Mercer West & Madison East, LS2

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Soyo square is a great location to live, particularly as a newbie to the city of Leeds. It’s very convenient and feels very safe as a solo female living here.

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

Yes, all issues have been handled quickly - although the communal toilet needs to be fixed properly.

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

The community here in the building is unmatched and is a great place to live for a solo person.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Rent is daylight robbery, there is currently ongoing construction in front and behind this complex which will be ongoing for the next 2.5-3 years, so no opening windows, and be prepared to hear loud banging and disturbance Monday to Saturday 7am-5pm. It will block all daylight and any views you may have, in fact it is going to be student accommodation with a roof terrace and higher than Mercer West, and very intrusive, so if you like privacy without people looking directly in to your apartment I would not move here. Apartments are massively overpriced, very poor finish and marks/scratches/damage throughout. Cheap furniture and poor quality, certainly not worth the money they are charging. The only thing that is good about this place is the location, it is close by to the city and public transport.

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

Slowly and unprofessionally. Majority of the good staff from this complex have left, as have the tenants, I think that really speaks for itself.

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

That I was going to get ripped off so badly. I've visited numerous other properties and many of them are newer, cleaner, better-run, and offer much better value for money. This place relies on flashy marketing, but the reality is very different. Rent is a rip off, management is poor, and the building is poorly constructed, still with defects even though it is out of the defect period. You're better off looking elsewhere, from speaking to other tenants that seems to be what everyone is doing/done or going to do.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

I have been living here 12 months and have just renewed for a further 12 months. I can’t recommend it enough, from the location , to the residents , to the staff. Everyone is so welcoming and goes above and beyond with any query I’ve had. Special mention to Sheldon who has been with the group since December, his welcoming and warming nature makes it really easy to bring any query to him and his efficiency is brilliant.

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

They have responded quickly and efficiently, Andy the resident maintenance man is a pleasure to have around.

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

Nothing in particular, everything was explained clearly to me before moving in

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

It’s a good area in overall. I feel safe coming home here during the day and at night. There is a Sainsbury’s at the doorstep which is super convenient, but shuts at 9pm and sometimes I wish it was open longer. Although there are more options with longer operating hours within 10-15 minutes of walk. I don’t drive, but there is parking available nearby and the building offers limited parking space on site. In terms of public transport, you can takes buses anywhere and only have to walk up to 10 minutes to catch a bus. The reliability of the service depends on the day, but the options are not bad.

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

Never had an issue with the team. They are quick to action solutions and are they are looking to achieve maximum satisfaction for their residents.

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

My flat facing the courtyard gets less sunlight than I expected, although you don’t get much in this country anyway. The heaters are working hard during winter as the flat seems to let heat out quicker than my previous place. In overall, the benefits make this feel less of an issue. Ceramic stove tops are not that great. Wish my kitchen had gas or induction which would be far more ideal, but it gets my food cooked at the end of the day.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Given that it’s a new development, I am happy that there’s at-least a supermarket! I know that renting out retail spaces take a while so I would expect the area to be much more developed in the future.

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

Yes, and they were fast with their response whenever I’ve rained an issue on the app.

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

Nothing much really, everything’s so far has exceeded my expectations.