Gat3way Apartments - Steer Clear

riemann

I feel we owe it to people considering DCU next year and who may be browsing these forums to provide them with a review of Gat3way.

I'd say it would suck to find yourself in 1st year in college and stuck in what can only be described (in my opinion) as a dump.

If anyone disagrees with this or has anything further to add the floor is yours....

Limerick Dude

This was my first time living in gateway and to be honest i would recommend it to anyone.

The apartments are really nice and its a handy walk to college. The local area isnt that bad at all, ive never had any problems and im coming back to the gateway at all hours of the night sometimes.

Only problem i have had would be the internet, its pretty slow and it has been broken twice this college year.

Besides that, its all good.

P.S Go for block D, much bigger apartments and a big balcony.

Dave03

riemann wrote: »

I feel we owe it to people considering DCU next year and who may be browsing these forums to provide them with a review of Gat3way.

I'd say it would suck to find yourself in 1st year in college and stuck in what can only be described (in my opinion) as a dump.

If anyone disagrees with this or has anything further to add the floor is yours....

I've lived there the last two years and its grand place to live. Bit of a walk from campus but cheap rent compared to shanowen and campus. The apartments are nice. Was in block A this year really nice.

The internet isn't great at times and lacks a social scene. Also dealing with managment can be slow.

Overall tho not nearly as bad as riemann would like you to believe:rolleyes:

KenHy

4. Gateway Problems

The Union has been made aware of some issues relating to the student accommodation
at Gateway in Ballymun. For any students who are living there at the minute,
we're recommending that everyone insist on getting their deposits back before
returning their keys. If you're intending on living there again next September,
do not leave your deposit there over the summer and do not put down any deposits
there for next September. The Union will let you know over the summer if
these issues have been sorted out, but in the meantime, we don't recommend
you have any money tied up in Gateway accommodation.

Have never lived there, but given all I've heard about it I wouldn't consider it either.

Fuhrer

I lived there last year.


It was filthy, overpriced and dangerous.


On our first day there a local threw a rock through our living room window and when we were leaving the wouldnt give us our deposit back.

Cy_Revenant

Fuhrer wrote: »

It was filthy, overpriced and dangerous.

Filthy? Well, who's fault is that only your own?

As for overpriced, its cheaper than Campus Res and Shanowen.

I'll accept that this is a dangerous area, but after living here for a year (Block A bitches) I've had no issues. I've run into more trouble on the mean streets of Cavan back home.

riemann

Cy_Revenant wrote: »

Filthy? Well, who's fault is that only your own?

As for overpriced, its cheaper than Campus Res and Shanowen.

I'll accept that this is a dangerous area, but after living here for a year (Block A bitches) I've had no issues. I've run into more trouble on the mean streets of Cavan back home.

A cavanman not complaining about the price of something?

Sounds fishy to me.:D:D:D

Fuhrer

Cy_Revenant wrote: »

Filthy? Well, who's fault is that only your own?

As for overpriced, its cheaper than Campus Res and Shanowen.

I'll accept that this is a dangerous area, but after living here for a year (Block A bitches) I've had no issues. I've run into more trouble on the mean streets of Cavan back home.

Yeah, its my fault that apartment im moving in to is absoultely filthy, sound logic.

andrew163

I'm not sure whether or not I'd recommend this place. Also slightly cautious posting anything about it, there was an incident on this forum last year. Living here this year, got very lucky location-wise and was put in Block A (the big tower). Some people in other blocks have fairly bad apartments - broken windows have been a problem over the years.

Having seen what you can get for your money if you get some friends together and move into a house in a much nicer area in the other direction from DCU, this place is incredibly overpriced. The study desk in each bedroom is insufficient (too high, too small, comes with a chair that'll give you back spasms). I realise the rooms are fairly small so a big desk might be difficult, but a few minutes of thought put into the desk design/layout and it could be improved dramatically (they look like they were custom built anyway). The internet connection is inexcusable. There shouldn't be this many student apartments on the cheapest connection the law will let them install. College work needs internet! It should either be upgraded, or (at the very least) some half-assed network filtering should be installed to block LimeWire/BitTorrent/Rapidshare, ffs. At times I can SSH into a machine in DCU, type something, go make tea, and *maybe* it'll have shown up on screen by the time I get back. That's if the connection is even working at the time.

Regarding things like strictness on room inspections, etc, the management are fairly reasonable. Two inspections over the course of the year. No posters allowed, but that's not a major issue really.

One thing this place has that most student complexes lack is a washing machine - useful if you're not afraid to use it

Apparently you can "enter into arrangements" with NTL on your apartment, only found this out a few days ago. If I'd known this I'd have looked into buying digital (and maybe NTL broadband) for the year.. that'd have been brilliant. If anyone does end up here next year, maybe worth looking into.

