The apartment design is well thought-out (hidden storage etc., furnishings and fittings that fit the space), the furniture is stylish, and there are a few other nice touches (textured wallpaper in the living room, for example) that make the place feel a bit nicer than the standard white-walled boxes you can rent elsewhere. My own apartment building is a bit too close to facing the balconies of the flats opposite, so this is something to consider in choosing an apartment The development is not currently full, so I’m not sure how this will affect living in the long-term, when the place fills up more.

The clubroom was a great feature (until lockdown closed it), although some users were occasionally selfish and would come in and start watching films without headphones while people were clearly in there working from home quietly. Parking is a problem, and I think £10 a day is too steep for residents to park on the street outside (£5 would be fairer).

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

The development is within walking distance of the city and easy travel distance (by regular bus from the main road nearby or 45 minute walk) of the University of Manchester. There’s not a lot to do in the direct area, but there’s a large Sainsburys 5 minutes down the road, a JD Sports gym, and a small Co-op and local bar on the development itself. This generally suits me very well (although more green space would have been nice during Covid lockdown!), but would be less suited to someone who wants to be right in the city centre.

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

I wish I had considered how close to the balconies opposite my own balcony would be (but this has been exacerbated by lockdown and everyone having to stare at each other all day every day!)

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

Very quickly and comprehensively. Everyone I have interacted with has been professional and willing to help.

The apartment itself is great: well finished, large for the area, although the communal areas aren’t upkept as much as they should be.

Moving in was a breeze, and GetLiving are pretty quick to fix issues that are raised about the flat or other areas of the village. They’re not always super fast or forthcoming, as some issues are fixed with bodgejobs rather than fixed properly.

We’ve had some issues with loud parties late at night: noise reverbates and travels from the winter balconies, echoing around the internal courtyards.

It’s also expensive, paying at the top end of the full zone 2 market although EV is a little further out than most z2 areas. Yearly inflation rentals are fine, but we have been shocked by the amount which our contract was renewed at (and not looking forward to next year).

Overall, we’d 100% recommend East Village and Get Living.

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

The area is great for getting into work in the city or Canary Wharf. Being so close to Westfield is great for shopping and little bits. Sainsbury’s isn’t open proper hours, which is annoying at weekends.

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

Facing into the courtyard is great, but bad neighbours can make it not so good.

The build quality of the homes is good. The standard of appliances are good as too is the furniture etc. The only downside to the buildings are lack of brick walls. But this is to be expected with new properties. The plus side is the insulation is so good you never need to put the heating on. As a landlord GLL are really good and there are no deposits and they are really good with managing the tenancy.

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

I like that there is loads of green space, good transport, good shopping. Has everything you need. I dislike the amount of building work going on around here although they try to keep the impact to a minimum. The area is turning into a bit of a concrete jungle and very sterile so if you want a homely feel then maybe it’s not for you.

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

The heating and water system is shared as a district. This means that you are tied into a certain company and they can set what they want fee wise. However measures have been put in to prevent un necassary hikes etc

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

I love living in the East Village, i love the community feel and the amenities and all the green space. It’s a great location for getting around London with all the transport links, but still has that village-feel which i’m yet to experience anywhere else in London. There are times when other residents or non-residents can cause inconvenience such as noise or groups hanging around which makes others feel a bit unsafe, but other than that i love living here.

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

The great bars and restaurants in the local area – a local guide to these would be amazing!

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

The only issues we have raised have been some small maintenance points, most of which were fixed easily. We do have an issue with the en suite shower drainage which someone has been out to fix twice but it’s still a problem, so we ended up just dealing with it but it can be an inconvenience.