A guide to living in North London

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

I like my neighborhood - but I wish there were more shops and local restaurants locally. I end up taking the train back into zones 1 and 2 normally to eat and shop for better selection.

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

Niamh Fennessey Marla has been excellent from all aspects of my tenure in the building. She responds to me extremely quickly and promptly whenever I e-mail her about anything. I also had the pleasure of her handling my tenant application which she assisted me with. I really very much appreciated all of her help and guidance thru the process.

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

I only viewed the apartment with the prior tenants when they were still living there - so I was unable to see some of the wear and tear on the apartment unit after they had already left and once I was able to move in. I wish I had been aware of that beforehand.

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

Gessner is a great property super close to the station and aintained to a very high standard - the cafe and the gym are the best parts of the development

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

Yes - always we had issues with heating in our first week and it was promptly resolved

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

Wish we had known about registering for heating ahead of moving in

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

Living in the King's Cross area is incredibly convenient. The range of local amenities is impressive, with high-quality supermarkets like Waitrose and a diverse selection of restaurants and cafes just a short walk away. Being so close to St Pancras International means transport links are unparalleled, making both local commuting and international travel effortless. The street level is generally well-maintained and feels safe, with efficient bin collections and a vibrant, modern atmosphere that captures the best of London living.

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

The management team is very responsive. Whenever I’ve raised a maintenance request or a general inquiry, they have acknowledged it promptly and resolved the issue within a reasonable timeframe. Their professional approach makes living here feel very supported.

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

I wish I had known how excellent the communal social spaces are—I would have started using them for co-working much sooner! Also, a tip for new neighbors: definitely explore the various local shortcuts to King's Cross station, as it can save you quite a bit of time during the morning rush.

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

Tottenham Hale is very well connected to public transport links, being on the Vitoria line you get to central London in less than 20 minutes, and you are 1 train stop away from London Liverpool Street or Stratford. There are plenty of green spaces around and very convenient shops and good GP too.

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

As mentioned, upper management responsiveness is also lacking; as an example, management (James) completely missed a scheduled meeting with us and never bothered to apologize or reschedule. Onsite team is in general very responsive and attentive, although I feel they have a lot of limitations on what they can do or offer. I can only say positive things about Clay, Niamh and Iga.

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

I wish I had fully understood the strict financial realities of living here, particularly regarding renewals and the check-out process. First, be prepared for a hard negotiation on your renewal if you decide to stay a second year - they will not do a flat renewal. Second, I wish I had known how aggressively management approaches deposit deductions when you leave. The walls are painted with a flat, non-washable paint that scuffs incredibly easily. Even after 12 years of flawless renting in London, and despite paying £840 in 'pet rent' over two years, they still deducted £200 from our deposit for minor, purely cosmetic wall marks. You should budget with the expectation that they will attempt to pass the cost of routine, fair wear-and-tear redecoration onto your deposit at move-out.

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

Transport links are great and availability of shops and restaurants is always improving so great to see!

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

Very quick to respond and always happy to help and communicates well regarding any issue.

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

How much space there is for home working and hosting guests