A guide to living in East Midlands

Excellent

67.3%

Very Good

23.8%

Average

6.3%

Disappointing

1.3%

Very poor

1.3%

Best places to live in East Midlands

How is ranking calculated?

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and the amount of verified reviews over the past 12 months.

Viewing 1-5 out of 182

Rental Only
Award Winner 2025

British Waterways, NG1

By Native Communities

Award winner 2025

4.86

4.86

(39 reviews)

A vibrant community of residents that feels like family, with the freedom to join in as much or as little as you like. Easy access to neighbourhood bars and restaurants in Nottingham. And a unique, Grade-II listed apartment that you’re proud to call home in an iconic location. Find it all at British Waterways.
1st

Ranked 1st out of 116 in East Midlands

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Award Winner 2025

The Saxons, LE1

By Centrick - Built for Renters

Award winner 2025

4.83

4.83

(62 reviews)

The Saxons comprises one and two bedroom apartments, with light from large, wrap-around windows. Although the development is in one of the most central locations in the city, each unit has been designed to offer privacy that feels removed from the hustle and bustle outside. With the city’s largest shopping centre located just across the road, those living at The Saxons can not only enjoy all of the on-site amenities, but also have easy access to a range of dining, entertainment, and retail options right on their doorstep.
2nd

Ranked 2nd out of 116 in East Midlands

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Award Winner 2025

The Wullcomb, LE1

By Way of Life

Award winner 2025

4.72

4.72

(276 reviews)

The Wullcomb is a Build to Rent development managed by Way of Life, located in the heart of Leicester. The building offers 297 apartments with a mix of spacious Manhattan studios alongside one and two-bedroom apartments. Residents have the option of choosing a furnished or unfurnished apartment. Additionally, there are a wide range of facilities and amenities on site. These include 24h concierge, secure car park and cycle storage, a rooftop terrace, a shared kitchen and dining space with modern lounge and a private theatre room.
3rd

Ranked 3rd out of 116 in East Midlands

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Award Winner 2025

Queen Street Quarter, LE1

By BTR Operating Ltd.

Award winner 2025

4.54

4.54

(96 reviews)

A blend of classic and contemporary flats. A friendly, welcoming community of 230 homes. A prime city centre location. And a refreshing approach to renting. We think you’ll find that Queen Street Quarter is a special place to live. Imagine coming home to take a dip in the pool, relax in the coal-fired sauna, or a workout in our fully equipped, premium gym. Our stylish lounge and games room are perfect for unwinding when you’re feeling sociable. While the workspace makes working from home a pleasure. It’s central Leicester location means everything is a short walk away.
4th

Ranked 4th out of 116 in East Midlands

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Award Winner 2025

The Arches, LE3

By Native Communities

Award winner 2025

4.49

4.49

(82 reviews)

The Arches, managed by Native Communities, offers 184 brand new ready-to-rent apartments, close to Leicester city centre. With a choice of courtyard and riverside views, the studio, one and two bedrooms feature high quality appliances and are finished to a high standard. Amenities on offer include a resident's lounge, gym, media room and work space as well as secure underground parking and bike storage.
5th

Ranked 5th out of 116 in East Midlands

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Page 1 of 37

Featured developments in East Midlands

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Latest Reviews in East Midlands

2473 total reviews

Viewing 1-5 out of 2473

Reviews marked with a green tick show tenants whose residency we have been able to verify. Those that could not be verified are marked 'unverified'.

Brian (Tenant)

Verified Resident

British Waterways, NG1

Jul 2026

5
5
This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.
5

Great place to live.

Brian (Tenant)

Verified Resident

British Waterways, NG1

Jul 2026

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

Good location, lots of restaurants, cafes and shops all within a short walking distance. Just 5 minutes walk to train and coach station.

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

Building management is excellent. They respond fast. I reported a jammed door lock and Christos responded promptly. The door lock was fixed quickly and professionally.

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

No parking but not an issue with me, public transport like buses and trams very close by.


