A guide to living in Surrey

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

Living around Guildford Plaza is generally convenient, with a good mix of shops, cafes, and essential services within walking distance. The nearby supermarkets and small independent stores offer a solid range of daily necessities, and there are plenty of restaurants with varied cuisine. Transport links are reliable, with buses running frequently into Guildford town centre and the station being reachable without too much effort. though parking can be limited during peak times and bin collections can be slightly inconsistent.

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

Building management usually responds, but sometimes it takes longer than expected to get updates or a clear timeline. When they do act, the issues are generally resolved properly, just not always as quickly as you’d hope.

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

I wish I had known that parking could be difficult at busy times and that some of the communal areas would need more regular upkeep than advertised. It would have helped set more realistic expectations from the start.

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

The Oakgate building is situated on a very quiet road and is only about 10 minutes walk to the train station and a bus stop which is very convenient. There are two train lines to the city, one runs to London Waterloo and the second to London Victoria. There is a direct bus that goes to Kingston upon Thames which is also very handy. The building offers a parking space for extra monthly charge but there is also a limited amount of free street parking available. The Leatherhead Centre is about 15 minutes walk. There are a few pubs, cafes, Sainsbury’s, small Waitrose, Lidl, Holland&Barret, Boots, WhSmith - pretty much everything you need.

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

I have not needed to raise any issues myself yet as everything has been smooth so far but we have an App where issues can we raised and the staff should be able to resolve within a few days.

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

I wish I hadn’t chosen a flat that faces the North side as that means we don’t get enough of natural light in the flat and have to use artificial lights even during the day in the summer. Other than that I can’t fault living at the Oakgate.

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

The area has a good mix of local shops, cafes and takeaways, and there are some nicer restaurants within walking distance. Open spaces and parks are easy to reach, which is great for quick walks or getting some fresh air. Transport links are convenient, with reliable buses and easy access to main roads, though traffic can get a bit heavy during peak hours. The street itself is fairly quiet most of the time, parking is usually manageable, and bin collections are consistent.

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

The building management has generally been responsive. Whenever I’ve raised an issue, they’ve acknowledged it quickly and arranged for someone to take a look, though occasional follow-ups are needed to make sure things get completed on time.

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

I wish I had known that parking can be a bit limited during busy hours and that some of the communal facilities occasionally require maintenance. It’s nothing major, but it would have helped to be aware of it beforehand so I could plan around it.

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

Central Woking is a perfect place to live, 2 minutes from the train station, fast trains to London, excellent shops and restaurants.

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

They are superb, all the staff are brilliant at their jobs and Pedro has been incredibly helpful with quick repairs and attention to detail.

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

Get a bike as the bike sheds are brilliant and I rarely use my car now.

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

There are lots of nice pubs and restaurants locally. Great location to the train station only a 5 minutes walk. Very quiet area to live with ample parking both at the development with private parking and parking along the street which is less that a minuets walk to the front entrance.

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

I have not have any issues with my property as of yet however I did require the maintenance team to put a television on the wall for me which they did. They was excellent!

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

The only think I wish I had known is that you are not allowed a back up fob to the entrance, meaning if I loose or forget my key I have to get assistance from reception, however they have been fantastic both times.