A guide to living in Harrow

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

Get Every Promise in Writing Before You Exchange Anything promised by the sales team in the sales office must be in writing and attached to the contract or lease as an appendix. If it is not written into the lease or clearly shown on the approved drawings, it is not protected. If you do not secure those promises legally, the developer can later: • Change the design • Remove features • Leave areas partially incomplete • Rely on “design change” clauses After completion, you cannot complain about the difference between what was promised and what was delivered if it is not written into the lease. Design Changes and Incomplete Works Design changes are often used to justify alterations after purchase. You may be shown visitor bays and loading bays during marketing. Later, you may discover: • Visitor bays are removed • Loading bays do not exist • Layouts are different from what was shown • Certain works remain unfinished Once you complete, you are bound by the lease wording, not the sales presentation. Managing Agent and Parking Enforcement Relationship Where FirstPort is appointed as managing agent and Parking Control Management operates enforcement, they work closely within the development structure. Residents are not provided with clear information about: • The commercial relationship between these parties • The financial arrangements behind enforcement • How enforcement income is structured • Who ultimately controls parking policy The business relationship between developer, managing agent, and parking company is not transparent to residents. Aggressive Parking Enforcement Residents can receive large numbers of Parking Charge Notices. Charges are issued for: • Brief stopping • Loading and unloading • Double yellow lines • Hatched areas • Areas near entrances Residents are told they have no right even to stop for one second without a permit. Trespass is normally a matter for the landlord. However, parking companies rely on contractual signage and treat stopping as breach of contract. Residents who are not legally trained may feel pressured into paying significant sums. Those with stronger legal awareness may challenge successfully, while others pay under pressure. Escalation of a Civil Parking Dispute In one case involving a civil parking dispute, accusations were made and police were called. An arrest followed. Police later stated that it was a civil matter and release took place. A civil parking disagreement escalated into a criminal process before being recognised as civil in nature. Service Charge and Management Costs Service charges include substantial management fees. Approximately one third of the service charge can relate to management and administration. While the development remains under construction and until all leases are sold, residents may experience ongoing disruption while paying full service charges. In time, the freehold may be transferred to another freeholder and the managing agent may change. However, the lease obligations remain binding on leaseholders. No Loading Bays and Planning Limits In some developments, no loading bays are provided. The explanation given is that providing loading bays would exceed the maximum parking allocation permitted under planning approval. The result is maximum parking allocation, but no dedicated loading provision for residents. Access, easement, and reasonable enjoyment are not reflected through practical loading facilities. Hidden Parking Structure and Permit Types There are multiple permit categories operating simultaneously, including: • Allocated bay permits • Resident permits • Visitor permits • Temporary permits • Contractor permits • Developer-retained space permits Residents are not clearly informed: • What percentage of spaces were sold • How many spaces are retained by the developer • How many permits exist compared to physical spaces • How enforcement rules are determined The structure resembles a financial revenue model rather than a resident-focused parking system. Lease Wording and Visitor Bay Clauses Residents may be told there will be visitor bays and loading bays. They may be shown these areas during site tours. Later, the lease may state wording such as: “If visitor bays are shown on Plan A to Z, the leaseholder may use them for up to 24 hours with no return within 24 hours.” After completion, the referenced plan may show no visitor bays at all. If the bays are not shown on the official plan, there is no enforceable right. The wording appears protective but depends entirely on what is shown on the attached drawings. Once you complete your purchase, changing the lease is extremely difficult. Leases are standard across the development and not easily amended regardless of which solicitor acts. Final Position Once contracts are exchanged and completion takes place, you are bound by the lease. What was promised verbally does not override what is written in the legal documents. Understand the lease fully before committing.

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

I wish I had known that what is shown during the sales process and what is legally secured in the lease can be very different. Parking arrangements, visitor bays and loading access may look straightforward during a viewing, but the actual rights depend entirely on the lease wording and approved plans (Blank Plan). I also did not realise how strict and enforcement focused the parking management would be, or how significant the service charge allocation to management costs would feel in practice. I would advise any new buyer to read the lease in detail, especially sections on parking, plans, permits and management powers, before committing.

What is the best feature of your home:

It feels as though Barratt Developments, FirstPort, and Parking Control Management operate closely together in a way that prioritises collecting money from residents through service charges and enforcement rather than providing fair and supportive management.

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

Rating: ⭐☆☆☆☆ (If negative stars were possible, this would deserve one) This property used to be a true five-star residence under Greystar Management — a team that set benchmarks in professionalism, efficiency, and resident care. For over seven years, I experienced outstanding service across every function — from the front office to maintenance, property management, and accounts. Unfortunately, ever since management shifted to HCGB, Vonder, and LRC, the quality of service has declined drastically. The once passionate, proactive, and resident-focused culture has been replaced by apathy, delays, and complete lack of accountability. Whether it’s the lettings, credit, repairs, or management teams, there is no sense of ownership or enthusiasm to do justice to their roles. Even viewing requests now seem like an inconvenience to the team rather than an opportunity to serve potential residents. It’s deeply disappointing to see how a property that once stood as a model of excellence has lost its charm and credibility. My seven years of pleasant stay and admiration for this place have been completely tarnished by this shift in management. If there were an option for negative stars, this experience would certainly merit one. For now, a single star will have to represent the deep contrast between the former Greystar era and the current mismanagement.

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

Management finds it below their dignity to respond to tenants issues

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

do not trust the new property management team and do not expect any response even for dire exigencies

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

Living here under HCGB has been a nightmare. When HCGB took over Bradstowe House from Greystar, we thought we’d give them the benefit of the doubt. Big mistake. Our lift has been broken for nearly three months — three months of carrying shopping, luggage, and even heavy deliveries up the stairs — with nothing but the same excuse: “We’ve ordered the parts.” No timeline, no urgency, no progress. Under Greystar, issues were handled in a day or two. Now, we feel ignored. Simple maintenance requests vanish into thin air, and our daily lives are made harder by a management team that doesn’t seem to care. It’s exhausting, frustrating, and completely unacceptable. If you’re thinking about renting in a property run by HCGB, save yourself the stress and look elsewhere.

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

We are totally ignored under HCGB management team and would want everyone to avoid renting any apartments which under HCGB maintenance

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

If HCGB was the property management team I would have definitely avoided renting the apartment

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

Greatly assessable shopping for day-to-day runnings, home improvements and restaurants/groceries from various outlets

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

Yes, but you would have to very patient. As it’s not completely in a timing manner. Eg exhausted fan stopped working. Issue raised on the 3rd, engineer assigned on the 15th and we are still waiting for the engineer to come through. It’s just one of a many issues that had been put forward.

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

How warm this building can really get during the summer and the poor circulation of air flow due to how windows throughout the building have been constructed.

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

Very convenient location close to Harrow-on-the-Hill station, high street and shopping centres with Morrisons just opposite the building.

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

No, they are slow and unresponsive. There have been errors and mistakes from the account credit control department which constantly issued wrong chasers to tenants who already paid their rent.

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

There used to on-site maintenance support which was responsive and reliable before the change in ownership and management prior to November 2024. The concierge service and on-site management team of four would support all issues from rent payment to renewal, furniture provision, maintenance and repairs etc. Unfortunately the existing property management no longer provides any support since the change in November 2024.