I have lived here for a year and I like it for the most part. Except, now management has decided to force extra charges down residents throats whether they like it/want it/use it or not!

Ridiculous Charge # 1. $37 a month, for Trash! They have a valet trash company pick it up for $30 a month late at night from your door, but you are only allowed to put it out at 8pm Sun-Thurs. and have to take the bin back in by morning or get fined. Management also charges you another $6-7 a month for the trash compactor, which is conveniently located on your way out of the complex. So, as far as I and most of the other residents I ve talked to are concerned, we would rather save the $30 a month and dump our own garbage when we pass the compactor every day! Management s reason for forcing valet trash is "everyone was leaving their garbage in the hallways before they got around to taking it to the compactor." We'll, I say instead of fining people for leaving the empty bin in the hallway, fine people for leaving their trash in the hallway in the first place!

Ridiculous Charge # 2. This one is my favorite! With no heads up or warning, Camden management recently decided to team up with Brighthouse Networks (who is running scared, due to Verizon Fios. So, they are locking in as many apartment complexes and HOA's as possible to prevent Fios from being installed) to provide "discounted cable" to every resident, again, whether they want it or not. When I moved in here, one of the selling points was that they allowed satellite dishes on your balcony. I decided to sign up with Direct TV, so I could get move HD channels than Brighthouse will ever have the capacity to provide. Now, I am locked into a two year contract with Direct TV and I am going to be forced to pay for Cable I am not using! On top of all that, if you have digital cable, HD, DVR or Road Runner, those fees will still be billed directly from Brighthouse with no discount. I had cable when I first moved in here, and I personally don't see how there is much of a discount when you compare what I paid, to what is the "discounted" rate through Camden. My friend, a single parent, who also lives here, does not subscribe to cable at all. She has kids and doesn't want them watching, unsupervised, what is typically on cable television and she prefers to save that money. Now, she is forced to pay for it and bring it into her home!

Ridiculous Charge # 3. Now, Camden Bay is requiring all residents to show proof of renters insurance! I don't have anything all that valuable, so I don't have renters insurance. But, now I will be forced, once again, by Camden management to buy renters insurance. By the way, they have also teamed up with another company to provide that as well. For $15 a month you can get extremely stripped down coverage through this Camden approved company.

FAIR WARNING!!: When you add up all these "extra charges" you better plan on shelling out around $100 a month in additional fees on top of the base rent price you were quoted! Make sure you can afford to live here after they rip these "extras" out of your wallet!

Good Luck, sorry for the drawn out rant, I just don t want anyone else to get screwed like I did!

User Responses
From: jhg1226	Date: 03/15/2008
This review is dead on. My lease is up in May, and I will not renew it.
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/20/2008
Thanks for the heads up. I was just about to take a serious look at these apartments but I will go elsewhere now.
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/03/2008
Im also a single parent and cannot afford any extra "management fees" Thank You for bringing this up!
From: Anonymous	Date: 05/11/2008
This nickle and diming by Camden Bay is going to result in many tenants fleeing the place. My lease is up in June and I am not renewing. Sure the apts are nice, and so are the grounds...but I am NOT going to be forced to buy cable tv when I don't want/need it and I can also throw my own trash away for free rather than paying $30/month for it. And why should I be FORCED also to pay $15/month for renter's ins when i have nothing of value?? These practices should be illegal and i'm almost tempted to contact the Better Business Bureau to report Camden for this....Who has ever heard of being FORCED to buy cable tv by an apt complex? To all who read the original post here...it is ALL TRUE and be warned before signing a lease here.
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/01/2008
Your wrong about the charge for bright house. If you call the office they will explain to you that it is optional. I called myself since I had bright already and they told me that it was optional. Please give an informed review. And also the insurance is to protect their ass as well as yours. If you dont have anything valuable in your apartment then I truly feel sorry for you. But for people who do have valuables, 15 is not that big of a deal. Get over it!
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/15/2008
i have to agree with everything in here as well as of july 14th, because i was seriously looking into place and something didnt seem right so i walked ... thanks for the tips

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