Lettings: City living in style (From York Press)

Lettings: City living in style

12:10pm Thursday 19th July 2012

Relocating to york, or just looking for a super place to rent? Brian Page looks at some classy properties – starting with a sensational penthouse apartment.

An old pal came to visit us at the start of what is laughingly called the summer. He had not been in York for some time and instantly fell in love with the city all over again (and who can blame him). So much so, in fact, that he announced he wanted to move back north and to the city in particular.

“Can you find me somewhere to rent while I sort things out”, he asked? What could we do but oblige? And with the help of our friends in the rental market here are some of our selections… Starting with a property that the team at Martin and Co describe – absolutely accurately – as ‘sensational’.

It is a penthouse apartment in Piccadilly Plaza offered furnished (and from what we can see quite beautifully furnished, too). It’s placed right in the city centre and has some quite breathtaking views – and two balconies to make the most of them.

Lift access takes you up to the apartment where there is a lobby with seating area and an entrance vestibule leading to a large living area with the first of those balconies, in this case overlooking the Castle Museum.

There is a dining area and a large breakfast kitchen with integral appliances.

The master bedroom offers a further balcony and has en-suite facilities with a bath and separate shower. There is a further double bedroom and a large luxury bathroom with underfloor heating. And what’s more there is a private roof terrace.

The rental is £1,395pcm (a mere bagatelle for someone coming up from the south!).

The team at Susie Smith Lettings are equally enthusiastic about one of their properties – and one which also has interesting views. It is a smart terraced house in Railway Terrace, close to the city centre and (as you would expect) the railway station.

This, say the agents, is a high spec three bedroomed house presented “to the very highest standards”.

The property highlights include a large through lounge/diner with laminate flooring, a smart kitchen (with fridge/freezer, electric hob, oven, integral microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer).

There is a superb house bathroom with roll-top bath, separate double shower and door to mezzanine decking area, two double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and further stairs up to a master bedroom with separate WC and velux windows giving super views of the city and the York Eye.

Added bonuses include a conservatory and rear courtyard with steps up to a decked area. The rental is £895pcm.

Staying (tenuously) with the railway theme, we next visit Station Road, Haxby , to discover a spacious threebedroomed, newly-renovated, forecourted terraced house.

The property has new floors and carpets and offers an entrance hall, large lounge, separate dining room, kitchen and utility room and downstairs cloakroom.

To the first floor, there are three double bedrooms and a house bathroom with separate shower cubicle.

To the rear is a courtyard area with parking for one car. It is offered, unfurnished, by Arena Letting at a rental of £975pcm.

And if it is a smart town house you are after, then you could take a look at a tidy property in Vyner Street, within walking distance of the city centre, Nestle factory and the district hospital.

Nice period touches here include an entrance hall with an original tiled floor. There is a through lounge diner with open fireplace, a smart kitchen and modern ground floor bathroom and separate WC.

There are two double bedrooms and a good-sized single and it is wrapped up with a paved/gravelled rear garden and on-street parking.

The rental is £850pcm and it is offered by Letters Ltd.

The same agents also have a pair of interesting apartments on the books. The first of these is in St Andrewgate in the heart of the city centre.

A spacious first floor apartment in a converted Georgian town house situated in a quiet backwater just a few seconds’ walk from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, it offers a large reception room with ornamental feature fireplace and large walk-in storage cupboard, a fitted kitchen, double bedroom and bathroom. The rental is £675pcm.

The second is in Lowther Court, a modern ground floor apartment with a private patio area – and nicely within walking distance of the city centre.

Here you will find a reception room, a fitted kitchen (with electric oven and hob, washing machine and fridge) a double bedroom with bed, wardrobe and drawers and a second double bedroom with patio door to a communal garden. With a private bike shed and its own patio area and allocated parking space, this one is offered at a rental of £650pcm.

Hudson Moody, meanwhile, have a very bright-looking modern townhouse to offer in Barnabus Court, again fairly close to the city centre. It offers an entrance vestibule leading to a sitting room, an inner hallway with cloakroom off and a dining kitchen.

To the first floor there are two good-sized bedrooms and a house bathroom. Outside you have a courtyard garden and timber store shed.

“An internal inspection is recommended in order to appreciate the accommodation on offer,” the agents say. The rental is £675pcm.

And now, our last but definitely not least spot is taken up with a very smart apartment in Queens Court, Fetter Lane, again in the heart of the city (and tucked away behind electric gates and with a communal courtyard and parking area).

Coming into the first floor apartment, you find a hallway which has useful storage and utility areas.

There is a contemporary fitted kitchen with a range of wall and base units and integrated appliances including oven and hob, fridge/freezer and dishwasher, a comfortable lounge and two double bedrooms and a modern bathroom.

It is offered by Reeds Rains at a rental of £675pcm.