Connersville Way, Croydon, CR0

***Vendor's comment:*** When I bought the property, I was looking for somewhere to call home that was a stone's throw from London (work). The balcony sold it for me! My partner soon moved in and we had many lovely breakfasts on that balcony. The sunsets are really something, too, with the big windows.

My partner and I decided to buy a place together a few years later to give us a little more space. I had originally planned to rent it out for just a couple of years and then sell it. But sadly, the estate got caught up in the national cladding investigations, so I have been a landlord for longer than anticipated! I’m glad to say that Barratts funded all of the necessary works (just replacing the wooden balconies in Heritage Court's case) so now we can go ahead! In the meantime, we’ve had some absolutely lovely tenants and have never had any issues renting it out.

The flat was completely new in 2014, so it’s been home to us first and then my tenants for around ten years. The flat was decorated to a high standard when I bought it. We decided to keep the walls white, mainly due to the gorgeous light through the windows, and add colour through the furnishings. We also divided the space with open bookshelves rather than a wall so that the bedroom could benefit from the light too. Since renting the flat, we regularly checked for repairs.

My partner and I are big climbers, so we’re jealous that the estate now boasts a climbing wall! We loved spending a summer's day in Wandle Park; they sometimes put on plays and music events in the evenings, and the big Sainsbury’s and Aldi nearby were super convenient. We were always impressed with the local pop-up beer places in town, and enjoyed cycling out into the countryside for a roast!

We both worked in central London so the location was ideal for us—the tram stop is right next to the Heritage Court block! Ten minutes to East Croydon station and then a short train to Victoria or London Bridge.

This flat was the first home for my husband and I. We have many great memories of playing music, cooking dinner and watching the sunset on the balcony. Our lives are at a different stage now (nappies and sleepless nights!) but we look back on this time fondly and hope someone else can make memories there too."