We have been living at Inlet Bay at Gateway since 2003. Though we feel our rent has been way above market value for the quality of the apartments we lived in, we have diligently paid our rent on time, every time for close to six years totaling over $60,000 in rent, yes folks, that s SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS since 2003.

Though we are NOT rental property experts, we are well informed in the items found on this list which pertains to our opinion and, actual facts that took place over a span of more than 60 months.

Here is a top 20 list why we DO NOT recommend Inlet Bay apartments:

Car/Bike Theft (and automobile break-ins)
Since moving in back in 2003 I have heard devastating stories about car and motorcycle theft and break-ins at Inlet Bay. Either because the apartment complex is located a great distance from a police station or so close to a highway access, horror stories are abundant and likely to continue based on the fact there is no security and the entrance gate on 4th St. is a ongoing farce.

Gates not working
Inlet Bay prides itself on the fact this is a gated community however since 2003, the gates have been out of service more than in service . Even when functioning properly the gates are wide open throughout the day, a way to facilitate entrance and exit to the working tenants. This of course results in unwanted visitors, soliciting and even bike/auto theft. There was also the popular no exit issue in 2007 when the exit gates on 4th St. completely stopped working preventing anyone from entering and leaving the complex, that felt pretty safe :)

Pot Holes and Pathways (see photos)
Back in 2004 the pot hole issue at Inlet Bay became such a problem a class action suit was threatened against property owner United Dominion. 100 pounds of cement later, a giant crater on the 4th St. exit way was filled and repaired not before causing damages to numerous vehicles angering the community. An ongoing challenge at Inlet Bay I believe is due to negligence by the service team and property management, another 7 inch deep pot hole popped up recently which resulted in a $640.00 repair job on one of our cars. Inlet Bay management claims it was my poor driving during a rain downpour that caused me to drive through the pot hole and resulted in front end damage on our car rather than the 2 month old hole in the ground itself. Maybe I do need driving lessons

Voyeur Neighbors
Inlet Bay features small windows and screened-in patios, also voyeur neighbors. Though voyeurs can be found pretty much anywhere in Tampa Bay, it seems our neighbors find us far too interesting for our own taste. Our corner unit seems to be the focus of a tremendous amount of onlookers, to a point where we have to keep our blinds shut all day and all night. If we made a dime every time a neighbor peeked into our apartment since 2003 we d be rich, specially since our new enighbor moved in late last year!

Profanity and Alcohol use at the Common Areas
We have two daughters, a three year old that loves to go on nature walks and a 4 month old that loves the front carrier as we walk our dog Maxi. One of the problems with Inlet Bay is that it is not family friendly, rather it caters to a younger crowd that too often uses profane language and/or alcohol in common areas resulting in unwanted situations. As a result we have had to limit our use of the common areas to non-peak times in an effort to protect our daughters and ourselves from offensive language or behavior.

Construction Zones (Garages and repairs to balconies)
Since 2003 we have been exposed to two major construction projects at Inlet Bay. The first involved the building of garages spread out over a 6 month period. The heavy, noisy construction which took place only a few feet away from our bedroom window caused major sleep depravation and frustration. The second project involved repairs and reconstruction of all patios to two adjacent buildings, another 6 month noise intensive project that put out many tenants and provided for many troublesome naps for our toddler. Needless to say there was never any consideration and or compensation offered to us.

Acts of God (Trees falling on cars)
In 2003 a tree branch snapped off and fell on one of our cars severely denting the hook and cracking the windshield. What I feel is neglect on the landscaping company s part was explained as an act of God by property management and, no compensation was offered. Walking around the property I noticed countless other potentials acts of God in the making, as far as I am concerned parking under a tree at Inlet Bay is never a good idea.

Promises, Promises, Promises
Since 2003 we have been promised many improvements to our apartments, appliances and overall quality of life at Inlet Bay. I am sad to admit we have been either forgotten or bluntly lie to with great disrespect. We still have the same old appliances that should have been replaced four years ago, same old carpet and flooring. Is the range supposed to make sparks when you turn it on' Inlet Bay service staff seem to think so

Evacuation zone and prone to flooding during hurricane season
One of the most important reasons why we are moving involves the fact Inlet Bay is prone to flooding and in the Evacuation Level A in the Pinellas County area which translates into a danger zone during hurricanes. Add the fact no insurance company offers flood insurance and you have a disaster waiting to happen. Since 2004 we had to evacuate our home which proved to be traumatic and tremendously stressful on all of us. Anyone with children, pets or valuable should not consider moving to any area within Evacuation Level A.

Poor insulation (can hear the neighbor take a leak and flush the toilet)
One of the most troubling faults of Inlet Bay apartments is the poor insulation and sound proofing between units. From our master bathroom I constantly hear the neighbor urinate and flush his toilet, how absolutely gross!!! Then there is the washer/dryer and vacuum cleaner noise from the tenant above us, the opera singing we don t mind so much but the social gatherings and noise emitting from parties sure have become a nuisance.

4pm USPS Mail Service
For some strange reason no one can explain United-States Postal Service mail delivery at Inlet Bay starts around 3-4pm. Worse yet, since the office does not accept packages on behalf of tenants and USPS does not drop off packages at residential doors, we are forced to drive to the nearest post office to pick up our packages.

