A guide to living in East Midlands

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

The location is one of The Wullcomb's biggest selling points. It is couple of minutes walk from the city center, so shops and restaurants are all on your doorstep and St Margaret's bus station is just around the corner making getting around a breeze. There's a Sainsbury's bang opposite to the building for everyday essentials, and within the building itself you have Esquires coffee shop and a private fitness center. Leicester Royal Infirmary is also just a few minutes away, which is hugely reassuring and the area has several GPs, dental clinics and schools nearby making it a great fit for all kinds of residents. The building has on site parking and for guests, there are few onsite parking space and ample paid parking around the building. Despite being on a main road, the traffic noise is surprisingly low. Bins are managed by the concierge team so that's one less thing to think about. In terms of safety, Always felt very secure — access to the building is restricted, the concierge team are on hand around the clock, and it's a genuinely safe environment, great for families and kids too.

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

In my nearly 5 years of stay, I had requested adjustments due to unexpected situations, Karl always responded positively. Whenever anything came up, the response was prompt and reassuring. The concierge team are available around the clock and on the couple of occasions things needed dealing with quickly, they were straight on it — no fuss, no delays. Always felt like things were being handled by people who actually cared. Zero headache.

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

After nearly 5 years, honestly there's not much I wish I'd known , which is a good sign. I have no complaints. It genuinely felt like more than just a place to live. That's hard to get from a viewing alone.

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

Only the location is good. Bins are always full. Sometimes the bin area is open, and strangers come and go and dig into the bins.

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

The ladies at reception tried their best, but there were loads of problems to deal with.

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

Electricity is going to be a big part of the monthly bills. If you find better other places , think twice if you want to rent here.

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

The perfect balance of being close to town center but also being safely and peacefully just outside. It’s a safe and secure building with a great parcel collection protocol. The only issue I have is that it’s not super close to a supermarket (although there is a sainsburies local just down the road)

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

I asked about the beep in my fridge and it was fixed in the same day

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

I asked loads of questions before I moved in and Abbie was super attentive so everything I wanted to know was explained to me

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

Parking for residents is limited and poorly designed. What developer builds a 4-bed house with one parking space on a driveway? Parking space for visitors is non-existent so expect clogged up roads throughout the development Bin collections are good and generally reliable - they take more recycling here and general rubbish than other areas we've lived Public transport is limited and only from the centre of Bolsover- a 15 minute walk away from this development. You need a car or be prepared to get taxis if public transport isn't for you Doctors are pretty good. There is no NHS dentist in Bolsover so expect to travel of any are taking patients on We've been here 3 years and were expecting more upgrades/enhancements to the centre of Bolsover by now with all the new estates/homeowners buying but apart from a few nice coffee shops, the centre is full of takeaways or tlbarbers/hairdressers so little on offer to spend money here rather than Chesterfield, Sheffield etc. Makes you wonder what Bolsover District Council are spending their money on?

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

The lack of car parking for residents and visitors is so poor its laughable. If we'd have spent time looking at this more thoroughly we'd probably not have bought the house We'd also wished we'd have spoken to residents before buying as if an honest opinion was given by most from Sutherland Farm View, Boleappleton and Nether View, again we probably wouldn't have purchased on this development

What is the best feature of your home:

The design of the house is excellent giving spacious living areas we thought we'd relish

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

Living on the canal side of The Arches is incredibly convenient. From the side entrance, there is a Londis less than two minutes away, and the new Sainsbury’s on Highcross Street is right by the main entrance for larger shops. Being so close to a Big Tesco on Narborough Road, Aldi on Woodgate, Highcross, and Jubilee Square means everything you need is within walking distance, including great spots like Wygston’s House. The building is well-set up with two large communal bin areas and two very secure bike storage zones, which is a huge plus. While street parking is permit-only and can get busy, the permit zone is quite wide, so I’ve always been able to find a space nearby. It’s a fantastic location that balances city-centre access with the slightly quieter feel of the canal bend.

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

We’ve had a few issues, but the management team has generally handled them with a lot of care. For instance, our cooker hob shattered on Christmas Eve, which was a nightmare timing-wise. While it took a few weeks to get a permanent replacement, Mia and Abbie were very supportive and even let us use a vacant flat to cook in so we could still cook during the weeks waiting. My only real gripe was with the third-party contractors they hired; they cut the power to my flat without warning while I was working from home, which caused me to lose work on my computer. A simple heads-up would have gone a long way! We’ve also had a bit of a miss with the window cleaners lately—our side of the building (the canal side) seems to have been skipped, so the windows are still quite dirty. Hopefully, the team can get them back out soon! On the security side, there is occasionally some noise or trouble from the nearby student accommodation. Still, it’s reassuring that we have on-site security and good connections with the local police. Despite the odd city-centre incident you might see in the news, I’ve generally felt that the building is a safe and well-managed bubble.

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

I wish I had known just how much there is to take advantage of here! First, don’t ignore the building app or the event posters; Mia and Abbie put so much effort into the social nights, and they are honestly the best way to meet your neighbours. If you work or study from home, keep in mind that the private study rooms are popular and can get snatched up quickly, so it’s worth heading down early or exploring the various 'hidden' cubbies and desks in the communal areas