iQ Hoxton — Attraction in London

(UPDATE 12/08/19: 1 star from 2 stars - After my personal request to NOT work on Sundays which is ILLEGAL according to the Control of Pollution Act 1974 for the borough of Hackney, the construction working hours were changed to 8am-6pm on weekdays and 9am-1pm on Saturdays. The manager tried to make arrangements by offering me a different room to study and sleep, however this is not what I agreed to when I signed the tenancy agreement, and it's just another inconvenience.)

Overall decent experience, except for the past month and until moving out, that I have been really disappointed and my whole image for the accommodation has changed.

There has been a construction site set up since 15/7 and until the 6/9 (btw most of the remaining residents are working on their dissertations during this time), about which we were only informed 4 days before the works would start (weekend included). Most of the communal areas of the accommodation (the movie, games room and the yard have been converted into construction sites and operations offices), and there is non-stop noise on weekdays from 9am to 5pm(some days even past 5pm). Nothing can be done or changed apparently as iQ is covered by the tenancy agreement according to which they can shut down any area if it is for their improvement.

To my eyes, improving the accommodation's facilities for prospective residents, but making the life of current residents so much worse and harder without compensating them in any way possible (reminder: I am paying £310 per week!!!!) , shows huge lack of RESPECT and UNDERSTANDING to your clients' needs.

Location: it is very good and pretty central (plenty of options around Shoreditch, also very convenient for multiple unis - I was studying at UCL which is 3 stops away, from Old Street to Euston). Hoxton overground is literally 3 mins away, and Liverpool Street Station 20 mins walk. Also, there is a Sainsbury's literally across the street.

Rooms: I stayed at one of the refurbished studios and it was okay-not 100% sure if it was worth the price difference though. Make sure to ask what floor, and possibly for a floor plan of the room before you book. The size of the rooms is pretty much the same, however some are a bit more spacious or feel like it because of larger windows etc. Mine had a skylight window with a blind on the roof, which had its pros and cons (felt bigger, more light VS sometimes too much light, heat, or the sound of rain lol). The rooms during the summer get extremely hot and most windows do not even open properly for security reasons - that's why I'd suggest going for a room with big windows if you can.

Life & social: it's easy to make friends. It is very chill (except for the past month due to the construction works), and not much going on in terms of events and parties (highly appreciated!) - but I guess depends on the people that currently live here. There were of course noisy and loud nights, and people that do not respect their neighbours on a daily basis, but I guess this is part of the student accommodation experience and...also luck? (besides lack of respect and manners)

Staff: Paula (housekeeper) and Luis (maintenance) were very friendly, responsive and good at their work. I did not personally have any issues with the security guards, but I know many people that did during the winter. The only thing was that there was lack of communication with the management as the guards were not always informed properly, which was really frustrating. For example, a guard claiming that he was not informed to give me access to a room, the management on the other hand claiming that they did...not very responsible.

Regarding the management, I would not like to comment anything. Their decision to convert this student accommodation into a living torture during the two most critical period of our studies, says a...

Please READ BEFORE YOU BOOK and scroll to the bottom for THE WORST PART. I’ve also updated some photo evidences.

This is the WORST accommodation I have had so far. The place is NOISY as people will party until 5 AM in the morning in the yard on a Thursday. It smells of SMOKE everywhere and the fire alarm rings every week! Sometimes at 6 AM! When you go through the common area there are empty wine bottles everywhere.

The LOCATION is bad! DO NOT rely on overground if you’re going to university as it is frequently delayed!!

In my room there are many BURNS on the floor and SCRATCHES on the furnitures. The stove is basically useless! When I MOVED IN, the sink and shaving light were broken and it was fixed 1 MONTH LATER after I requested the repair.

And the quality or service is just “INCOMPARABLE” WORST OF ALL: during my stay my lock was broken TWICE for its poorly quality! I could not lock my door for a total of 10 days!!!!! When it happens first time on a Friday, I had to wait outside for 4 HOURS! When the door was finally broken down, the manager told me to WAIT until Monday to get it fixed or to take my stuff including the MATTRESS to another building but to move BACK on Monday! I stayed in my room and when the Monday came there were NO ONE, NO FOLLOW-UP, NO REPLY TO EMAIL. I had a full day of lectures on that day so I dropped in the morning and THE MANAGER promised he would “keep me updated”. It was a joke ‘cause my emails sent wasn’t even replied. I had to CONFRONT him the second day to get HE STARTED ACTUALLY CONTACTING PEOPLE AND MAKE AN EFFORT! It was a NIGHTMARE because he promised me the technician would come that day but CANCELED ME AGAIN. The technician arrived on WEDNESDAY 7 PM to solve this!

ITS NOT THE END! After 2 weeks, the door was broken AGAIN. And the same 5 DAYS OF WAITING AND FRUSTRATION happened again. I’ll save your time here. If it’s any comfort, this time the manager offered to move me into a NEWLY furnished room with STRONG SMELL of paint (which btw I don’t think it’s legal to offer) and an empty studio (for some ambiguous reason I couldn’t live in) to store my stuff while they fix the lock.

🙂I hate I didn’t take enough photos of that mess but I sincerely suggest you to seek accommodation elsewhere. BTW I have updated some photos in the album to demonstrate the poor quality...

I have been waiting for 7 months until I finally moved into iQ Hoxton, from Will Wyatt. I have seen the spaces, the rooms, I felt the vibe, I knew the people running the place, but still nothing made justice to my first two months in Hoxton. I boldly say that it is 10 times better than you might see it on the site. Spacious rooms full of light, top hygiene, respectful and friendly residents, amazing communal areas to study, make meetings, interviews, whatever you would like, borrow books, and separately the entertainment spaces. So good! The backyard is so homely, so nice to take your coffee, tea, and a book and relax. Serenity... And the gym? Totally clean and amazing, and guess what no odours! That was a first for a gym! And then the people, the heart of Hoxton! Shilpi the strong, warm, person, always there not only to solve a problem, but also to help your well-being, always understanding even without asking! She is amazing! And Shakti, the person with all the solutions always with a smile, always making you feel at home, safe, and welcome. And what can I say about Idris, the maintenance magician that is always on time ready to fix even something minor, and the amazing lady with the great humour that ensures that everything is clean. I love chatting with both of them. And last but not least, the security guys. Every single one of them. Safety gets a whole new meaning with these people. Most of all, I feel at home. Every time, I pass through the main entrance, I know I am home. And that's only in my first two months here! And it helps a lot my mental and physical well-being, my mind clarity, so I can perform better in my studies and teaching, take care of myself, and have the perfect space and environment to be myself, and enjoy University, and London. Guys you are stuck with me for the next two years!! Oh and Sid, you have done some pretty amazing job both for Hoxton and Will Wyatt, but I have to say, Hoxton is like a village, our village, our home in the heart of London! Thank you all guys, and Greta and Jay, can't wait seeing...