HomeViews

Catherine (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Arches, LE3

Jul 2026

4
4
This is rated 4.00 out of 5.00.
4

Nice lovely place

Catherine (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Arches, LE3

Jul 2026

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

Hello, I have just moved here for about a month or so and honestly the place is quite nice. It has a good location relative to the city centre and is a nice distance away from St Margaret’s bus station (11min walk) and the train station (25min walk). There is a cinema, a bowling alley, lots of shops and restaurants close by and a good amount of grocery shops like Sainsbury’s Local (2min walk), Aldi and Lidl (15min walk). The area is quiet in its self but unfortunately there is a bit of construction going on right beside the building. So from around 7.30 am you can hear building noises and shouting. But it’s ok when you close the windows. Of course I keep them open because it’s quite warm. One downside of the area is when you are just walking up to it. There is a quite a bit of graffiti under the bridge and a bit of rubbish around. But after you get past that area the area is nice and lovely with a river nearby. Leicester seems to be big on graffiti so the locals are a bit used to it. For parking, the building has private parking in the building, I’m not too sure about availability. There is also a bit of parking in front as well. I haven’t experienced any anti social behaviour. I know there is a student building nearby but haven’t heard much from them so all is well.

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

I am someone who is quite forgetful so tend to walk out of my apartment without my key. Thankfully whenever I contacted management in regards to this they were always willing to help. Also whenever I had any questions about the development, they were answered quite promptly which was nice.

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

Honestly everything was kind of explained to me during my viewing. One thing I would say I wished I knew before was the hot water situation and the graffiti around Leicester. I also wish I knew they didn’t have compost bins as I am used to them but it doesn’t bother me too much. Also I wasn’t aware that my bed was going to be kind sized so it was a bit annoying ordering a smaller sized cover before realising.


HomeViews

Bingshu R (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Saxons, LE1

Jul 2026

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

5
5
This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.
5

Excellent Facilities and Convenient Location

Bingshu R (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Saxons, LE1

Jul 2026

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

The building offers excellent facilities, including a well-equipped gym and yoga classes, making it easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The surrounding neighborhood is also very convenient. There is a larger fitness center nearby for those who want more options, as well as a large shopping mall where you can find everything you need. There is even an indoor climbing gym for sports enthusiasts. In addition, a beautiful park is only a ten-minute walk away, providing a great place to relax, exercise, or enjoy the outdoors. Overall, it is a fantastic location with everything close at hand.

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

The building management has always been friendly, professional, and responsive. Whenever I raised a question or reported an issue, they responded promptly and handled it efficiently. They kept me informed throughout the process and made sure everything was resolved satisfactorily. Their excellent service has made my living experience much more comfortable and stress-free.

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

One thing I wish I had known before moving in is how convenient the location really is. Besides the facilities in the building, there are larger gyms, a shopping mall, an indoor climbing gym, and a lovely park all within walking distance. I would also recommend making full use of the building’s amenities and getting to know the management team, as they are very friendly and helpful whenever you need assistance. Overall, it has been a great place to live.


Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

SM (Tenant)

Unverified

British Waterways, NG1

Jul 2026

5
5
This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.
5

Brief review on facilities 😅

SM (Tenant)

Unverified

British Waterways, NG1

Jul 2026

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

There's a Tesco about 5 mins walk and big Sainsbury's about 10 mins from the apartment making it very easy for all kinds of needs. There's very minimal traffic noise compared to the previous apartment I as at definitely.

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

They have very prompt with all the issues we have so far, so that's definitely great

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

Nothing specific as of now. A gym in the apartment building would have been grand


HomeViews

M (Tenant)

Unverified

Leaf Living at Western Gate, NN7

Jun 2026

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

4
4
This is rated 4.00 out of 5.00.
4

More than happy with my leaf living home

M (Tenant)

Unverified

Leaf Living at Western Gate, NN7

Jun 2026

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

Excellent links to the M1 Shops & supermarket close by It will be beneficial once there are local shops on the development

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

Yes as mentioned I had to contact the out of hours team.

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

Perhaps if you are situated close to social housing


Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

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These reviews are the subjective opinion of a HomeViews user and not of HomeViews

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