before exams. Given how much we paid for this flat I would have expected a more sturdy structure. The developer did some work on the roof to mitigate the noise but nothing has changed. I'll have to move out because this doesn't feel like a home at all. A place where you oftentimes can't sleep isn't a home. I understand it's an interesting architectural design, but I'd rather live in a normally shaped building and have no wind creaking noise. The noise is also very "3D" in that it comes from the entire surrounding structure, making it impossible to block out with earplugs or mask with music. Perhaps the building was designed with a lightweight structure for aesthetic reasons, but this means I have this persistent creaking noise problem and I can feel the tube nearby passing (DLR) like a low frequency vibration noise

I live at 8 Water Street, managed by Vertus. On 17 October 2025, a ceiling hatch in our bathroom suddenly fell and hit me on my head, causing a documented head injury and concussion (A&E visit, ongoing follow-up). This was a serious health and safety incident inside a relatively new, high-end rental building. Despite that, as of 3 March 2026 (five months later!): The ceiling hole in our bathroom still has not been repaired at all. There has been no straightforward acceptance of responsibility from Vertus, Canary Wharf Group or their insurer. We’ve had to chase repeatedly just to get partial updates and vague promises. The building itself looks nice from the outside, but our experience of how Vertus has handled a very basic safety failure and a vulnerable resident has been extremely disappointing: slow, defensive, and lacking in ownership. If you are considering renting here, be aware that when something goes seriously wrong, you may be left chasing for months for basic repairs, clarity, accountability and still get nothing.