A guide to living in East Sussex

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

The development is overrunning massively, so no local facilities are open bar a Sainsbury's, who's main contribution to the are seems to be a faulty burglar alarm. When I moved in in 2022 the estate agents told me the site would be completed within a year, but as usual with estate agents it turned out to be a lie and we're still wait now (2026). Bin collection is sporadic at best because the ongoing construction work blocks access for the bin men, and the management company somehow were incapable of foreseeing this and so only acted after the fact (and after many complaints). The development backs onto a main road, so traffic noise during the day is substantial, however, as I was never offered the possibility to use the car park, many of the spaces having been sold to the co-working space across the road, and since the development is not in any of the council's parking zones, I cannot contribute to the traffic myself since it effectively bans me from having a vehicle. Antisocial behaviour is rife, since the continued existence of the building site and poor quality of the fob-controlled locks on site means plenty of scope for e.g. drug dealing exists where it cannot be seen from the street. The incentives of free bus passes and bike discounts that were hawked at me during the sale have never materialised.

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

I was given a spreadsheet showing the service charge breakdown costs, but they should have shown the projected increases, because at 41% per year, I may have baulked and not committed. Properly explaining that the heat network was neither cheaper nor more efficient, and run by an unregulated cartel of companies with opaque pricing would also have put me off, as would the estate agents being honest about the timescale for the completion of the development. The total lack of any parking would also have been good to have highlighted, and the estate agent should have shown me the correct flat (or at least one with the same layout) so that I could see how poorly laid out it was.

What is the best feature of your home:

It's reasonably well insulated, now that the windows have been installed properly.

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

I only moved in 2 days ago so I have not had time to properly look into things. However, the parking is fantastic and have had no traffic noise

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

Have not had any to date except a minor problem with the front door which Ryan sorted within 30 minutes

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

Happy with everything to date. Would be very helpful to know bin and recycling collection dates as they weren’t available on Wealden District Council website

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

Very central, everything you need is right on your doorstep. Local transport is regular with links to everywhere.

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

Yes jobs have been completed only once have I had an issue with getting a job done

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

I think I had great information prior to move in so think all goid

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

Its a lovely place to live. Helpful staff, also add like N helped me alot while i was staying there. Great experience

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

Building management ensures smooth operation, safety, and comfort within a property. It involves maintenance of facilities, handling repairs, overseeing security, and coordinating with residents or tenants. Effective management also covers cleaning services, compliance with regulations, and proactive planning to maintain long‑term value and community satisfaction.

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 was how quickly housing options fill up near Sussex University. Planning earlier would have saved stress and given more choices. I also underestimated the importance of checking public transport access and local amenities, which make daily life much easier.

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

We like everything very much. However, we would like to have more coffee shops or cafes nearby. The rest is absolutely amazing we are enjoying our life here.

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

Staff are always ready to help, especially Ellie, Shannon and Ella.

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

We wish we knew more about council tax and website applications.