Fizzy makes the claim of reinventing renting but its essentially a naïve and/or incompetent approach to it. The building itself is poorly and cheaply designed. The blinds constantly fall down, the design of the strange windows promotes insects, flooring isn’t level and is easily torn up, lift breaks at least twice a week, heating is inconsistent, unreliable water connection, balconies are designed in a way to promote mould etc.

This gets exaggerated with the ‘staff’ that are occasionally on site. Its a small time who are friendly but either they lack experience or lack support from higher up as they mainly just manage the social media outlets.

If you have a repair you’ll be asked to try and fix it yourself which can void the tenancy, If you have a query on how something works then you’ll be asked to ‘google it’, if you have a query on a contractual or legal basis then they’ll pass it around or give you some vague answer. I also received a sarcastic response from them when I raised a concern about noise they caused.

The issues aren’t just COVID related although they’ll obviously play that card first. We had issues the first day we moved in.

If you pay for parking (£100 a month for Hayes at time of writing) you’ll often see people tailing you in, its a ‘secure’ underground facility, so they can use it for free. Fizzy claim its monitored but this seems doubtful considering how many sneak in. Also there is a drug problem around the parking entrances as it is fairly secluded and despite many residents bringing this to Fizzys attention they dont seem too worried.

Another warning is the ‘furnished’ option. We were offered a fixed £100 a month for the entire tenancy that gets a basic set of IKEA furniture. So if you stay the full 3 years you’d be paying around 5 times what it would cost to purchase yourself. Safe to say we did not take this ‘offer’.

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

Local area is quite run down. Road network is chaotic at best with alot of people running red lights. Local shops are not ideal. The nearest is a large Asda which is incredibly messy and busy at all times.

Local takeaways are good though and plenty of choice

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

The lack of on site staff and general low quality of the flats.

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

Its a small time who are friendly but either they lack experience or lack support from higher up as they mainly just manage the social media outlets.

If you have a repair you’ll be asked to try and fix it yourself which can void the tenancy, If you have a query on how something works then you’ll be asked to ‘google it’, if you have a query on a contractual or legal basis then they’ll pass it around or give you some vague answer. I also received a sarcastic response from them when I raised a concern about noise they caused.

The building itself is clean and practical. The flats have been designed to function. The use of space is practical, there are only a couple of features that seem unessary- we have a tiny cupboard that only fits a WiFi router in, but has a whole door, meaning you can’t put furniture up against it.

The location is pretty good, just seconds from the station and opposite and massive Tesco. It lacks in neighbourhood charm but is just a 8 min train ride from blackheath so that kind of ticks that box.

We are definitely experiencing some teething problems with building management. We were we’re hoping that living in a manned building meant no problem with postal deliveries but it’s quite the opposite- the address is hard to find and as of yet there is no facility to revive parcels, many of which are sent away because of drivers not knowing where to go. I also think that the £50 monthly charge for pet ownership is too high and is not justified by “extra cleaning of the facility (hallways and public areas only).

That said, I’m excited for the potential of these flats. They are a blank canvas for you to work with, and are certainly modern and practical in most regards.

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

That presently no one can find the flat, as it’s a new build

Then there’s the general malaise and disdain that management gave me in trying to help resolve my problems. I didn’t have internet for nearly a week (management was supposed to set it up), and the solution provided was that I fix the problem myself, except the issue was they never registered my apartment. My bathroom door lock was broken and wasn’t fixed for about 2.5 months, when the repairman showed up, completely unannounced, to take a look. The building is in the 1 year warranty period, where a 3rd party is responsible for all repairs, and I interpret that as a hand-washing of any responsibility to get issues fixed. My balcony door was also unable to lock for about 2 months, and no one particularly cared about fixing it. With all the break-ins and thievery of packages in the building (we were promised a concierge we never got until recently, after a spat of robberies in the building), it didn’t inspire a lot of confidence that they were fine to keep my balcony door unchecked. I actually think I’ve been fairly lucky to not have any packages stolen as many other residents have complained about having theirs taken.

