Property design – Some apartments have excellent views but on the downside some don’t have air conditioning which can get difficult in the summer with floor to ceiling glass windows that tend to retain heat.

Facilities – have on occasion experienced difficulties with the dishwashers. No other issues in facilities.

Property management – I believe this property is managed by JLL (they are the landlord middleman) – poor experience with them so far (has been a few months) with lack of communication and having to constantly chase. Used Knight Frank as agent in renting this apartment and they have been good.

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

Great location for all purposes – great to live in an area with lots of small businesses and creative events that entice people to return. There is always something going on! I can have friends/family over for every occasion (coffee/lunch/drinks/dinner) and one thing I find incredibly unique is there is a vast space to sit without having to buy anything which is a strong positive. One development point would be to review the shops located in the archways (below the Samsung shop) – I’m not sure they draw in as many people as they could, it’s a beautiful spot and I feel the shops just need a little tweaking.
Overall however my partner and I really do love this area and look forward to seeing it continue to grow!

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

Pro – the mornings are quiet and a strong positive which I didn’t realise before we had moved to the area. There is also a lot going on in terms of events.

Cons – some apartments in arthouse do not have air conditioning and if you live off York way it can get very noisy!

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

Good landlord but they use JLL to manage the property who I would avoid in the future.

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

ArtHouse is in the heart of the Granary Square development – plenty of restaurants and bars, and quite a good range, from high end places for foodies in next door Coal Drops Yard, through to street food market by the Art School area. Waitrose is the on-site supermarket, which stays open late til 10pm – very handy if not the cheapest. Most of the year, it’s reasonably quiet off-peak, but gets busy in summer on the lawns.
It never fails to amaze me now the lawns are completely cleared of any litter each morning, leaving it pristine – the management of the area is really impressive.

Having lived here for eight years now, I’ve really seen the growth of new shops, in fashion, interior design, tech (Samsung’s London flagship is in Coal Drops Yard) – this reflects the artistic feel to the neighbourhood (the art school is a few yards away of course). It has a cinema, a leisure centre very nearby, and of course the combination of Kings Cross, St. Pancras, Eurostar and the tube make for an amazing set of public transport options.

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

For a new build in 2014, I expected the heating to state-of-the-art. It is underfloor and very effective, but I had expected the heating controls to be easier to understand!
The biggest positive surprise is how well managed the overall Kings Cross estate is – security staff are all around, friendly and visible. The neighbourhood has become very popular, and yet they keep it safe and clean – a great thing to see!

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

The building management works through a management company, which has three residents as Directors on its board. This ensures that there is representation and that structure has worked well to keep a focus on everyday issues like lift repairs, waste management, redecorations and so on.

5

Facilities

4

Design

5

Location

4

Value

5

Management

Apartments are well spaced and specced, and the fittings are all top class: down-lighting that’s stunning (and nourishes plants), built in dishwashers, and heated mirrors in the bathroom so they don’t steam up. The designers thought of every little detail.

The building is wonderfully maintained and is stocked with friendly concierge staff. I love it here.

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

Being so close to Coal Drops Yard the area has a great selection of upmarket shops and many great restaurants. With the regents canal so close there are lots of opportunities to go for runs, or walks, and there are a few small parks (Gasholders Park is great) for walking dogs or picnicking in.

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

The council tax is on the higher end of the scale (£150-200/month for a 1 bedroom), so one definitely pays for the nice area we’re situated in.

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

We’ve really struggled to get our landlord (actually the managing agency) to fix our dishwasher. It’s been 6 months of emails, and nothings actually been done.

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

Likes: location, convenience, variety of shops/restaurants/facilities within 10 min walking distance (Kerb, Canopy Market, Waitrose, Coal Drops Yard, etc.), being close to the local, national, and international train stations make it easy to travel for work or leisure, clean and relatively green area, etc.

Dislikes: unusually high management fees, lack of in-building gym and other facilities (considering the management fees), outside-design of building could look better, grey-green colour scheme.

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

Highly recommended!

What is the best feature of your home:

Too many to choose from! Because the best feature of our home is how the combined effects of convenience, location, and high-quality assets make for a comfortable and happy living.