Silk Mill

I’ve had a great experience at this accommodation. The property is clean, well-maintained, and any issues are dealt with quickly. Beth, the manager, is professional, responsive, and genuinely helpful. Angela, the caretaker, does an excellent job keeping everything clean and in good condition. A well-managed and comfortable place to stay.

I’ve been living at The Silk Mill for a while now, and I can honestly say it’s been such a positive experience. The place is modern, comfortable, and well-kept, making it a perfect space to call home as a student. It’s not just about having a nice place to stay; the environment here is really what makes it special. I have to give a huge shout-out to Beth, the property manager. She is absolutely amazing. From day one, Beth has been nothing but helpful, kind, and genuinely caring. It’s clear she takes pride in making sure everything runs smoothly, and you can tell she really cares about the residents. Whether it’s a small question or something more urgent, she’s always there to help and never makes you feel like a bother. Her professionalism and warmth really set the tone for the whole place, and it’s something I truly appreciate. And then there’s Angela, who plays such a huge role in keeping everything running smoothly. She works so hard to keep the building in top condition, and it shows. But it’s not just about cleanliness; Angela creates a sense of calm and comfort that’s hard to put into words. She’s always friendly, and you can tell she genuinely cares about the people who live here. There’s a real sense of community here, and a big part of that is because of her presence. She’s one of those people who makes you feel welcome, and it’s something that makes a big difference when you’re living away from home. The Silk Mill is also in a great location for getting to campus; it’s really convenient, which makes a busy student life that much easier. The building itself feels safe, clean, and quiet, perfect for focusing on schoolwork or just taking a break when needed. It really feels like a peaceful space where you can both work and relax. Overall, I’m so happy to be living here. The Silk Mill is more than just a place to stay; it’s a place where I feel supported, cared for, and at home, thanks to the amazing staff like Beth and Angela. I honestly couldn’t ask for a better student accommodation, and I’d recommend it to anyone without hesitation.

PLEASE Avoid Silk Mill at all costs!!! The management has zero regard for tenants and will shamelessly take your entire deposit for minor and unjustified reasons. You will have to fight tooth and nail to get the money back!!! In my case it had to be disputed externally- they issued charges before my tenancy had even legally ended, and never gave me the full opportunity to clean my room entirely. They also withheld money I had overpaid until I raised it myself 6 months later. They ignored all my emails after they took my ENTIRE deposit for seemingly stupid reasons - and only responded when I got TDS involved. The building itself is terribly maintained I lived on the 4th floor with a broken lift for my entire tenancy not once did they offer compensation or assistance, even though I had to carry instruments, art supplies, and more up and down four flights of stairs. These stairs are tall and spaced out so It was absolutely exhausting and made move-in and move-out an absolute nightmare. You think you’d get used to this but NO - it was THAT exhausting I was out of breath every time I reached my room and all my visitors would agree. It’s shocking that in 6 MONTHS their lift couldn’t be fixed, and all inquiries about it resulted in false promises being made over and over. By the time I left the lift still wasn’t fixed. Not to mention the area is awkward, there’s only a tiny spar nearby, buses are sparse and often VERY late, and the walk to uni is 30+ minutes if you are travelling to the other side of uni - it feels like being stuck in the middle of nowhere!! The windows in the rooms are unnecessarily tall and can’t be opened unless extremely tall. Not to mention the brick walls crumbling on you as you sleep. The whole experience was stressful, dismissive, and exploitative.They are more interested in extracting money than supporting tenants. Do not trust them with your deposit or wellbeing and find another place to stay. The only good part is the common room and thats about it. Don’t waste your time here especially if you’re a uni student.I now live in town and the experience is worlds better than whatever this place was.

Situated in the village of Galgate south of lancaster is the 19th century Silk Mill. The silk mill has been revived and revitalized. A grade two listed building. The four architects commissioned have done a great job and managed to retained all of the historical features. The five storey red brick building has been transformed into student accommodation. Modern and up to date facilities, including a gymnasium, communial area and reception situated in the basement. An interesting project.

