I rented an apartment at Wheeler Estates earlier this year (2004). Bad choice. I was unlawfully evicted after less than two months because a couple were arrested for disturbing the peace in the parking lot below my apartment. These people were friends of an aquaintance whom had come over to see if that aquaintance was at my apartment! The aquaintance was not there. I asked that couple to leave because they were obviously arguing - loudly. They were not known to me, they were not invited to my apartment, nor were they welcomed. They went outside and continued arguing so much that neighbors called the police and they were arrested. The management, with no one else to blame, evicted me! Talk about guilty by association! I was tried, judged and sentenced before I had a chance to protest my innocence. Even though I wasn't personally involved, and the people were no friends of mine - I was held responsible! Despite pleas that it was a "first offence" and that I would do my best not to have it happen again, the management refused to hear me and gave me just three days to get out. That is in direct violation of the Alabama Uniform Landlord Tenant Act of 2004.
Even so, I agreed to leave quietly if they agreed to refund my security deposit - less their "cleaning fee" - and agreed to make the original lease null and void - meaning I owed them nothing and would not be liable for any other costs. They agreed and signed a paper saying so!
Today - September 15, 2004 - I got a call from a collection agency saying I owed Wheeler Estates over $500.00. This is the first I knew about it and is a violation of the agreement we had signed.
In the first instance, Wheeler Estates acted in flagrant disregard of the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act of January 1, 2004, and have now dishonored a written agreement.
Don't trust these people further than you can spit them! In my opinion, they are liars and cheats!
An update as of September 23, 2004. I am in contact with the Area Management and we seem to working to resolve the "additional charges" problem. Apparently there was a "mis-communication" between the Decatur office and the Head Office in Michigan.
Watch this space for more updates.
Further update - November 2004. I got a small refund of the deposit less their "cleaning fee", and a statement showing a zero balance owing to Wheeler Estates. Nothing else - no apology for their "administrative error" - and no apology for the calls from a collection agency as a result of their "error".
My opinion still stands and is warranted.
The apartments are poorly constructed from cheap materials. The walls are paper thin, they charge an extra $100 a month for washing machine hookups, and have outrageous charges for their in-house laundry facilities - which don't seem to do a good job.
There are "suspicious" things may still go on, and shady characters may continue to "drive through" regularly. There may be parties at the weekend that rock the entire complex. As for the management - I could care less about them.
I still wouldn't rent there! Overall, not an ideal place to rent. Look elsewhere!!

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