“As has been expressed in other ...”
As has been expressed in other reviews that I read on the site, the apartment was cold although adjusting the timer and thermostat solved some of this problem. A tip for the owner : Don't site your heating thermostat next to the radiator because whilst the hallway may be nice and warm it's actually 2-3 degrees colder in the lounge. Regrettably, the bathroom never got very warm - it's several degrees colder than the lounge - as it's a flat roof with a seating area for the owners above it and the resulting heat loss through the roof is considerable.
It's also a good idea to keep the curtains drawn in the bedroom as the old sash window doesn't shut properly. It's clearly jammed slightly open and has been painted over. I'm surprised that when the extension was built, it wasn't replaced at the same time. Regardless, there is a horrendous draft through the gap between the two halves of the window.
The TV seems subject to continual loss of signal. There is a DVD player not mentioned in the details so it might be an idea to bring some DVDs to watch as the TV is quite dated, doesn't have a USB socket and keeps cutting out. Curiously when the upstairs people are out, the TV works a lot better so maybe it's the wiring?
As regards the kitchen, the oven could do with a good clean, the roasting tin and wire rack ditto. Two of the white dishes in the drawer hadn't been thoroughly cleaned. Sufficient dishes for two people as long as you use the small dishwasher frequently. Adequate but not exactly generously equipped.
There is a hair dryer but this is not mentioned on the description so plus point for equipment, minus point for accuracy. You should add it to the description.
Noise insulation is not great maybe because it's an old house? You can't fail to be aware that there are people living upstairs, particularly at 6am when they take a shower.
The main saviour of this place is that it's a great location and an easy walk into the city centre. For that reason I would rate it as OK, but only just. There's nothing welcoming when you arrive, not even a card, cheap bottle of plonk or a few flowers, although curiously all of these seem to appear in the photographs on the website.
As regards Sykes themselves, be aware that if you rent a place through them - or even enquire on their website - their marketing is aggressive and you should expect to be subjected to a torrent of unsolicited, persistent, unwanted, unecessary and nagging emails
