A Guide to Living in Leicestershire

Leicestershire is a county in the East Midlands region of England. It borders Northamptonshire, Rutland, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. Centred around Leicester, an important economic and cultural centre for the East Midlands, Leicestershire offers an enticing combination of countryside and metropolitan living. The county is also known as “The Garden of England,” due to its abundance of orchards and market gardens and is the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Darwin and George Eliot. If you’re looking for a new home, Leicestershire has a lot to offer!

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Best places to live in Leicestershire

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

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Areas in Leicestershire

Leicestershire is made up of the following areas: Leicester, Hinckley and Bosworth, Melton, Blaby District Council, and Charnwood Borough Council.

Some of the standout areas in Leicestershire include:

Leicester

The City of Leicester, more commonly known as simply “Leicester,” offers a great place for young professionals looking for affordable living within easy reach of London via train from St Pancras International Station (35 minutes). If you need some out from work or study, Leicester’s rich culture offers plenty of entertainment, such as the Curve Theatre and numerous cinemas.

Some areas in Leicester include Clarendon Park, Newtown Linford and Spinney Hills.

Loughborough

An affluent town located on the outskirts of Charnwood Forest, Loughborough is a vibrant market town with a rich cultural and sporting history. Famous for its research-led University, Loughborough is a great place to settle if you’re looking for a peaceful country living, but also want the attractions of nearby Leicester.

Lutterworth

A small market town just south of the larger town of Rugby, Lutterworth offers an excellent quality of life for its residents with great schools and community spirit as well as excellent transport links to Birmingham and London.

Leicestershire universities

The higher education facilities in Leicestershire include the University of Leicester, De Montfort University and Loughborough.

University of Leicester

The University of Leicester is an international research-led university. It boasts an average of 20,000 students and has one of the highest student satisfaction rates in England.

De Montfort University

Situated near to the city centre on a green site with views across the River Soar, De Montfort University has more than 25,000 students including nearly 11,500 at its main campus in Leicester. With roots dating back to 1827, it was one of the first universities in the UK.

Loughborough University

Loughborough’s reputation for sport precedes itself; it dominated British gymnastics for many years and produced some great Olympians too! It also excels academically.

Leicester is a fantastic city with plenty on offer for students and professionals alike: it ranks highly as London’s greenest city, has one of the UK’s largest student populations outside university towns and provides world-class sports facilities.

Top schools in Leicestershire

The best schools in Leicestershire include The Trinity Catholic School, Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Sports College, Ellis Guilford Grammar School – all ranked ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted inspectors.

Population of Leicestershire

The population figure for 2020 puts the county’s total at around 1,053,486 people living in an area of 832 square miles, with the vast majority of the population living in the City of Leicester.

Reviews in Leicestershire

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Best Place to Live in Leicester City Centre

Verified Resident

Review Date Aug 2023

There is a really good range of local shops located a short walk away in the town centre. There are lots of nice chain restaurants as well as some really nice independents. Additionally, there is a fantastic coffee shop attached to the building. Parking is very convenient with the John Lewis multi-story car park, perfect for guests.

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The apartment was finished to a high standard, and the overall size of the rooms was very good. We were very happy with all the facilities that the building offered. The roof terrace was a great area to hang out with friends or work during the day. This area was also really well-equipped with a BBQ and a fully fitted kitchen. The cinema room was also fantastic for entertaining or just having a chill night with some friends. Parking is very secure, as it is only accessible from inside the building and is covered. The coffee shop in the building is also excellent.

The Wullcomb team was also a massive part of why our experience was so great. They honestly left a lasting impression, and they are one of the reasons why we were so sad to leave. We are so grateful for everything they did for us while we were tenants.

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

I have nothing further to add. Apartment was great and highly recommend to anyone.

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

The building management fixed any issues we had ASAP and were very good at keeping us in the loop and updating us if there were going to be any delays.

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Manager Response

Hi Liam
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this amazing review.
We miss you guys so much & thank you for staying with us for so long, you brought such a good vibe to the building & we wish you all the very best for the future in your new home!

I love to live here

Verified Resident

Review Date Jul 2023

The location is great, quiet area and the shopping centre is very close. Nothing is far from here even the train station is a 15 minute walk only, there is a gym right downstairs, a small shop nearby that is open almost all day so I cannot complain. This part of the street is good, sometimes rubbish is everywhere flying around but that’s because of the student apartments in front. As the summer comes the river front is nice and sunny, but also it makes it unbearable to stay in the room during the day, there could have been some shading on the windows for example.