On top of this, I was shown an apartment on a higher floor and promised the train noises wouldn’t be a problem. Spoiler alert – it’s a huge issue, and if it weren’t for the two month free rent, I would have left here as soon as my lease allowed me to. It’s a consistent theme where the sales people promise you ease and simplicity, but you find out what you were promised and what was delivered are very different. When I brought up these issues, they were ignored for weeks, and I asked to be escalated to the manager of multiple properties. Even getting a call back from her took about 3 weeks, with a possible resolution of moving me to another unit in the new building that was opening. Lo and behold, the sales agents claimed they were never told of this and leased up most of the building before I even got a chance to look at any units (the manager claims she told them, so someone was lying to me). Also, I found out that if I moved too much higher I’d be charged higher rent, even though I was originally shown an apartment on a higher floor. The apartments are significantly overpriced for basically no amenities, mediocre build quality, and horrible management.

I found out they’ve started implementing some positive changes (hiring security, getting rid of the rats near the bins), but that’s only because the tenants literally formed a union to force some positive change.

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

The bad:
The train noise is incessant and becomes like a bad nightmare after a while. I bought a white noise machine, which helps, and thankfully, the tube usually stops around 1 am, but it starts right back up around 530. Don’t expect to sleep in much.
The trash bins/recycling are frequently not picked up which is frustrating, but I’m not sure who’s at fault on that one. Traffic noise is ok, but there is a lot of construction going on which can be distracting and close streets nearby.

The good:
You have good accessibility to the Canning Town station, so it isn’t too bad to get into central London (the Jubilee and DLR are relatively well connected). There is a nice Morrison’s and some decent cafes/restaurants around (nothing major yet but there is definitely some investment on this going on). Green space is lacking, but City Island is a nice walk and there’s a small park nearby there.

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

That there would be multiple burglaries, the concierge promised wouldn’t exist, the furniture in the apartments is quite mediocre, and that management would do as close to nothing as possible to resolve the issues.

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

Most of my issues have taken at least 5 follow-ups and never gotten a quick resolution. I’d say my average time between raising an issue and getting it resolved is somewhere between 1-3 months.

And the amenities? They’re just wow. The gym’s got everything you need for a good sweat session, the Co-working spaces are spot on for when you need to buckle down, and who isn’t looking forward to a swimming pool in their own building? Can’t wait for that!

But the cherry on top has got to be the rooftop view. It’s like having your own piece of the London skyline, with an incredible view of the Battersea power station. It’s the perfect spot to take a breather and just soak in the city.

My flat’s got a view of the courtyard, and it’s a real sight for sore eyes. Green, well-kept, and it should be all done up soon. Can’t wait to see the finished look!

And the team running the show – Jonilda, Taher, Joana, Jen and the rest of the amazing people that I’ve met – they’re all absolute stars. Always there when you need them, always ready to help out. They make living at Bloom Nine Elms a breeze.

To sum it all up, Bloom Nine Elms is more than just a place to live. It’s a beautifully designed space with top-notch facilities and an awesome team that makes it feel like home.

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

Bloom Nine Elms is tucked in a vibrant and convenient part of London. With Waitrose and Sainsbury’s taking care of daily needs and The Alchemist bar for those evening wind-downs, it’s a lively neighbourhood. Plus, we’re less than a 5-minute walk from the Battersea Power Station, which is a shopper’s paradise with stores like Zara, M&S Food, Jigsaw, Nike, and Uniqlo. It’s truly a dynamic and bustling slice of London life. Not to mention iconic!!

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

I wish I had known it earlier! I am so glad that that I came for the viewing!

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

I haven’t had any issues to report as everything is working like a Swiss clock!

5

Facilities

5

Design

5

Location

5

Value

5

Management