The flat had a number of issues. First, it needs some thorough maintenance, nothing major, but almost every screw in the place is coming loose. Faucets, door handles, even the toilet seat are all in danger of falling off. Second, the place could use a deep clean. The beds are cheap, but acceptable, however the pillows are paper thin and there are only two to each bed.
As for communication with the host, they were incredibly difficult to get ahold of. It took over a month and multiple messages just to confirm checkout time (which is 10 AM on AirBnB but 11 AM in the house manual). However, the property manager Val (different from the AirBnB host) was very helpful and responsive. She was able to get us checked in quickly and assisted us with a small request during our stay.
The location of the place was really fantastic and the main redeeming feature. It's right next to Aldgate East tube station and there's a Tesco Express about 100 yards down the street. There are also many different restaurants within walking distance, all of them reasonably priced and fairly diverse. Our stay was mostly quiet despite being in the middle of London.
Overall, this place was acceptable, but a bit rundown.