We have one issue which has actually given me insane anxiety since moving in and to be honest it could get to the point that I may move out if in the long run I cannot deal with it even with how much I ADORE where I live. This is our fire alarm in our kitchen, it is awful. Our fire alarm is directly above the oven and is also a heat alarm which seems ridiculous considering it’s location, however, I am sure this probably building regulations or something. However, it is actually unbearable sometimes. We have cooked EGGS on our hob and it has set off ALL 3 of our firearms in our apartment, it set the kitchen one off and then the other two followed and there was no reason for them to go off as there is minimal steam (not smoke) and the extractor fan was on. I now am really reluctant to cook on my own in the apartment as I cannot reach the alarm to turn it off if it goes off as I cannot reach it without trying to climb on furniture. This seems like a daft complaint but I now don’t eat if I am alone because it makes me so anxious if I cook as you never know if/when the alarm will go off as when it has gone off when no smoke is present at all and there is no way of pre-empting it, it is just so temperamental. I don’t know if anyone else has had this issue but it is something that has really caused issues for us.

A few of my neighbours are also super loud intermittently and someone also occasionally smokes weed, there was a warning sent around about both of these not long ago and haven’t smelt/heard it since so fingers crossed it has gone now but we often had to close our balcony door and window which isn’t convenient when we have a dog. I think it is worth noting though that there are emails and updates about matters like this often and the management team are really on the ball and work hard to make chapel wharf the best place to live. I feel bad for putting a complaint on this review because I can’t stress how much it is generally a fantastic place to live.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

So close to the city centre, it is a few minute walk to bars, shops and pretty much everything you need.It opens up a lot of opportunities being so close to the centre with such ease. Also, if I am honest the positioning of the apartments kind of makes me feel like I am escaping from all of the hustle and bustle even though Spinningfields is literally a 3 min walk away. Transport is fab, bus stops are right on Chapel Street outside the buildings for access into Salford, the train station is super close too and then as soon as you hit Manchester you are spoilt for choice of trams, trains and buses to get where you need to go and everything runs regularly. If I am honest I can sometimes get a little bit aggravated when drunk people decide to come stumbling down the side of our apartment building and are noisy or sometimes the Lowry guests are super loud. However, if you are living in a city centre I think this is to be expected to some degree and our apartment is an end apartment close to the bridge so this probably doesn’t help as we are close to the people walking past. I think a bonus for us is how we can do the best people watching ever from our balcony, I will sit and have a coffee with my breakfast and 5 mins later Ronaldo or someone else will stroll past, it’s wild and very interesting. I think the hotel being close also reduces antisocial behaviour to some extent as it is a high end hotel and they have staff monitoring the car park etc constantly so any issues are resolved without you really having to do anything. Can sometimes be noisy when the football is on as the teams often stay at the hotel but I don’t mind this at all, it isn’t for long and I personally think it is quite fun to watch sometimes.

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

There was no way of knowing this but the sensitivity of the fire alarm in our kitchen, it makes it difficult to cook anything at all without pure stress about it going off.

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

We raised an issue with our door lock super late at night as it broke, the maintenance team were up the next night to sort it. This was reasonably slow for me as I couldn’t lock my door besides the chain, which was a god send on this night but at the same time there are a ton of apartments and it did happen at night time so I am sure they came as fast as they could. Once they came up it was fixed within minutes and both staff members were super lovely. We haven’t had to request anything else.