Terrible experience for me and my wife and had to live for a while! For some reason, the fire alarm went off day or night, and despite all the crowds, some days there was no security guard, so we had to call the vivo manager and report the situation. Frankly, this situation does not seem safe at all. Some of the rooms between the floors did not have windows, and when people cooked, they had to open their external doors to get air, which caused the whole building to be surrounded by a strange smell and smoke. The elevator was almost always broken. I injured my back while getting to our room on the 4th floor and couldn't recover for a week. All our e-mails asking when the elevator will be built remained unanswered. Without any reason, they said that they would not refund almost all of the dues we paid for the room we stayed in for only 4 months. "Absurd excuses were told, such as the garbage we had cleaned, bagged, left aside and the bed moved. " I never recommend!

To be honest, the ground floor of this building should not be rented out as the lighting is dim, which seriously affects the living experience, and the need to switch on the lights during the day makes it feel very depressing. I don't think the rooms on the ground floor are up to scratch. Also, the windows are very high and usually closed, which is a major drawback. Overall, you need to be lucky to be allocated a well-lit room to have a good living experience. The on-site manager was more than welcoming and resolved issues quickly. However, the rental company managers are often unresponsive to your needs and take a long time to refund deposits.

I currently live in silk mill lancaster & it was out of desperation with the lack of affordable housing currently. The wifi is very pooor quality, the shower sometimes goes from boiling hot to freezing cold in the space of a few short minutes. The lift has been broken since i moved in last year. There are no windows that open inside the "cheaper" rooms so you get no ventilation unless you open your door and that doesn't help sometimes. It also means you never get privacy, you also cannot open the blinds in your room as a lot of the rooms face each other. So a lot of times it can feel like you're paying to be in a prison. Currently it's really warm in lancaster & it's literally unbearable having no ventilation. It's incredibly sad that we're paying almost a grand a month & getting the very bare minimum. I have also seen complaints of people not getting their deposits back ? It's beyond a joke.

1. The lift of the building was broken for more than 6 months and the management team couldn’t find a single person to fix it, we had to climb the stairs to the second floor while carrying heavy luggages. 2. There was no open window in the room which makes it really hot during the summer time, I had to buy a big fan to at least keep the air circulating inside my room. 3. Out of nowhere, there are giant flies appearing in my room from time to time (even if there is no window in the room) 4. The fire alarm gets triggered really easily, it is disturbing especially when it rings during midnight/early morning. I don’t recommend student living here because I don’t think the management team (vivo) is helpful, they don’t reply to emails when it comes to repaying the deposits.

I had a very disappointing experience at Silk Mill, Lancaster. As soon as I moved in, I immediately noticed that my room was not cleaned properly. There was dust everywhere, and I found 15-20 spiders in my space, which made me feel uneasy about the hygiene standards. To make matters worse, the window in my room cannot be opened, so there’s no ventilation at all. This is not what I expected for a “premium” apartment. The biggest issue, however, was the water leak that started at 2:30 AM one night and continued to leak over my bed. I reported it to management, but they said a roofer wouldn’t be able to come until a few days. I spent the entire night cleaning up dirty water and couldn’t even cook due to the situation. As if that wasn't enough, I was shocked to find that 60% of my holding deposit was deducted after my stay, even though I left the room clean. When I tried to reach out for clarification, my messages went unanswered. Additionally, I felt unsafe with the lack of security measures in place. Overall, I would not recommend Silk Mill for student accommodation. It's not worth the money, and the management’s lack of response to issues is unacceptable.

I rented a property at Silk Mill, Galgate, Lancaster through Vivo Residential Ltd. My tenancy ended on 1st August 2025, and despite repeated attempts, I have still not had my deposit returned. •I contacted the Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), who confirmed that no deposit has been registered under my tenancy. •By law, deposits must be protected in a government-approved scheme, but this was not done in my case. •I have reached out to the agent multiple times, but my messages have been ignored. Tenants should be aware that this conduct is unprofessional and unlawful. If you are considering renting through this agency, please make sure to confirm that your deposit is protected in a government-approved scheme and that you are given the proper certification. I am now being forced to consider further legal action to recover my deposit. My advice to others: Always check that your deposit is properly protected, and think twice before renting through this company.