I've been living here for almost 7 months now, and have never seen such shoddy workmanship and slow response time from maintenance. We had a problem with our washing machine, and after five service calls from maintenance, they finally said, "I don't know what to do about the problem." How about replacing it with one that works' Eventually, after bringing in the apartment manager to see how bad it was, it was replaced. The dishwasher only used cold water, and the sprayer inside the dishwasher that actually moves upward and sprays water to clean the dishes was completely missing. It took them almost 5 weeks to get that fixed, then a few days later, I noticed the timer on the dishwasher wasn't moving off from the wash cycle. After yet another 2 weeks to order a new timer, they finally installed what they claimed was a "new" one, which now doesn't heat up to dry the dishes. I now dry them by hand, or leave the door open to let them air dry. I also noticed (because I regularly stub my toe on them) that when they installed the new dishwasher, they left a group of capped wires pinched under and sticking out the bottom of the machine, and you can't lean up to the kitchen counter in front of the dishwasher without stubbing your toe on them. We've had the drains cleared out 3 times in 7 months, which was a complaint when we first moved in that they only put a bandaid on...it's never really fixed. The last time they opened the drain, they broke the stopper, and left it broken. We had to call to have that replaced. I told them there's a leak under the kitchen sink, and the maintenance person came and said it was only one small drip at a time. The entire bottom of the sink cabinet is now collapsed due to water damage from "one drip at a time". The pest problem is worse. We had rolly-pollies in every corner and along every edge when we moved in, and our apt is supposed to have had brand new carpet installed. Did anyone bother to vaccum it' We now spray the inside around the doors and windows ourselves because we're tired of killing big spiders, centipedes and beetles on the floor and ceilings. Orkin came in a few weeks ago, and used a small squirt can to put a drop or two of bug stuff in each corner of the windows. I have noticed NO difference from that visit, and continue to use my own pest spray to prevent entry. We had a HUGE gap in one window, pointed out to us by the Orkin guy, and 3 days later when they came to fix it, they left a horrible mess on the floor of wood pieces and sawdust shavings. In May, a maintenance man showed up unannounced (meaning I got NO letter and NO phone call EVER)saying he was here to fix my A/C. To my knowledge, it wasn't broken, but we had just turned it on that day for the first time of the season. I told him this, and said I had no notice and made no maintenance request, and he said, "I know, but it was broken before you moved in, and we're now getting around to fixing it, seeing as the weather is turning hotter." Glad I didn't need to use it earlier, and thanks for the advance notice of entry!!! They threaten residents with fines for not cleaning up dog poop or leaving trash out for pickup at the wrong times...and yet I've yet to hear of a resident getting fined for either...and yet to see almost 1/2 the dog owners cleaning up after their pets. The dumpster is a genuine mess, and every day there are broken bags of garbage laying all around it, stinking up the place and creating havoc for pet owners who's dogs can choke on all the stray bones and food particles that litter the area. Granted, it is likely residents who create that mess, but something NEEDS to be addressed, or they need to do a better job of keeping that area clean. The parking is atrocious. There are not NEAR enough handicapped parking spaces, and they ae in the oddest places, in areas where the parking beside it is so close, no one could get a wheelchair out of their vehicle or up onto the curb if they wanted to! The parking space lines throughout the complex are painted so closely together, I've gotten 3 door dings in 7 months - who can open the door more than 1/3 the way with the confined parking' One day, a maintenance man was zooming around on the golf cart, and almost ran over my dog, who was crossing the drive ON THE SIDEWALK that leads to the maintenance garage. THEY NEED TO SLOW DOWN and watch for people and animals. I shouted at him, and he just kept driving at the same speed, zooming around the corner to avoid me. I really like the office staff in general...they are kind and considerate to us, and I do feel they listen...it's the maintenance people I feel are idiots. The office staff always write up my work orders and listen carefully to my complaints, and they are always kind to my pet (giving him treats), and make us feel welcome here. It's the maintenance and management's lack of attention to the quality of the work and the timeliness of work that STINKS. I doubt we'll re-sign a lease. The layout is great of the apartments, but who can overlook such horrible maintenance. I've told MANY people not to move here when they learn where I live...all because of maintenance.

User Responses
From: meganlynn13	Date: 06/30/2007
I know exactly how you feel....we had the same pest problem literally hundreds of rolly pollies coming in thru our window we used our bug spray and it got rid of them, trash problem, parking problem how frustrating, and maintence problem....one time we had called to get something fixed in our master bathroom and a week later maintence finally came by unanounced didnt knock just walked in, i was sleeping with my newborn while my husband was in the shower i walk out after i heard the door open and i was pretty sure it was maintence since our door was locked, so i asked him why didnt he knock and he just said he figured no one was here like its hard to take a second and knock...as he waits for my husband to get out of the shower he is hovering over our bed talking to my newborn and just standing in our bedroom i felt very uncomfortable and just could not believe someone had the nerve...i am soooooooooooooooo happy i am out of there, not to mention how stupid and idiotic the girls are up front.
From: fedarion	Date: 08/31/2007
That's odd, I've been here 9 months and haven't had a single pest problem. Of course, I'm on the 2nd floor, I don't know if that makes a difference. There's also plenty of parking around my building (I'm at the north end). It did take them a week and a half to replace my microwave when the magnetron burnt out, but that's the only issue I've ever had with maintenance.
From: Anonymous	Date: 09/04/2007
I believe that as a renter, The Maintenance crew on apartment complex properties are your most important part of the management team. Once you have signed all the papers and moved in, they are the ones that you as a tenant will see the most often. When I rent, my first questions are, how many maintenance workers are there? Are they full time, permanent or do they float to other complexes owned by the Management company? Generally a maintenance crew that is permanent and work together 40 hours and more a week become very loyal to their tenants and the property itself. If you recognize your maintenance people by their faces, and not just by the uniform they are wearing, that should give you a feeling of security. You should see maintenance around your property often, during every day of the week. Maintenance men who are out and in every area of an apartment complex are the embassadors for that property, and the security for that property. The eyes and ears for that property. They are in the service profession and want to be helpful. The staff in the airconditioned office, on the phones and computers are very isolated from what is actually going on outside "in the neighborhood." Some property management companies think maintenance people are just gofers and lackeys. Some Management companies don't really consider their maintenance people as a part of the Team. If Your management company does not respect what maintenance does for them, if the management company doesn't feel it's neccessary to have a well staffed maintenance department and does not listen to their suggestions, and include them as part of the apartment complex team. Then you end up with Poor maintenance, and it is not the fault of the maintenance guy/gal........it is Your Management Companies fault, or the fault of the owners of your apartment complex. Maybe this isn't a maintenance problem, maybe it is a management problem?

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