I am here just to inform potential renters at this community of my nightmarish experience attempting to rent at this community. It's a long read, but it really shines a light on the way these people operate, and believe me, you dont want to have to deal with what I had to go through.

On approximately Jan 27-28th 2006,I was looking for an apartment in the area, due to the fact that my current apartment was converting into a condo. I was looking online and saw a posting for this community. I had driven past it several times and always thought it looked like it had potential, and it was well located.

I speak to a lady whose name I later learned was millie. I tell her that I am interested in renting a 1/1 with a balcony and she informs me that yes, one apartment in particular would be available for February 15, 2006. She went on to say that it was on the 3rd floor, and that it had beautiful vaulted ceilings. I tell her that my lease was up at my current place on March 3rd. She informs me that unfortunately, they would only be able to hold the apartment they had available until the 15th, and that I should speak to my apartment manager to see if it would be ok to leave sooner than my lease said. millie at windsor pines said that the current tenants in the apartment would be moving out on January 31, 2006, and that the apartment would be ready to move in by Feb 15, 2006. She asked me to come by so she could show me around.

I go to the complex and meet with her. When it comes time to show me an apartment model, she says they only had a 2/1 to show me, but that it would let me get an idea of how the apartment would be. Fine. We get back to the office and I proceeed to fill out the paperwork and she asks for 2 checks: 1 for $85.00 which is an "Application Fee" and 1 for $250.00, which is usually an administrative fee but she informs me that "They were currently running a special where the administrative fee was waved, and that the $250.00 would be applied to my first months rent." I think, GREAT!

I give her all the stuff and she gives me a receipt which contained my move in date, the total money I need to give them when I sign my lease, my new address and a sheet with local phone numbers to utility companies so I can transfer my services. I leave.

2 hours later, I get a phonecall from millie at windsor pines and she says that my credit has been accepted, and she welcomed me to the community. She informed me that all that was left for me to do was come in on the 15th of February to sign my lease and to get the keys so I could move in.

Since I was accepted, I spoke to my apartment manager and let them know I had intentions to move out earlier than my lease designated. She said it was fine and that since I was such a good tenant, I would not be charged any penalties.

During the next week, I proceed to transfer all my services to the new address.. mail, phone, internet, cable, electricity.. in preparation for my move on the 15th.

WELL... on Monday, February 6, I get a call from my local phone company. They tell me that they cannot move my service because there is a tennant in the apartment, and that they have no intention of moving out any time soon. I find this a bit strange, so I proceed to call millie at windsor pines to find out what was going on. At this point, I was thinking that it was probably some kind of mistake on my phone company's part.

millie at windsor pines answers the phone and I explain to her my conversation with the phone company. She gasps, asks when my move in date is, and puts me on hold. A few minutes later, she comes back on the line and tells me that she would have to call me back, because she has to "Investigate" why their tenant hadn't scheduled to have their service turned off yet, since they would be moving out in the next couple of days, (remember, It is now February 6. Back when I met with her for the first time, she told me they would be moving out by Jan. 31st.)

I'm starting to worry, so I give her 30 minutes, and then I call her back. She answers and tells me that, unfortunately, the apartment I was offerred would not be available, and that she was sorry.

((WHAT'' Keep in mind that it is 1 week from the date I had to be out of my current place, and the only reason that I "happened" to find out that the apartment was not available was because my local phone company called to alert me. When was I going to be told about this by millie at windsor pines''' I can only imagine what would have happened if I was to show up there on February 15, with all of my things packed in a Uhaul truck.))

She goes on to say that they have "this other" 1 bedroom apartment, but that it would cost me an additional 30.00 a month, and that it did not have a balcony. By now, I am FUMING, but I contain myself. I tell her that this was definitely a problem and that I would have to call her back.

I was LIVID!!! Knowing how hard it had been to find a suitable place to rent in the area, I was having a hard time deciding what to do. After i calmed down, I called her back and told her that I would have to let her know because the difference in price would really make an impact to my budget. She told me "$30.00 would really make that big of a difference' Come on.."

I swallow my anger ((Who is she to make any demeaning comments on my financial status)) and tell her that I would get back to her on Thursday, Feb 9. She says, ok thats fine, and i hang up.

I immediately go online and start hunting for a new apartment. I told millie i would get back to her on thursday, to allow myself some time to find another place to live. I surely do not want to live in this complex after seeing this kind of attitude and lack of professionalism from the management/leasing team.

Well, I found a place, and today, Thursday, I call millie at windsor pines to let her know that I would not be taking the apartment after all because it was not what I was offerred and that it was too expensive. I then ask her about getting back the $250.00 check that was to be applied to my first months rent since I was no longer going to be living there.

Before I can finish, millie at windsor pines cuts me off and says "well, if you look at the application, it says you have 72 hours to get your money back, so..." I tell her that today, Thursday February 9, was 72 hours from the point that she offerred me the new apartment.

I hear her make a sound with her mouth like frying an egg, and she tells me that she would need to speak to the manager because she didnt know if I would be able to get my money back at all. (WHAT'' Like she's doing me a favor)) She puts me on hold. 3 minutes later, she gets back on the phone and tells me that the check would be mailed to me during this coming week, and that i should have it by next friday, the 17th. I give her the address to mail it to, and we hang up.

I am utterly appaled at the so called "service" this place offers. Its blatantly obvious that it is run by a totally incompetent management team, who promises you one thing, and then tries to "Bait and Switch" you in the end. A friend of mine turned me on to this website and i thank whoever created it. If I would have read the other horrible accounts from people who actually lived there, I may not have found myself in this predicament!!

Un-believable!!

User Responses
From: RelocateOn79	Date: 02/13/2006
I was planning on moving here... on second thought, I prefer my sanity. They should be reported to the Better Business Bureau for poor business practices.
From: diana_prince	Date: 02/23/2006
I don t understand WHY the rental places (at least here in South Florida), are SO unprofessional and clueless !!!
From: househouse05	Date: 07/20/2006
This person does not lie! Believe it, if you wish to save yourself immense heartache! We know first hand of the folly that takes place at Windsor Pines, which is run by AERC. Believe it: the manager and much of her crew (which were there when we left, although it doesn't seem as if anything has improved in who she likes to surround herself with)are an accurate reflection of the company that runs the place. Not only avoid Windsor Pines, but also any property that that same company runs!
From: chucky235	Date: 09/02/2006
You can talk about the property itself but in defense to the Leasing Agent, Millie. It is not her fault that they hired her with out any previous experience in the apartment industry and they did not do proper training. She had no fault that the previous resident did not move out, and that is why she offered a different apt. She was not aware that she can grant the same amount of rent to the new apt. She had NO previous experience.
From: Unbelievable70	Date: 09/12/2006
In response to the post from chucky235, how is her incompetence my problem? Even if it were true, she was still rude and unable to find a solution to a problem caused by her, so she is just as much part of the overall incompetence that this place offers.

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