About the deposit situation - the SU and management company are saying completely different things, so I wouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Time will tell with that one.

gizmo

To avoid any libel issues please backup your comments with personal experience only, any rumor, hearsay or "my mate said" based comments will be deleted.

The fact that the Union is making a point of this says a lot in fairness but I'd be interested to hear the reasons behind some of negative comments.

TheChrisD

Cy_Revenant wrote: »

I'll accept that this is a dangerous area, but after living here for a year (Block A bitches) I've had no issues.

And your bitching about the lack of Internet...?

Katniss everMean

Been in gateway for a year now, "its a dangerous area" walk down Pearse street if you think this place is bad, the worst that seems to happen is local kids running around with dogs asking for money.

Not sure about this place, I got a good apartment, in block A. large sitting room, rooms are an ok size, bathroom is good though I would rather en-suits. Super value right across the street and little ceasors, had no problems walking back at weird hours of the night.

The internet is terrible, but I blame most of this on boggers, its great on Saturday and Sunday morning, then its terrible, they have to be doing more then looking at notes, sometimes I wish that you could somehow electrocute anyone torrenting..

I don't think its that expensive, basically its just bellow 400 a month, including bills and bin charges, most houses end up at around 450 a month and that is sharing with at least four people.

Anyway, if you don't want restrictions on people coming back after 12 or people staying over gateway is good, just look into getting NTL.

llortaton

What are you all complaining about? I've lived in Gateway for 2 years now and it's truly an amazing experience.

Not only have I never had trouble dealing with management, but I've always found security to be on the ball when it comes to any issues I've had. I genuinely don't know what you're all complaining about.

Maybe if you all didn't cause so much trouble for the company itself then they'd be nice back to you. You can't just cause trouble and stir sh*t and still expect to get excellent treatment.

Frankly, if you all moved out it would be a lot better for the rest of us who just want to go about our lives. No more trouble for anyone.

xox

GrumPy

Live there myself. Flat is fine. Internet is terrible and for that reason alone I wouldn't go back. Management take forever to get back to you in my experience.
Pitty there isn't a social scene for people that live there, like a .tk domain forum where you could organise party's and junk. Stick up one flier in each block and it would take off I'd say.

Management company were not one bit happy when DCU printed that, and sent around an email fairly quick to ensure everyone to ignore it, and there's a legal buzz going on - will be interesting to see what happens there.

PS: Any hot single women living in Block B? :pac:

riemann

llortaton wrote: »

I've lived in Gateway for 2 years now and it's truly an amazing experience.

alexjk

llortaton wrote: »

What are you all complaining about? I've lived in Gateway for 2 years now and it's truly an amazing experience.

Not only have I never had trouble dealing with management, but I've always found security to be on the ball when it comes to any issues I've had. I genuinely don't know what you're all complaining about.

Maybe if you all didn't cause so much trouble for the company itself then they'd be nice back to you. You can't just cause trouble and stir sh*t and still expect to get excellent treatment.

Frankly, if you all moved out it would be a lot better for the rest of us who just want to go about our lives. No more trouble for anyone.

xox

Surely said from an office in Ely Square?

Cy_Revenant

alexjk wrote: »

Surely said from an office in Ely Square?

You would be surprised.

ManoCornuta

Angelkat7 wrote: »

The internet is terrible, but I blame most of this on boggers, its great on Saturday and Sunday morning, then its terrible, they have to be doing more then looking at notes, sometimes I wish that you could somehow electrocute anyone torrenting..

Hey, I'm a bogger and I've never torrented anything in my life!

Katniss everMean

ManoCornuta wrote: »

Hey, I'm a bogger and I've never torrented anything in my life!

not saying all the "boggers" are torrenting, just that at the weekends the internet is grand and this is the time when most people from the country go home

riemann

Angelkat7 wrote: »

not saying all the "boggers" are torrenting, just that at the weekends the internet is grand and this is the time when most people from the country go home

So who else is left? If your not from the country why else would you be renting a ****ing room? Or are you one of those cultured country folk who thinks hes better than everyone else?:rolleyes:

Tiroskan

Angelkat7 wrote: »

not saying all the "boggers" are torrenting, just that at the weekends the internet is grand and this is the time when most people from the country go home

Hey, I resent the implication here; as a 'bogger', I torrent whether I'm at home or abroad.

Katniss everMean

riemann wrote: »

So who else is left? If your not from the country why else would you be renting a ****ing room? Or are you one of those cultured country folk who thinks hes better than everyone else?:rolleyes:

It can take just as long for someone form Dublin to get to college then it can from someone from the country, a friend from Navan can get to DCU twice as fast then I ever could from Lucan.

btw you don't seem to like that I made an assumption (though correct), read my nick it kinda implies I'm a she, "shes better then everyone else" would be more correct.

Also as I said I don't believe everyone from the country is torrenting, just a fair amount of them.

