14 Albany Street

This flat is super damp and cold, has a bad mouse problem, and is falling apart—my roof even fell in, making the whole place feel unstable and in need of a safety assessment. On the plus side, the location is great. The landlord is responsive and addresses issues, but she often takes shortcuts that don't effectively fix problems.

The house was damp and had some structural weaknesses, with parts of the walls so soft I could push through them with a finger. It was terrifying when pieces of plaster fell from the ceiling. While the bathroom was nice and the shower pressure was great, the landlord seemed more focused on covering up issues with paint and new carpet rather than actually fixing them. Overall, the best thing about the flat was the shower, but the worst was its structural unsoundness.

The location of the house is fantastic, but it's really cold. The landlady is nice, though she can show up unannounced and isn't always on top of things. The new bathrooms are definitely a highlight, but the thin walls and gaps in the walls and doors make it feel even colder.

Living in this flat was challenging due to the cold; one of my flatmates even got mild frostbite. The noise from the upstairs tenants was a constant issue, and while the rooms were big, they had drafty windows and one room was particularly dark and cold. The landlord was nice and prompt but ineffective at solving problems, and she tried to unfairly charge us for cleaning at the end of the year. On the plus side, the location was great and the new bathrooms were a nice touch, but the rent has gone up since we lived here, and we dealt with several leaks throughout the year.

The house is freezing and gets practically no sun, which is definitely the worst part about it. The location is the best thing about the flat, and the landlord is alright. Overall, the cold is a significant downside.