A guide to living in Borough of Tower Hamlets

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

The location of the building is perfect. The tube, Third Space and supermarkets are all within a 5 minute walk. The connectivity of the Jubilee line, DLR and Elisabeth line make getting to other areas of London incredibly easy and efficient. There are numerous high quality restaurants, and the new openings around Charter Street and Sea Lanes are great additions. I have lived in the building for coming up to 3 years and I have always sung it’s praises regarding location.

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

I have multiple examples of poor responses on issues raised. In short, disappointingly and in an untimely manner. 1. Regarding the keys being released on the morning of the move in date. I had tried to do the Right to Rent checks prior to the move in date as advised, however when I showed up to the building I was told this wasn’t possible by concierge. I had tried contacting T’rone Kittoe multiple days prior to this and hadn’t had a single email acknowledged. I had also tried ringing his contact number, however it went straight to voicemail. It took me speaking to concierge and them calling him on Teams to have my email acknowledged prior to my tenancy start date. 2. We had requested a parking space when agreeing the tenancy and subsequently followed up on this one week prior to our move in date. T’rone did not acknowledge the request or have it resolved prior to our tenancy start date despite multiple chasers, meaning we had to front an additional £196 in parking costs. Vertus still have not reimbursed us for this and the responsiveness was incredibly poor. 3. When we arrived with our removal van on the morning of our tenancy start date we were asked to come back in 15 minutes because they were in the process of completing the inventory check. This is a clear sign they do not perform any maintenance checks prior to move in despite them quoting they need 5 business days between tenants for this exact reason. 4. We have been living in the new property for 2 weeks now and received a 10 day chaser saying we had not paid our first month’s rent despite receiving zero emails informing us of the details we need to pay to, the date in which the payment was due or how to set up the direct debit for ongoing payments. I responded to the email immediately asking for this information. I have received one response of 5 words from Amit Kotecha which was unhelpful. I have sent 3 chasers over the course of 36 hours, with another member of the Property Management team also chasing him to still have not received an update. I think this is an appalling level of service and there is no way to escalate matters. 5. When discussing the final deposit return on my previous Water Street property, I have been charged a large amount for marks greater than fair wear and tear. I pushed for further details on this since I vehemently disagree, and have been told “photographs do not fully demonstrate the extent of the condition when viewed in person”. I therefore haven’t been provided which marks contributed the need for the charge. I am yet to be provided evidence that a full re-paint took place and that this charge is valid. Brooke does not have her phone number in her email signature, so it’s also difficult to have the opportunity to discuss this with her over the phone. I would hope when paying over £4,400 a month I would be dealing with adults, but this does not seem to be the case. If this were any other professional services industry, Vertus’ property management team would be considered highly unsatisfactory and not worth the money.

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

I don’t trust the members of the property management team when it comes to a fair review of my deposit. I do not think they have the tenants best interests at heart and they are unwilling to provide evidence or give any substantiated response when pushed for further details on charges. If given the option, I would not like to deal with them again, nor would I recommend them.

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

Living in Canary Wharf for four years was a wonderful experience. We really enjoyed the area, its modern and vibrant atmosphere, the convenience of having everything close by, and the excellent transport connections. It was a great place to live, and we leave with many very fond memories.

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

Yes, they were quick and always helpful. From the receptionists to the post support ladies, all was excellent.

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

Nothing to add. Everything was well done. CW is a wonderful place to live, it's away for the city and yet reachable in 2 tube stops, it's clean and safe. We would have stayed there if this would have been an option for us.

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

Stone toss from the station. Really easy commute into central. There’s a highway next to the building so the balcony can get noisy depending on which side you’re on, but the doors and windows have good soundproofing. There is also a giant Tesco on your doorstep which is very convenient.

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

There is an app for issues, but I’m not sure it’s used actively. It would be better to speak directly with the concierge team.

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

All utility providers can be chosen on move-in which is nice. Parcel process can be challenging sometimes.

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

The location is very convenient, with plenty of shops, restaurants and bars nearby and excellent transport links. Canary Wharf has changed quite a bit over the four years I lived here, with many more rental flats and residents, so it feels more residential than it used to. That said, it’s still a very different type of residential area from somewhere like South Hampstead or Primrose Hill. There are also more weekend visitors and tourists around now, which can make the area feel busier at times. Overall, it’s a lively and very well-connected place to live.

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

Whenever I raised an issue, the building management team was generally quick to respond and good at getting things sorted. The Concierge and technicians were particularly helpful

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

One thing I would have liked to know beforehand is how much the character of the area can change over time. Canary Wharf has seen a lot more residential development and new residents in recent years, as well as more weekend visitors and tourists. The area is very convenient and well connected, but it’s worth knowing that it has a much busier, more urban feel than a traditional residential neighborhood.

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

The good aspects - Its a great location for public transport, a 3-4 min walk to the station! The big tescos is also only 5 mins away as well as canal walks and some great shops. There is a gym 1 min walk away and i think the views from the 27 floor are incredible. I’ve often worked from the 1st floor which has been really handy. The people at the front desk have always been exceptional and so helpful and kind at all times of the day/night. Bad aspects - i wouldnt say bad but because of the proximity to the A12 the balcony becomes dusty quickly as well as when windows are open. The bin shoots are often out of order which i dont mind carrying the rubbish down but I have noticed others havent. Would be nice to have air-con as the weather heats up.

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

They have answered well - always have someone come look with the week

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

That there arent any coffee shops in walking distance - that would be nice