We enjoyed our stay in London. The flat is hard to find as there is no house number visible from the street. The owner uses a management company and the management company is very responsive which is helpful, but the management company doesn’t always know what the owner is doing. For example, the management company asked if it was ok to leave a skip (dumpster) in front of the flat. When we replied that we preferred for them to wait until we left, we found on our return from a day of sightseeing that the skip was already there, blocking our view and the path into the flat. After complaining, they moved the skip and they delayed starting construction.
We were grateful that they were accommodating of our early arrival. That was very nice and it was easy once we found the place to get into it.
We found the location good for us, about 10 minutes’ walk from the tube. We have a relative who lives nearby and thus chose the location.
The flat is what we call a railroad in the USA where one room goes to the next. It is fine if you have one child who would be in the room behind you, but not great otherwise since there is one bathroom that is not accessible without going through the main bedroom.
The flat needs some repair and cleanliness is an issue. There are hanging wires in many places. Some of the dishes from the prior tenant were not cleaned well.
The wooden door between our flat and the rest of the house is thin and we heard our neighbors and their young children. Fortunately at night, things quieted down, but we felt awkward; as we could hear the neighbors, they could hear us. We had rented what was meant to be an entire private space but this made it feel less than private.
The outdoor trash bins were overflowing. The rugs—particularly the shag rugs, which trap dirt and are not suitable for a rental apartment—are dirty and need replacing. The vacuum cleaner had been left in the bedroom and dirty and used slippers were left in a pail (for guests? who would wear dirty used slippers?) but should be trashed. There is no closet in the main bedroom and the dresser was full of towels. The side yard is full of trash and should be cleaned up.
The photos are misleading. The bathroom is tiny. The photos do not show all the hanging wires.
We stayed for a week and managed ok. It is spacious and serviceable but some additional cleanliness and repairs, and a heavy insulated door between the flat and the rest of the house, would definitely enhance the flat.