Way of Life - The Draper, The Draper

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

The building is new and generally quiet, with good build quality. However, the property management is poor. Emails often go unanswered, and you usually need to visit the office in person just to get basic issues addressed.

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

Management is often unresponsive. Emails go unanswered for weeks, and the only option is to visit the office in person, and even then there’s no clear timeline for repairs.

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

The lack of trash chute and poor customer service

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

We moved into a Way of Life building expecting the standard they market. What we got was ten months of disrepair, obstruction and a management culture that treats tenants as a PR problem rather than people living in their homes. Night one. The bath was leaking. Not a drip… like it was a leak significant enough that the contractor who came to look at it was visibly appalled and pissed off for us. That set the tone. June. We reported damp and mould. It was ignored. End of July. We reported it again. It was downplayed. It took a week to get any response at all, and only after we escalated did anyone attend. They came repeatedly before grasping the scale of it: mould across an entire wall, in the bedroom, in the laundry room, with leaks throughout the flat. When they finally opened the wall, the mould was extensive and had spread beyond our flat into the shared corridors. Their response to that discovery was to leave the wall open with us still living there. I am pregnant and asthmatic. I told them so. The suggestion offered was that we "just close the bedroom door." When we pushed back, we were told by a member of their team that "mould doesn't spread." We had to argue, from early morning, simply to be relocated out of an actively contaminated flat and throughout it we were treated as though we were being difficult, hysterical, or stupid. The report that doesn't exist, except when it's convenient. We spoke to the mould contractors directly. They were also appalled, and told us plainly that a report could be produced within a day. That was about twelve weeks ago. Way of Life has refused, deflected and delayed ever since leaving us with no documentation of what we were exposed to, no way to assess the health risk to a pregnant woman and an asthmatic, and no way to defend our position. Then, out of nowhere: the contractor has confirmed the works are complete and the flat is suitable for reoccupation. So there is information. They simply won't share it with the people who lived in it. Either the contractor's assurance exists in a form they can produce, or it doesn't and they're asking us to move back on nothing. It cannot be both. The human cost. Our belongings and clothing were damaged by mould. My husband developed rashes. Between us we've had respiratory symptoms, sinus and throat irritation, headaches, fatigue and a level of stress that has been genuinely difficult to carry through a pregnancy while both of us work. We moved flats twice in a single week. At one point, during a family argument caused entirely by the stress of their mishandling, we were threatened with the police. The pattern. Requests go unanswered for weeks. Their own deadlines arrive with a barrage of emails demanding an immediate response so you get stressed out and pressured. Questions are met with legalese and mental gymnastics rather than answers. Compensation was raised in August; it is now the end of September and nothing has been resolved. Throughout, the posture has been that housing us at all was a favour graciously extended. The wider picture. Speaking to neighbours, we're not unusual. Others have had maintenance failures and legal disputes with them. Parcels routinely go missing. The systems are chaotic. The lift is frequently out. The security arrangements are strange enough that one resident told us their flat was broken into. The gym we were promised took months to materialise. The "events programme" in the marketing does not exist in any meaningful form. What does exist is the marketing. That is where the investment goes. This is the London rental stereotype in its purest form: a premium price for a small box, a glossy brand, and an operator whose actual skill is managing perception upward to their own bosses rather than managing buildings for the people inside them. There is no humanity in how they handle problems only deflection, condescension and a determination never to put anything in writing that could be held against them. If you are considering renting with Way of Life, ask yourself one question: what happens when something goes seriously wrong? Because we found out, and the answer is that you will be on your own, disbelieved, and asked to be grateful. Would not recommend to anyone least of all anyone pregnant, asthmatic, or with children.

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

Legalese and dismissive attitude. Mold issue they acted like it was nothing we had to push just to be relocated we thought it would be fixed. It’s both not our first language so we were then moved to another flat… because we almost begged for it to not sleep in mould. Then another one and we signed a license to be relocated, we read it thoroughly but we was so stressed (and English isn’t our first language) that we didn’t have time to process it all or ask a solicitor what that implies then we felt stuck and confused because we thought we would go back to our flat once it’s finished, we also missed our deadline for moving out somewhere new because we was unclear how to approach. And they blamed everything on us ultimately. Mould exposure is a known trigger for asthma attacks, chest and sinus infections, skin reactions and persistent fatigue, and carries added risk in pregnancy all of which we told them, repeatedly, and all of which they dismissed. We ended up paying for private GP appointments to deal with the consequences, while the company that caused them continued to withhold the one document that would tell us what we had been exposed to.

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

We wish you knew the amenities weren’t ready and that we read the reviews, not the fake ones… that we maybe did more research and realised this building is so much headache

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

Beaufort Park offers far more than I initially expected, with plenty of amenities, shops, green space and useful facilities nearby. It feels like a complete package and makes living here even more rewarding.

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

We had some wardrobe and electrical issues at one point, and the maintenance team were sent over to deal with them without hassle. Although it can sometimes take a while for a maintenance request to be logged and picked up...

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

Thought the area was just a fancy bubble but apparently, lots of amenities are available. Beaufort park itself is a complete package. Makes living here very rewarding!

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

I've been living at The Draper since January and it's been a great experience so far. The local area is well served: there's a good range of restaurants, cafés and shops within walking distance, and the nearby parks and green spaces are a real plus for getting outdoors. Transport is generally convenient, with the Northern line right there, though the line does have its problems: when there are disruptions on the Edgware branch, Colindale residents often end up having to get off further down and finish the journey by bus or taxi, which adds a fair bit to the commute. Day to day, living here is quiet and straightforward; I haven't had issues with traffic noise or anti-social behaviour, and bin collections are regular. The one recurring problem is the recycling area, which is often infested with flies because residents leave general rubbish in there rather than recyclables. Overall, The Draper is a great place to live, particularly given its proximity to the parks, restaurants, cafés and shops. There are some issues, but I'd put these down to teething problems in such a new development :)

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

The building management has almost always responded to any issues promptly.

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

The building complex is well-located and has all the amenities you will need! Incredibly convenient :)

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

Great area, local shops and amazing restaurants! Very safe. With 24-hour security, concierge services, parcel storage, high-speed Wi-Fi and a strong focus on creating a welcoming resident community

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

Very responsive! Quick to fix any issues. The staff are all great and respectful.

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

If I knew how great this development is I would have moved in earlier.