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

There are a number of building sites close by which can make the area look messy but it doesn’t really matter as you know the development will bring new commercial units. Really good transport links and close by to other superstores. Brent Cross is around the corner which is the closest retail stores slightly far but common in North West London.

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

In the developments to get high speed broadband you can only have one provider or pay more to get other providers to link to the one providers cables.

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

It’s two minutes walk from a bus stop that has not 1 but 3 night buses so you can travel anytime if you don’t have a car. Within easy reach of about 4 rail stations. It takes 15 minutes on a train from Victoria to East croydon station it’s unbelievable! It’s within easy reach of local shops and there’s a Tesco local that’s open till late even on a Sunday. You can pop out fetch a pint of meal and be back in your apartment in under 10 minutes! Lots of shops and restaurants within reach and good connecting transport links with Wimbledon, Brixton, Gatwick, tooting m, Victoria to name but a few

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

How expensive it would be in the long run

The buildings have nice big bin areas and the bike store is well kitted out. The post boxes are in a secured lobby which not all new developments have.

As for the flat itself, it’s been finished to a very good standard. I’ve had minimal snagging issues compared to some of the horror stories you hear about new builds elsewhere. The bedrooms are well proportioned (especially for London) and the storage cupboards are huge. The open plan living room/kitchen is a little more compact but still very usable if you set it up right. The balcony is also a plus as it’s very spacious. The bathroom is finished to a good standard though they don’t come with a cabinet above the sink. I managed to get a perfectly good IKEA mirror cabinet installed though and it looks great.

The extractor fan above the cooker is very loud, as I think others have mentioned, but it’s hard to grudge that when all core appliances are built in and included. The fridge freezer unit is distracting with the loudness of the noises it makes but I’m fairly certain this is a snagging issue specific to my property and I’m hoping to get it fixed shortly.

Like others I would have personally preferred light switches to have been slightly closer to the doors in the bedrooms, and for the plugs around the TV area to be a little closer to the skirting, but that’s a personal preference and I won’t lose any sleep over it.

I can’t yet judge how things are on the utilities front as I’ve not long moved in. By default you start out with ThamesWater for water and obviously council tax is with RB Greenwich Council (at the time of writing my flat hasn’t been formally banded yet). It’s then by default British Gas for electricity (but can move no problem), and the broadband options aren’t as wide as they could be as they’re all full fibre to the home only properties (I started out with BT in the end). The district heating scheme (which is essentially a modern alternative to using gas) is with Watkins Energy and is a monopoly (this is normal for a lot of new builds) but from previous experience of a DHS I’ll need to wait and see how it compares in terms of cost and efficiency in the winter months. I had to ask about the DHS before making my reservation as it wasn’t (from memory) advertised in the brochures.

It’s difficult at this stage to judge whether the service charge and services provided for it will be good value for money because construction on this building isn’t finished yet, and the initial rate is only set for the first year.

The sales and customer service staff at Fairview were very helpful in the build and buying process.

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

A huge plus is being so close to the retail park. Ideal for essentials shopping and setting up your home. There’s not a lot by way of pubs and restaurants “on the doorstep” but decent enough cafes/take aways and you’re not far from Greenwich and Blackheath anyway for pubs and eateries.

Public transport links are fairly good with buses to North Greenwich and Greenwich a couple of minutes away and it’s also very near to both Westcombe Park and Charlton mainline stations.

Construction noise aside, which is mostly fine, the development is quiet with one important caveat: the railway line. If you are in the flats facing the line you will definitely notice the noise from (especially braking) trains. I’m on the second floor and it may be less intrusive for those higher up or not immediately adjacent.

I don’t have a car, but most of the spaces in the development are assigned to properties. The impact of this is hard to assess until everyone has moved in.

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

It’s very hard to judge how loud the railway line will be when the flat is a shell rather than the finished product with windows etc in place. It is definitely louder than I’d counted on but it’s the sort of thing you get used to.

What is the best feature of your home:

The spaciousness of the bedrooms. It’s so unusual in London and with newbuilds to have it as good as that.

Our apartment is very spacious, has lots of natural light and a large balcony and we enjoy the outdoor space. Our balcony and kitchen / livingroom looks out onto the communal courtyard. It is great to have two spare rooms, one for guests and the other we use for a study. There were a minimum amount of handover defects when we moved in which Fairview rectified immediately. The triple glazed windows are really good and the apartment is well insulated. We have parking space in the under croft park which is great and secure.

Cons

The kitchen could have been properly finish with regard to filling the wall with kitchen unit and tiling. Also both bathrooms could have been fully tiled and there could have been a proper shower installed over the bath with a screen. The balcony timbers should have been properly treated before we moved in. The kitchen tap was far to low and the sink too shallow. We have a long hallway and it could have done with some more electrical points as well as a light in both storage cupboard. The carpets are of poor quality and could have been better considering the large apartment price tag. The sound in the courtyard echoes (sound deadening could have been applied). There could be larger recycling bins. The gaps in the balcony timber are far too big and it could have been build with an internal gully system.

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

We like the fact that we are 20 mins train journey to central London. We are very close to three train stations (Anerley, Penge West and Crystal Palace). We love Crystal Palace Park and the Crystal Palace Triangle. There are several green spaces nearby. The Anerley high street is very small and has very little amenities.

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

More about the local area.

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

The basic carpets, use of one Large radiator in the living and not two small ones that occupies two walls. The position of radiator in our small bedroom and master bedroom.