Dog Poop Everywhere (and dogs barking all day or all night)
One of the things that was most attractive to us five years ago was the fact Inlet Bay accepted large dogs and apparently mixed dangerous or antisocial breeds including Pitbulls and Chows. We were sad to find our this dog friendly property is unable to control the dog poop situation which has spread to all common areas where dog owners bluntly disregards posted signs and city laws. Again the fact there is no security at Inlet Bay or anyone ready to enforce regulations has led to this property going downhill to a point of great disgust to respectable individuals such as ourselves.

Filthy, Unheated Pools
While Inlet Bay pools are nice on the eyes when no one is swimming, they re not so attractive after a long day of pool action where outdated equipment can t seem to filter the water fast enough. As a rule we try and hit the pool before the crowded weekends so to avoid the thick film of scum and suntan oil that floats atop the water in both pools. Also since Inlet Bay pools are not heated, plan on only use this common area between May and September, maybe into October if you re lucky.

Broken Car Wash
Inlet Bay is located on a commune preserve where trees and birds are plentiful. Parking under tree braches is all but inevitable which often results in bird poop, tree sap, flower petals and leaves all over our cars. So every couple of days we have to wach our cars. Not a big deal to most but important to some, Inlet Bay s car wash area has robbed us of only $10-$15 over the past four years. More importantly what is worse about the car wash not working is the frustration involved in driving all the way across the property, parking, tossing coins in the machine only to realize it s still broken.

Overall Caliber of the Tenants
First the first few years we loved our neighbors and barely noticed they were even there. A Marine, a flight attendant and an opera singer, until recently we had it just right. Then SHE moved in and ruined our lives, just kidding! It s true we now have the worst neighbor ever but it s okay considering the great neighbors we has until she moved in. Plus since we re moving soon dealing with our new neighbor and the other undesirable that make up the bulk of recent Inlet Bay newbies shouldn t be too difficult. It s unfortunate but Inlet Bay has gone to the dogs in recent years, I can see the caliber of the tenants is in tune with that of the property manager and her staff.

Insufficient Parking Spaces
If you re going to live at Inlet Bay you better be ready to walk- To your car that is! Insufficient parking spaces within proximity of apartments is a big problem at Inlet Bay which was not such a big deal before we had kids. Now that we have two of them, the long walks to and back from the minivan or car are getting old, we re looking forward to our own driveway without trash and cigarette butts everywhere.

Poor Construction (resulting in links and damaged property)
One of the most frustration issues we had at Inlet Bay involved a leaking ceiling that took weeks to fix. Last summer during downpours our ceiling would start to leak profusely, we later discovered the water originated from the upstairs patio. It took Inlet Bay weeks to figure out and eventually fix the issue, they would never come out in the rain so when they did come out there was no leak. We were advised to use pots and pans to hold the buckets of water that would gush through the ceiling. What troubles me is the fact this was a fire hazard that took weeks to figure out and fix which caused us tremendous stress each time we would hear thunder knowing we needed to prepare for another Inlet Bay flood and fire hazard in our own apartment.

Pest Galore (garbage mess in the morning)
One of the attributes of Inlet Bay Apartments involves the fact it is located on a nature preserve which features a great diversity of wild animals such as otters, turtles, alligators and a potpourri of birds that are truly magnificent to watch and enjoy. One drawback is the raccoons that get into garbage right outside our front door, almost every night. Valet Waste, the contracted company in charge of valet trash pickup forces tenants to use trash cans that only contains one small garbage kitchen size bag. Worse yet the garbage cans cannot be closed securely which too often results in an ugly morning revelation, trash everywhere! Since Valet Waste or Inlet Bay service staff won t pick up the mess made by raccoons, guess who is responsible for cleaning up'

A/C Noise and Mediocre Performance
Inlet Bay apartments are old and dated. The air conditioning units we have experienced in both our apartments are extremely noisy and not adequate for the square footage of our apartment. The master bedroom does not get enough flow to cool down which forces us to use a fan, in turn adding to the noise levels. Bad use of ducks too often results in one bedroom being freezing cold while the next burning hot.

West Nile prone (Ant and Mosquito Infestation)
One of the disadvantages of living on a nature preserve specially near a pond involves insects. Inlet Bay features the worse mosquito and ant infestations I have ever seen! In the summer months we get bitten by a swarm of mosquitoes walking to our cars, forget about taking the dog out for a decent walk! In the winter months ants seek refuge from the cold and, since Inlet Bay s dated construction has been weakened by decades of harsh Florida weather, small and large ants have no trouble finding their way in out apartments. Both locations had to be treated for ants and drain flies on several occasions.

Property Manager Turnover
In five years we ve dealt with so many property managers than we can t remember their names, they were here then gone in such a hurry. Only one showed courtesy and customer service, I m sorry he is gone. I m not certain why the turn over ratio is so great at Inlet Bay

Unless you are absolutely desperate or can t get decent housing elsewhere, I strongly recommend you stay away from Inlet Bay.

I invite any/all inquiries and look forward to my day in court with Inlet Bay - Did I mention we were suing United Dominion for breaching our contract lease'

User Responses
From: ali2632red	Date: 12/06/2008
well sounds like you are not very smart for renting for so long so that doesnt really sound like Inlet Bay's problem. If you dont like it then why would you stay there for 5-6 years!!!!I give you a bid DUH!

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