I have lived at Reflections in Columbia, MD for over three years and have watched a steady decline in service hand in hand with an increase in rental pricing.

This week is a perfect example of decline in service. The first winter I lived here (2003), the parking spaces, driving area, sidewalks and steps were all cleared of snow and ice before noon, with salt down. The driving areas were cleared enough to get out of parking spaces by the time people went to work. We just got our first decent snow this year (13 Feb 07) and, although it has now been two full days, no sidewalks have been cleared, no salt down. I watched one truck make two passes through the parking lot yesterday morning. Hardly any snow was removed, much of it was pushed in behind the cars, effectively blocking them in. Nothing else has been done. I got home tonight around 5pm (15 Feb 07) and there is someone with a Bobcat attempting to dig out a few cars. Humorous, but sad really, that it has come to that.

Since the new rental staff took over it seems things have increasingly gone downhill. Communications with the rental office seem to be non-existent. The only time I have heard from the rental office is to tell everyone to be careful because there was a robbery here a few months back, a notice was passed out bribing us to get more renters here, and a notice for people to relax, that the covered parking spots would be sorted out soon. To my knowledge none of the safety inspections were run in 2006 (usually done in the Fall). The fact that the company has raised lease rates yet again (though not surprising, my rent has gone up every year since I got here) makes this poor service even harder to stomach.

Another thing that irritates me is the "service fee" that is now part of our monthly rent. It seems to add up to be around fifty dollars a year. I was here before we started receiving automated bills and never had to pay a service fee . Am I to understand that now that everything is automated it actually costs MORE to process our monthly rental payments'

Too much money for too little service. I'll be moving soon, probably before my lease is up. I am sorry to say I can no longer recommend Reflections as a place to live in Columbia, MD. vWhRVi5nYYIuEh4W7K3l

User Responses
From: Anon5247	Date: 02/16/2007
All this is absolutely true. About the sidewalks that still haven't been cleared as of 2/16, there is one place where the sidewalk is clean as a whistle. Right in front of the office!
From: hogsrule	Date: 02/17/2007
I will agree with all that has been posted that last couple of days concerning service at Reflections. This is my 3rd and last year that I will be living in the community. Since the new staff has arrived, service is no existent. To add to the recent calls about the service in clearing sidewalks, the post office says they will not deliver mail to 3 boxes in Reflections until they clear all of the snow that was piled up behind the boxes! The lack of attention will now cause me to be without mail service. I have made recent complaints whent the trash wasn't picked up for almost 3 weeks. Let's talk rent - I have had my rent increase $150 in two years - I have lived in other communities with better ammenities with no rent increases for 2-3 years. Since you hurt me with the lack of service and an attitude of not caring, I will hurt you in the only way I can - I will be leaving when my lease expires! I refuse to pay money to live like this. Just say no to Reflections.
From: IHateRenting82	Date: 02/19/2007
I agree. I've been here a little over a year and already I've noticed how things have gone downhill. Maintenance is horrible (my washing machine overfilled one morning and despite numerous calls for help, no one came)...trash pick-up is irregular...i don't feel safe! (the armed robbery that we weren't informed of until almost a week later...the drug deals that go on right in front of my apartment)...it's an icy, unsafe mess...rent keeps increasing...our promised carpet cleaning for renewing our lease never happened...I could go on and on, but it's pointless. I don't recommend Reflections AT ALL. Save your money, it's not worth it. I can't wait to get out of here!!!

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