A guide to living in Devon

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

The Gorge is in the heart of the town so it is easy to commute to & fro places by public transport or a private car Bin collection is great, traffic noise levels are at the barest minimum & easy access to a good range of local shops.

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

Prompt, immediate , with a great sense of urgency and issue is always resolved

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

That I had to pay separately for washing my clothes.

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

Living in co-living studios in Exeter is generally very good and convenient. The accommodation is modern, clean, and fully furnished, with bills usually included which makes living easy and stress-free. It is close to the city centre, shops, restaurants, and public transport, so everything is within easy reach. Transport links are good, with regular buses and easy access around Exeter. The area is usually safe and pleasant to live in. On the downside, rent can be quite expensive and rooms are quite small. Parking is limited and the city centre can sometimes be busy or noisy. Overall, it is a comfortable and well-located place to live with good facilities and convenience.

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

Building management has generally responded well to any issues raised. Maintenance requests are usually handled quickly and efficiently, and staff are helpful and approachable. Problems are taken seriously and resolved in a reasonable time, which makes living here comfortable and stress-free.

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

The building is very modern and well managed, communal areas can sometimes get busy at peak times, especially the gym and lounges. Another useful tip is that parking is very limited and can be expensive, so it’s better to rely on public transport if possible. Overall, it’s a very convenient and comfortable place to live, but being prepared for the smaller space and high demand for shared facilities helps a lot.

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

Very close to the city centre. No designated parking and the prices of laundry are probably the biggest let down. Whenever I have had a maintenance issue, the staff have been quick to respond and fix it.

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

I have had a few issues that have required maintenance however, the staff are always quick to address it. If it cannot be fixed immediately, every apologetic and often allow you to use a spare room until the problems can be resolved.

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

The parking situation is a real problem. Most people moving in need space to unload their cars and you are told to rely on the Waitrose car park across the road to do this. The website and tour need to be more specific about the parking situation.

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

The property is in a great location, right opposite Waitrose and a 10-15 minute walk into the city centre. The area is quiet for the most part despite being near a very main road

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

All of my problems and issues were always prioritised and dealt with efficiently. Whether this be questions about fire drills or flexibility about my tenancy, I was always impressed by how well my queries were handled.

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

I have lived in the same apartment at The Gorge twice, so before my first tenancy, the only thing I would have wished I'd known was that sound carries from the hallways more than I expected. As I chose a room right by the lift and stairwell, and overlooking the entrance to the communal kitchen, there was sometimes a little more background noise than I would have liked. But, over time I grew used to the small amount of noise and it didn't bother me at all. I moved back into the same flat later on, so it really wasn't an issue! But for those who don't like too much surrounding noise, consider choosing a room on a higher level or far away from elevators and stairwells.

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

It is a bit of a mixed bag really, public transport wise it is near a lot of major routes across Exeter and the wider region and it is a short walk from the city centre, There is a Waitrose across the road and Magdalen Rd a road of restaurants and shops is close by. There is an abandoned building next door which can be a magnet for trouble and the main road is quite close an choked with traffic a significant amount of the time.

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

Maintenance issues have been dealt with swiftly, and other things such as noise issues in my experience have also been dealt with, although I have heard from others with more serious issues that there can be problems if you don't have more than one tenant complaining.

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

The lack of temperature control in the shared spaces and that the shared laundry is quite small for the amount of tenants in the building