York & Elder, BN1

Good thinking around sustainability in design and construction and amenities.

Building management seem very keen to ensure residents have a good living experience.

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

Great location, great communal facilities and very helpful and friendly staff, particularly the reception team for whom nothing is too much trouble.

Good sense of community amongst residents which is encouraged by staff.

Particularly keen on the roof gardens, private residents gym and communal works spaces.

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

The sense of community amongst residents who are keen to help each other.

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

Yes, around freezer, they were very responsive and keen to sort via maintainance.

The utility set up wasn’t made clear to residents when they signed their contracts and there have been some additional fees that were not expected. This has made the property feel more expensive than advertised.

Overall, we are happy with the building and love living here.

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

Lots of bars, pubs, restaurants and shops near by. Good public transport links. Walking distance to the Lanes and North Laine.

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

This is a very sociable place and a great way to meet new people.

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

Yes mostly. There were some issues that were here when we moved in that have not been sorted. We have been told that they cannot be sorted.

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

Preston circus is a fab area, lots of nice pubs, restaurants, and close supermarkets/shops.
There is on street permit parking, but only paid for disabled parking at the development.
Brilliant bike store.
The back entrance street can be a bit disconcerting late at night.

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

Landlords agreement with community utilities of high standing charge.
Transparency over costs of bills.

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

Not the best communicators with residents at times, not always responsive

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

This area of Brighton is quiet but at the same time has everything you need at your doorstep. In only 5mins you are at the north laines, one of the most popular neighborhoods in Brighton,full of coffee shops,shops,restaurants and pubs. It is also 5mins from the main Brighton train station, so very convenient if you have to commute for work. London road is only a minute from the building and has lots of shops and a nice atmosphere,as well as the local market where you can find fresh fruits/veggies/cheese…
I love living in this area,it’s not noisy, feels very safe, plenty of gyms around, parking available but the most important, you can be in the center in only 5mins walk.

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

I feel very happy here and I don’t regret having moved to this lovely building. The only thing I would change,perhaps that I didn’t know well, the cards needed to go to the flats. It can be very inconvenient having to go downstairs to take your guest to the flat but also when they leave. I had a situation where I wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t go downstairs to take my friend into my flat and I needed help during that time. I think they should be able to access at least the lift and from there use the card to go to different floors. Same when family visiting, need an extra card as working and very inconvenient having only one card,this has been said by most of the residents as very inconvenient.

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

Always open for discussion and easy to get to an agreement, good communication and very efficient.

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

The building itself is the best aspect, it’s always great to arrive back after travelling to and from London every day. There isn’t anything bad I can say about the building itself. There’s also great food and pub choices nearby. The only downside is the slightly questionable neighbourhood, but that’s nothing to do with the building and probably comes down to your tastes too.

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

Nothing in particular, the move in was very easy with marking available and trolleys.

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

Any questions or issues I have had have been responded to very quickly.

Regarding the communal area, having the cinema room is a real treat that you wouldn’t find in the vast majority of apartment blocks. However, the working space isn’t particularly well sectioned and suffers from quite a lack of plugs or space to take calls.

In terms of management, the front desk staff are consistently chatty, friendly, and super resourceful. It’s lovely to see a friendly face as soon as you come in the door.

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

The location was a huge selling point for me. The apartment is within 5 minutes walking distance to the train station, the local lanes for great coffee and food, and only 20 mins to the beach.
The only slight downfall has been noise from bin collections, particularly glass. The windows keep a lot of the noise out once closed, but if left opened during the warmer months, the noise is definitely enough to wake you in the night, particular on the lower floors.

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

I would have liked to know about the council tax band before moving. We were told it would be B but got moved to D without a lot of communication on the matter.

Other than that, most aspects were made clear before moving in.

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

Management have responded within a few days and have sent someone from their team to sort it

The communal spaces are great to wfh etc and the community events are a great idea.

It’s not without its teething issues given it’s a new building, however the team are really quick to resolve anything raised asap so I don’t see that as anything more than a minor inconvenience.

The referencing process was laborious and quite stressful due to the time it took however Leah was on hand the whole time.

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

Excellent location next to Brighton station and various shops.
A few little teething issues with the building as it’s new, snags etc but the team respond Asap and ensure everything is sorted

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

The bills are more expensive than I had anticipated unfortunately.
I was aware that it’s not the best area to be in after dark so that doesn’t cause me any issues personally but is worth knowing.

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

The team are what makes the place in my opinion, they are always on hand to help. Toby, Adam and Mark have been excellent since I moved in.

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

Brighton is a beautiful city; my favourite city in the UK. It’s well-connected to London, and I think it has the best restaurants per square mile anywhere I’ve been in the world.

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

The arrangement for heating is a mess and really disappointing considering the potential of a communal heating system.

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

Communication with maintenance staff can be confusing at times.

Facility-wise, it’s pretty well-thought-out. The bin shoot is a convenient feature that makes taking out the rubbish less of a chore, little annoying we can’t put recycling down it though. The gym is another highlight—it’s well-equipped and great for staying fit without having to leave the building. However, the co-working space could use some improvement. It feels a bit too much like a hotel lobby and is situated right next to the reception, which isn’t the best layout if you’re trying to focus on work.

When it comes to management and the reception staff, they’re top-notch. Anat and Holly & Sophie especially, have been brilliant. Whether you have a quick question or need something sorted like maintenance repairs, they’re quick to respond and always helpful. They make the process of living here that much easier.

Overall, I’m happy with the development. It’s got a lot going for it, from design to facilities and management. There are a few minor things that could be better, but they don’t take away from the overall quality of living here.

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

The local shops, restaurants, and pubs are high-quality and really close to the building. You’ve got everything you need within walking distance, which is handy.

Transport is really good. The train station is just a 5-minute walk, and there are plenty of bus options on London Road. Makes getting around pretty straightforward.

That said, there’s a downside. The back road does have some anti-social behaviour, so it’s best to avoid it at night. It’s not ideal and could do with some attention from the council.

Overall, the area’s great for the most part, but there’s room for improvement.

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

Before moving in, there were a few things that I wish I had known, as they definitely would have influenced my decision-making process.

Firstly, the council tax band was not communicated until three months in, and it turned out to be a lot higher than initially estimated (from B to D). The electricity costs were also more than what was suggested. The water heating is provided by a company that doesn’t have the best reputation. They’re not regulated and have received low ratings online, and ended up receiving a high bill with additional charges and fees.

As for the appliances, they weren’t as energy-efficient as we were led to believe during the viewing. This was a bit disappointing given the initial promises.

We were told that no unfurnished properties were available, but it turns out people are still viewing and moving into them, so that felt a bit misleading.

The photos on their website and social pages of the furnished places are misleading, the apartment actually comes with a very basic furniture package and not everything you see.

Additionally, during the viewing, we were told that things like the air quality filter were covered by the building. It turns out, that cost is actually folded into our bills.

On the bright side, the included WiFi is both good and fast, so that’s a plus.

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

They have been quick to respond, a few questions left unanswered but mostly great.

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

York and elder is located just off London road so you have lots of shops and pubs at your doorstep. Aldi and Sainsbury’s are only a 5 minute walk, as is the train station which is great for commuters. The flat is also very quiet thanks to the great noise insulation. Only cons would be that it’s a bit of a walk to get to the sea (20 minutes) and there isn’t any on site parking.

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

You cannot pick your own provider for hot water/heating as this is already set up

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

All maintenance requests I have submitted have been responded to in a quick and timely manner (usually sorted within 24-48 hours). These can all be raised on the online portal which is very convenient.