Limerick Dude

Angelkat7 wrote: »

It can take just as long for someone form Dublin to get to college then it can from someone from the country, a friend from Navan can get to DCU twice as fast then I ever could from Lucan.

btw you don't seem to like that I made an assumption (though correct), read my nick it kinda implies I'm a she, "shes better then everyone else" would be more correct.

Also as I said I don't believe everyone from the country is torrenting, just a fair amount of them.

Why do you assume people are torrenting? It could easily be because everyone is there during the week, they are all on the internet(surfing not torrenting), and when the majority go home at the weekend the bandwith is freed up because there are less people surfing the web.

adamski8

very in formative thread, i didnt know boggers could operate the internet

TheChrisD

Limerick Dude wrote: »

Why do you assume people are torrenting?

Maybe because every single student I know torrents, and end up building a nice queue while procrastinating that are downloaded at home since the proxy blocks them all...

riemann

TheChrisD wrote: »

procrastinating that are downloaded at home since the proxy blocks them all...

No idea what you meant by this....

Landa2

Limerick Dude wrote: »

Why do you assume people are torrenting? It could easily be because everyone is there during the week, they are all on the internet(surfing not torrenting), and when the majority go home at the weekend the bandwith is freed up because there are less people surfing the web.

surfing uses very little bandwidth, if everyone is just surfing, there'd be no internet problem, if there is internet problems its safe to say there is some downloading going on, whether it be torrenting or other means, either that or gat3way have a terrible internet connection to begin with,

Limerick Dude

Im pretty sure its the latter.

john.needham

Landa2 wrote: »

surfing uses very little bandwidth, if everyone is just surfing, there'd be no internet problem, if there is internet problems its safe to say there is some downloading going on...

Pocro...surely you should know "surfing" is downloading...

Shiny

In fairness its not only torrenting.

If 3 or 4 different computers were watching youtube videos
at the same time it would also bring the wireless network
to its knees.

I'm sure its a combination of torrents, youtube, surfing etc...

monument

This maybe of interisted to those thinking of renting at Gateway as well as those leaving... from the Sunday Business Post today: Ely secures High Court injunction over rents row.

Besides ongoing issues between the property company and the landlords they have been renting on behalf, it is generally a good idea to keep your keys until your deposit is returned.

As for what Gateway is like: I live in the city centre, but from seeing both Gateway and on campus accommodation while visiting, Gateway seems far better. Size wise the rooms are near enough to apartments around the city (excluding more recent and premium places). The ones I've seen in Gateway have a reasonably sized living / kitchen area, while Campus Res looks like prison, has small rooms, small kitchen, small bathroom, and depressing common rooms. Also seems to be far more restriction on campus. From an observer's point of view, the so-called broadband seems to be one of the worst things in Gateway.

riemann

monument wrote: »

Gateway seems far better. Size wise the rooms are near enough to apartments around the city (excluding more recent and premium places). The ones I've seen in Gateway have a reasonably sized living / kitchen area, while Campus Res looks like prison, has small rooms, small kitchen, small bathroom, and depressing common rooms. Also seems to be far more restriction on campus. From an observer's point of view, the so-called broadband seems to be one of the worst things in Gateway.

Have you seen any of campus other than larkfield. Ive been in college park superior for the past few years and the place is like a hotel. Very plain but spacious and clean. What more can you ask for. In my opinion the only thing Gat3way and similar off campus accomadation has over Campus is the freedom to throw parties and bring people back after 12.

monument you are obviously a very wise person which makes your statement all the more surprising and ridiculous.

monument

riemann wrote: »

Have you seen any of campus other than larkfield. Ive been in college park superior for the past few years and the place is like a hotel. Very plain but spacious and clean. What more can you ask for. In my opinion the only thing Gat3way and similar off campus accomadation has over Campus is the freedom to throw parties and bring people back after 12.

monument you are obviously a very wise person which makes your statement all the more surprising and ridiculous.

Sorry, yes, I meant to add the there is better accommodation on Campus, but first years are most likely to send to the prison-like rooms (ie most of those considering DCU next year).

Spiralling

riemann wrote: »

monument you are obviously a very wise person which makes your statement all the more surprising and ridiculous.

You really don't know monument if you think that...

MammyofDave03

Dave03 wrote: »

I've lived there the last two years and its grand place to live. Bit of a walk from campus but cheap rent compared to shanowen and campus. The apartments are nice. Was in block A this year really nice.

The internet isn't great at times and lacks a social scene. Also dealing with managment can be slow.

Overall tho not nearly as bad as riemann would like you to believe:rolleyes:

Easy for you to say, I was the one trying to deal with that scary girl! :eek:

What I want to know is, should we return the key without securing the desposit. Quite frankly, I think it will be a fight to get my money back this year. It took a lot of calls last year before they finally paid up and that's only because of my excellent cleaning skills!

I would love to know what other tenants intend to do. I'm sorry we can't go tomorrow to meet with them. Do you know anyone who will be there tomorrow?

Sincerely, Mommie Dearest