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As the summer comes the river front is nice and sunny, but also it makes it unbearable to stay in the room during the day, there could have been some shading on the windows for example. Plus the noise isolation is poor. Had more terrible experience but this is no good either. The facilities are great in the building, I don’t think anything is missing because all is well thought. The management is alright, the staff is exceptional however some of them opens the flat door without waiting for answer (as there was a situation when they upgraded the locks). Other than that, communication is good too.

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

I wish I could see this apartment on Rightmove. This listing was removed from that site so we had to research the facility manually and call them for information. I’m glad we did because we are here now for another year to come.

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

There has been issues during these periods and they showed great willingness to solve problems within their power, so the communication is great.

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Overal – Amazing!

Verified Resident

Review Date Jul 2023

My partner and I love the location. No noise from the busy centre and streets but a quck 5-min walk to everything you’ll ever need in terms of shops, cinema, restaurants, bars, arcades, etc.

Right across the street, there is a local convinience store for when you need that snack or have forgotten a simple ingredient that you need last minute (not a grocerie store but can find a lot there).

Bin collection is a breeze. There are 3 bin stores for each block of Merlin Wharf. Entry with a chip. Never had a problem. You never have to get out of the complex to throw your rubbish out.

TRANSPORT

We don’t have a car so cannot speak for parking outside of the allocated Merlin Wharf parking spaces (which seem great for people with cars – secure entry/exit, electric charging points, more than enough space). There doesn’t seem to be much space to park outside the building so best is to pay some extra and have a spot at the parking lot of Merlin Wharf.

– Train station is 20-min walk away or a quick Uber ride. There are many Uber drivers in Leicester so there’s never a problem finding one quickly. About 1,5h to London St Pancras via Kettering (change there).

– Bus station not too far either.
– Not sure about public transport as we’ve never had the need to use it.

Please review your development:

The staff at Merlin Wharf are simply amazing. There is always someone at reception to help when needed. Parcels arrive straight there and can easily and quickly be collected from the staff. Everything is accounted for and secure.

Staff is trying to make sure all tenants live happily at Merlin Wharf. There are occassional gatherings that happen until the late hours of the evening but that’s always addressed and security is quick to react.

The design of the building and the green areas is great as I’m sure yoh can see online. Everything looks just like it is in photos/videos.

I would only complain about the structure of the building and the quality of the walls/ceilings/floors in terms of soundproofing. But I guess that’s the case with every new development. Hollow structure where sound travels easily across apartments. BUT IT’S NOT A DISSASTER. I’ve been in worse places where you can literally hear normal conversations from other apartments.

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the gym we have access to and use it every week!

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

I moved in only seen an online viewing and EVERYTHING was exactly how it was online. Love it.

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

Quick response. Very professional.

We had a problem with the shower and bath. Issues were fixed within a week. Nothing major, just consmetic but staff had availability almost straight away.

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Manager Response

Thank you for kind words, we are really pleased you enjoyed living at Merlin Wharf.
We wish you luck in the future.

BEST place to live in Leicester!

Review Date Jul 2023

The location is wonderful, everything is close to you from shopping mall to the groceries stores and more!

Please review your development:

I had a wonderful experience in living in the Wullcomb apartment for the past four years. I am truly grateful for the excellent service, friendly staff, and great security that made my stay truly memorable.
From the moment I moved in, the staff were always approachable, available, and easy to talk to. Their responses to any concerns contributed greatly to a comfortable living experience.
As a resident, I felt safe and secure, knowing that the premises were well-monitored. The building and its surroundings were regularly cleaned and well-maintained. I would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a clean, secure, and conveniently located place to call home. Keep up the excellent work!

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

I don’t have anything to say, everything that the management did when I moved in was prefect.

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

I am pleased to say that each time I raised a concern, the response from the management team was swift and satisfactory.

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Manager Response

Hi Rima – thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review.
We were delighted to look after you both during your stay, thank you for staying with us for so long. I will pass on your feedback to all the team.
If you do find yourself in Leicester again in the future, it would be lovely to see you both. Best wishes to your & your family for the future from all the team.