If I could change anything, it would it be:
1. Install a quieter fridges/freezer – in a small studio, sleeping so close to the kitchenette can be unpleasant at first, but you soon get used to it.
2. Install dimmable or smart lights – they are too bright at times.
3. Install an off switch for the main extractor – it is situated in the built-in cooker hood and is on constantly (although idle and I boost for cooking and shower time), as with most fans, the bearings wear down over time and grease/dust accumulates on the blades making them noisier.
5. Install additional storage cabinets or shelving.
6. Add some raised gardens beds for resident to grow herbs and flowers on the terraces.
7. Add outside garden furniture (seating and dining) on the terraces with solar night lights.
8. Add internal and external shading for use in the summer.
9. Add a wind turbine and solar plant to offset energy usage.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

It has a great central location and almost everything (shops, bars and restaurants) are within walking distance, and it’s just around the corner from my barber (Mr Dun’s).
There are good transport links and there’s a bus stop outside so I can easily visit the family using public transport rather than driving the car. Instead of an onsite car park, there is a large secure bike storage facility (with additional facilities to wash and repair for the rides to the beach or the Grampians).
Refuse and recycling collection is onsite so I don’t have to worry about being bombed by the seagull squadron. The only downside is the noise from the traffic from my position. However, this is not the case the higher you are in the building or if your room is not facing the Rosemount Viaduct or Union Terrace.

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

1. Detailed property dimensions of the apartment and the furniture.

What is the best feature of your home:

1. The Cleanliness and Security.
2. The mattress, it’s extremely comfy (so important to your health considering we spend over 25% of our lives on this!).
3. Built-in combination Oven/Microwave (great for a roast or simply heating up a ready meal for those lazy days).
4. Instant hot water (don’t have to waste water waiting to heat up).

The overall design is sleek and modern, whilst still having that cosy element (e.g. carpets in living areas and bedrooms) which adds to the homely feel. Furniture and amenities are coordinated nicely. Super easy to clean. Insulation is really good, never cold and radiators really easy to use/control. Bathrooms in particular are stunning, and showers are nice and powerful. Plenty of storage space as well as wardrobes are large and there is ample room under the beds. The kitchen is also lovely, decent cupboard space and oven/hob great quality. The only critique we had was the size of the fridge freezer, but the management are so accommodating so we were able to request an additional portable fridge or freezer for the extra space (at no extra cost to us). Another thing I’d say is make sure you invest in an ergonomic chair if working from home, as the dining chairs are rather firm!

Facilities are excellent. Post and parcels are managed efficiently and securely, with an email notification system to let you know when your parcel has arrived. Friendly and capable maintenance team here too, no problem is ever too minor. Overall management is brilliant and questions are responded to in a timely manner. The management team also put on events for special occasions throughout the year (e.g. Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year and Pancake Day recently), so it’s nice to live somewhere with that warm, community feel.

Honestly we couldn’t recommend Chapel Wharf highly enough. Unreal value for money too compared with others. Bring on the Manchester summer so we can take advantage of the huge balcony!

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

The area is ideal. Despite being technically classed as Salford, you can cross the river and be in the heart of Spinningfields (city centre) in less than a 10 minute walk. Absolutely loads of lovely restaurants/bars in that area. There’s a Tesco Express literally 3 minutes away which is super convenient. The Salford facing apartments (including ours) look on to the railway line and beyond, which is cool for an urban view. Whilst you can hear the trains and cars going by, it’s certainly not obtrusive as the apartments are well insulated. We feel very safe living here too.

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

I’d say the main thing is to consider which way you want the apartment to face. We are Salford facing (North West ish) which suits us, but just think about whether you want direct sun or not etc., and I know some apartments look out to other blocks so bear that in mind.

If there is one thing you would change about your flat or property what would it be:

Other than the size of the fridge freezer, absolutely nothing. We couldn’t have asked for more.

Please tell us what you like and dislike about this area:

The location is perfect! Couldn’t have asked for anything more. You have multiple grocery stores in the surrounding area, restaurants & cafes within walking distance; if you’re a student- the train station, Birmingham library (and night clubs) are literally a stones throw away! Everything you need is within easy reach. If you have a car, you’ll be able to save yourself the miles because of this. It’s honestly just perfect!

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

The day you move in is the day that becomes your rent payment day each month so take that into consideration when deciding a move in date.
We have been told this date cannot be changed at the moment, but hopefully that can be sorted soon, as it would be ideal to set up the rent direct debit on a desired date

What is the best feature of your home:

The balcony and the windows- they produce so much natural light 🙂