A guide to living in Merseyside

The building management Dean is great and always on hand to help if needed. Caitlin and Callum the reception hosts are amazing and always make every guest feel welcome and valued. Caitlin and Callum make it a good opportunity so every one can chat and make new friends. Love the events they organise too such a great time.

I love it here! The building is beautiful. Every design aspect has been thoughtfully chosen. The facilities are unrivaled also which is why I chose Roco. There's cinema, sauna, ice bath, gym, lounges, meeting rooms, kitchens, yoga room. They also host events such as an amazing wellness programme with pilates! My apartment is beautiful. I feel so comfy and relaxed here. 6*

It’s a lovely building. All the staff are great - really friendly especially Malik and Caitlin. I was moving in on my own and they couldn’t have been more helpful. The only design flaw I have found in the flat is the absence of any drawers in the wardrobes.

Roco Livingway looks great on the surface, but the experience has been extremely disappointing. Expect to be asked to pay rent early without proper explanation when payment systems change. They even charged residents to use the rooftop during the football parade – while influencers and family members of management attended for free. A staff member openly admitted that deductions are “built into the margin” to keep as much of the deposit as possible. Residents have been billed for tiny scuffs or marks even though new tenants are told every flat gets a “fresh lick of paint.” It’s clear deposit deductions are treated as another income stream. Cleaners that residents could previously book for move-out deep cleans are no longer available – further proof management wants to handle it in-house to inflate charges. Multiple staff confirmed they’re financially incentivised to add “damages” to the move-out reports. While we avoided this by documenting everything, it’s clearly unfair to the many international residents whose first language isn’t English. The fire alarm system is unreliable and can go off for hours at night. Decorators regularly shouted, swore, played loud videos, and smoked outside during work hours. Shared areas have deteriorated – rubbish, dog mess, and even rat issues. The hot tubs rarely work, the sauna is already cracked, and the heating in shared areas is broken. Cleaning in the co-working space happens during mornings when residents are working. Noise from communal areas is constant, but rather than dealing with disruptive residents, management threatens to close shared spaces or fine everyone (fines never actually happen). The residents’ chat is disabled, so there’s no way to raise concerns collectively. When we moved in, water was clearly stated as “included” in rent – both online and verbally by the building manager. Six months later, they reversed this and started billing residents, citing a vague contract clause. Even when presented with screenshots showing otherwise, they refused accountability, causing many people to leave. The community that once existed has vanished. It’s now mostly short-term international tenants who keep to themselves. Social events are poorly attended – I once turned up as the only person there. It’s a shame, as the building had huge potential to foster a community. Staff turnover is ridiculous – I’ve met at least 10+ people across just a couple of roles. There’s no continuity or stability. Any interactions I’ve had with upper management have been deeply unpleasant, with a clear lack of accountability and a coercive attitude towards staff. The churn speaks volumes. Other issues include outsiders being allowed into private areas like the co-working space, rent renewal “offers” that cost more than being a new tenant, and hidden fees for spaces that were meant to be included. Positives: Liz and Gihan (on-site team) are fantastic – genuinely helpful and caring. The décor and design are beautiful, and the concept could be brilliant if handled professionally.

We’ve rented in Apo Liverpool for just over two years now, and its the friendly staff who make it feel more homely. Yinka and Michelle in particular have been fantastic; they always greet you with a smile and work hard to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. They’re quick to help out whenever we’ve needed something - especially as we navigated a recent contract extension. Maintenance issues get sorted pretty quickly, which makes a big difference. It’s not all perfect and there have been a few bumps along the way, but nothing major, and the team have mostly been open and responsive when things come up. Overall, we’ve been happy living here whilst we searched for a house and subsequently renovate it. The team have been as flexible as they’ve been able to be.