Crest Nicholson

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

Great green space available, with parks for kids to play. Although no maintenance is in place for these areas, despite residents paying a montlhy charge for grounds maintenance.

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

Crest did not inform us about montlhy standing charges when we purchased our home.

What is the best feature of your home:

Solar panels are the only good feature of these homes.

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

We do most of our food shopping from Ocado and Riverford veg box deliveries. There are a number of Co-ops within a short cycle or drive away and there's a bigger Sainsbury's in the centre of town and an M&S on the outskirts that we sometimes use. Restaurants in Bicester aren't great. Our favourite's are Nando's and Monty's Burger Bar. There's a bus stop right outside my house but I've only used it once. I prefer to cycle into town. The bus timings aren't convenient for my wife's commute by train from Bicester Village into Oxford. We park on our driveway. It's much nicer now that parking is no longer allowed in the street. Bin collections are reliable but the bins sometimes blow away down the street in strong winds if the collectors don't tuck them back into the bin store. Traffic noise is very low. The main annoyance with traffic is some drivers ignoring the bus gate and driving through the whole estate when this is not allowed. There's very little anti-social behaviour, but some people are a bit careless with their bins and dump bags of stuff at the recycling bins.

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

I wish I had known how poor Crest Nicholson's after sales care was. It may have made us think twice about buying or at least be more prepared to log each issue and chase them for a response.

What is the best feature of your home:

It's warm and cosy and we generate some money towards our electricity bills from our solar panels.

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

Living in this area is mostly great. The area is clean, and the community is friendly, with helpful neighbours all around. While on-street parking is very limited, each house does have its own garage and driveway, which helps. The estate is really missing a grocery shop, which would have been incredibly convenient. Bin collections are reliable, and there's minimal traffic noise or anti-social behaviour, making it a peaceful and pleasant place to live. Open spaces are available, though they could benefit from more attention and upkeep.

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

I wish I knew that there is no plan to build a grocery shop. I was told that it will be build within a year of us moving in, however after 3 years here we still do not have a shop that we can walk to.

What is the best feature of your home:

Solar panels and wall insulation. The house is warm in winter and does not require much heating.

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

Amazing neighbours, beautiful area to live in. You couldn’t get a better community of people to live amongst.

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

How awful A2 Dominion is to deal with. Otherwise all good.

What is the best feature of your home:

The area, the size of the property for your money.

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

The good aspects, the communal grow beds are great to use, close to the fields. It's quiet, there are regular buses in case we need it. Our elderly neighbours use it often. We share one electric car which we charge at home in the parking spot. I share the car with my husband and we are happy with our 2 parking spaces: one for visitors. 20-30 mins to the nearest shop, so I prefer to drive. Only issue, sometimes, there are discarded rubbish by the glass collection point which is a pity. Some neighbouring houses in Phase 3 leave broken bikes and bins lying around which annoys me. They should be warned/penalised.

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

To check for snags in the garden and shed as the felt on the shed roof had to be replaced already (5 years in)

What is the best feature of your home:

The triple glazing, the patio doors and garden. The solar panels and underground water collector.