A guide to living in Reading

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

Nothing around, Sainsbury's opened this year making life easier but everything is a decent drive away, place is a building site with temporary traffic lights every other week, various people drilling into walls outside your flat at various times, constant noise from buildings equipment. Antisocial behaviour constantly from the school kids and the building staff, who litter everywhere etc. antisocial behaviour from residents kids also, booting footballs at cars, riding bikes around dangerously. Local drug dealer pitches his deals just across the way, so consistent smell of weed most times. People always taking your car parking spot. Bins are rarely emptied so smell awful and house a family of rats that you can hear scurrying around. Management team absolutely useless.

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

They haven’t, maintenance issues going on for well over a year now.

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

How awful it is, tip is to save your money and look elsewhere.

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

The area is very calm. There is a Sainsbury’s nearby which is very convenient. I also love the club house very helpful for whenever I want to host a few gatherings. Overall a great location and place to live especially with family

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

Whenever I needed help with plumbing or any repairs I would contact the building management and they would help me immediately very good service.

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

I wish I had known how quiet and peaceful it is — perfect for relaxing after a long day.

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

The location of the cavalry has only got better since the sainburys has been completed which is a convenient stones throw away from the development. There are 2 small coffee shops either a few mins drive or a 10-15 min walk which is great but these aren’t restaurants to dine in properly. The summer time is great with Siren brewery being on your doorstep for beers and street food. The local pub is not massively walkable unless you’re happy to walk 35 mins along main roads or it’s an easy drive if you’re not drinking. Open spaces are limited now they are building what seems hundreds of houses all over Arborfield, what was a nice green village now seems concrete jungle with houses being put up on every corner and the local green field being completely shut off for a very very long time for works and building. Public transport for buses is great as the bus stop is just along the road of the development with connections between Wokingham, Reading and Bracknell. However we are far from a train station which requires a 15 mins drive which at the moment due to constant road works and closures can be triple that journey. The traffic in the area builds up a lot and will only be worse once houses are complete. We struggle terrible on our side of the development with the local secondary school and parents parking in our spaces in our private car park, children walking into the roads in front of cars and it being genuinely gridlocked during school drop off/pickup. Many of us now for years have been asking for a solution to cars coming into the car park but we have been shut down every time by management saying nothing is doable. Not even a gated entrance. We all have 1 parking space with a handful of V spaces however most flats are lived in by couples or families that require 2 cars. Considering how much the rent is here and the requirement to live here when applying such as earning a certain amount. The average salary doesn’t cut that hence for there are not as many single occupants living here, this causes dramas and issues with parking. Anti - social behaviour doesn’t seem to be overly a problem apart from school children who personally have shouted awful things at us as residents including threats of keying cars etc. genuinely I do think this area and the side of the development we’re on not facing the main road means it’s a lot quiter for us and we don’t hear traffic etc which is great.

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

Very quickly and always seem keen to help however we have seen a lot of different management and on occasions they have come across rude

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

I wish we had known how much of a nightmare parking would be and also how much of a nightmare it is with the secondary school entrance being the same as our car park one. We’ve been threatened and shouted at by parents of children and children themselves. The head of school, police and management have had meetings with residents however nothing changed.

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

This a great area to live. The proximity to the station makes it even more likeable. Coffee shops with in the building complex and near by sainsbury's is just so convenient. There is no noise whatso ever audible to you from outside.

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

They always fixed issues in the apartment almost immediately. I had uncertainities about satying in the UK in the near future and was worried about renewing the lease for one more year. I communicated with Simi from the management team about my situation. Simi was kind enough to answer all my questions and provide us with all possible options and helped us manage the lease extension process smoothly. Simi is the best.

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

Frankly I didn't have any complaints. So, there isn't anything I wish I had known before.

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

It has great parking facilities, gym, great common area/lounge, great neighbours, quiet and serene location. The only downside i think is commute as it is a bit far from city centre. If you miss your bus you'll have to wait for 20-25 min for the next one. I would recommend getting a bike or car if you wish to live here.

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

They have been quiet efficient and prompt regarding any issues being raised.

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

I wish i had known a bit more about the commute part, its a bit tricky especially if you miss it. The bin area can be a bit messy but thats more on tenants than on the management. Lastly, access to different kinds of stores can be a bit tricky if you dont have a vehicle.