A guide to living in Reading

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

This place is in one of the most convenient location in reading RG1. Just few mins walk from the local shops and the lovely town center. You name it you get it. Another advantage is in very close proximity to the reading train station.

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

I lived in domain for 3 years and have very good experience and memories with all the friendly and progression team of building management. Georgi leads the unit and he is one of the best managers i have seen who would care and react quickly to the problem.

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

If you love sun light the pls inspect the direction of flat properly.

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

Great Transport Links: Fast trains to London and easy access to the M4 make commuting convenient . Vibrant Town Centre: Plenty of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options. Good Schools: Highly rated primary and secondary schools, including Kendrick and Reading School. Green Spaces: Parks like Forbury Gardens and Prospect Park offer great outdoor options for families High Cost of Living: Housing and general expenses can be steep compared to nearby towns. Congestion & Crowds: The town centre can get busy, especially during peak hours. School Admission Pressure: Competition for top schools is intense, with tight catchment areas

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

24-hour on-site team is responsive and helpful, contributing to a sense of security and support. The presence of a concierge and regular resident events adds to the overall positive experience

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 into Domain Apartments is how busy the communal areas can get during peak hours. While the amenities like the gym and lounge are fantastic, they can sometimes feel overcrowded, especially in the evenings. Also, the bin store area could be better maintained—something you wouldn’t notice during a typical viewing. My tip for new neighbours: get to know the building management team early on—they’re helpful, and having a good rapport with them can make a big difference when you need support

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

The location is great for its transport and ease of getting into the centre of town, the immediate area around the flat block isn't great and can be unsafe especially at night though security do a great job of ensuring the building itself feels safe. Parking is also difficult as all options are incredibly expensive not to mention the lack of availability at the moment for onsite parking, though hopefully this will change with the opening of the new building.

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

They've been fantastic with everything I've raised with them. Recently our toilet broke and they had someone in to fix it the same day. They're always really helpful and friendly and are really the heart of the building. Events have been really fun and diverse, great for meeting other people and making it feel more community focused.

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

I wish I had considered how bad the parking situation is, though the new building may help with this.

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

The building is located minutes walk to town centre which makes it an ideal location for just about anything. There's strong transport links in both buses and being a 10 minute walk from Reading station. Parking can be a pain for visitors as on street is 2 hours only, though there is a relatively cheap car park one road over.

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

The on-site are great at handling issues quickly, usually within a day or two. Any larger issues I've encountered had good communication where I was kept up to date with what was happening and why it was taking so long.

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

The courtyard is north facing so direct sunlight is limited to the middle of the day! You can't change energy/broadband supplier. The energy supplier has been a pain to deal with at times but prices are reasonable so I don't feel worse off by being locked in. Basic broadband is included in the rent (100MB) but can be upgraded for a cost if needed.

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

The local area is vibrant and well-connected, with a good range of restaurants, coffee shops, and independent boutiques just a short walk away. Public transport links are excellent — multiple bus routes and a nearby underground station make commuting into central London very convenient. There is also a good mixture of people from all walks of life ranging from students, to workers to families from all backgrounds. It is a really nice place to live and connect with others.

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

To the best of their ability as we had an issue that was out of the building managements hands.

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

Rent increases. Please clarify before renewing because we had very irrational 37% rent increase although this had nothing to do with the people on site we weren’t really happy with how the issue was resolved as it wasn’t resolved and we feel what we were charged was unfair especially as no one else we knew in that building was paying that much and we still have not had a valid explanation but didn’t have enough notice time to move out.