Fairlane Woods
5521 Fairlane Woods Drive, Dearborn, MI 48126
313-441-5350  WEBSITE save favorite
AVERAGE RATING
recommended by:
50%

overall rating:
3.9
3.9
3.91 Parking:
3.7
3.7 Maintenance:
3.7
3.74 Construction:
4.2
4.17 Noise:
4.3
4.35 Grounds:
4.1
4.09 Safety:
3.8
3.78 Office Staff:
< | >

Looks Are Deceiving

From: -Anonymous-
Date posted: 2/22/2009
Years at this apartment: 2002 - 2007
User Response is available. 5 responses
 
I am a previous tenant that lived at Fairlane Woods for 5 years. I assure you I am about to give you an honest and fair evaluation of the apartment complex. Please do yourself a favor and listen. When Fairlane Woods was new it had an excellent reputation. They really took care of their tenants. However, through the years the buildings have not been maintained. The gutters are falling off and leaking creating hazardous icy conditions in the winter and you get a shower as your going to your apartment door when it rains. The upstairs apts. have problems with leaking roofs. The downstairs apartments are infested with pill bugs. The washers and dryers do not work properly. It used to take me days to finish my laundry due to having to run the dryer 3 times for a small load of clothes. My gas and electric bills were atrocious and I know a tenant right now that has a $300 DTE bill to pay because the apartments are so drafty in the winter because the windows are old and they will not replace them. They spend all their money on the main drag so, as you are driving in you are impressed. But....look around the apartments the woods are not cut and maintained and trees fall during bad storms. The lack of maintenance in the woods contributes to the overwhelming amount of wild animals in the complex, from beautiful deer to dangerous coyotes. The trash areas are always disgusting. There is always trash all over the ground and broken glass too. The parking situation sucks. They have signs directing visitors to the visitor parking lot but, they are hard to see as you drive in. Unfortunately, they will NOT install signs at the tenant spaces that say "tenant parking only" so, you share your spaces with anybody and everybody. Sometimes tenants have to park in the visitor parking lot. The pool-well, it is not monitored. So, the pool you are paying for in your very high rent caters to anyone who wants to go in. The whole city of Dearborn swims there in the summer. The security-Well, it's not always there. Right now the security guard is there from 8PM to 6AM. During the summer it changes but there is no REAL security at the gate. Even when the guards are there you will find them sleeping. ANYONE can get in the gate, anyone at anytime. And, if you look at Fairlane Woods in the spring & summer you will think the ducks and geese in the pond is so scenic until you have to walk around all their droppings all spring and summer. Maintenance-Well, a couple of them are very skilled but they all have lousy attitudes and act like your bothering them if you ask for anything. The office staff are very nice but, they can't really follow through on their promises when the management co. doesn't give them the money to do for the tenants. And, by the way, I could be off by 1 or 2 but Fairlane Woods is currently on their 8th property manager since 2003. BIG RED FLAG. If the property manager doesn't gouge the tenants they are fired. Heres my bottom line: If you are wealthy (your rent will go up consistently) and you like camping in the woods and all that comes with that experience go ahead and move in. But, if you are expecting a high class well-maintained complex ....NOT! Did I adress all these issues while I was there' Yes, all the way to the top and nothing was done. And, Dylan (newest property manager) don't respond to my entry with lies. If your going to defend the complex then defend it with the truth. AD2Hw9Wn8Umb3NN1w1jt

Recommended: NO
Overall Rating
1 out of 5
Parking:
1 of 5
Maintenance:
3 of 5
Construction: 1 of 5
Noise:
3 of 5
Grounds: 1 of 5
Safety: 1 of 5
Office Staff:
4 of 5
I'm the author!
Lived here?


User Responses

From: Anonymous Date: 02/23/2009
Thanks for your response. I also for got to mention that the zip code at Fairlane Woods is 48126 not 48124 which is considered Detroit for insurance purposes so, your car and tenant rent is extrememly high. My insurance went down $60 a month when I left and my energy bills were cut in 1/2. You are right about the pool I guess I was just trying not to say it but all the mothers, fathers, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, grandparents and all their neighbors are there all summer for free while the tenants pay for it. All because the management co. will not spend the money to have a monitor at the pool. And, ditto on Dylan.
From: Anonymous Date: 02/23/2009
Wow, I completely agree with everything in your entry. Im sure someone from the the office will respond with explanations for everything or say that you lie like they did for my review. PS they never did give our money back for the carpet situation. We did damage the steps, but they charged us to replace carpet in the entire apartment even after we complained many times about how disgusting it was when we moved in. Dylan is an idiot and should not be running an apartment complex. Every night i took the dogs out I would see 2 or 3 coyotes running around next to our apartment. We also complained about the lack of tenant parking only signs and were promised they would be there soon, never happened. The pool, so true, I felt like not all of dearborn was there, just all of east dearborn, especially since everyday the parking lot was full of pimped out Range Rovers. The gates, anyone can get in if they just follow you through the gate, its really not secure. Good luck if you choose to live here!
From: Dylan_Day Date: 03/05/2009
I do apologize that you were dissatisfied with your experience. I can assure you that I take feedback from past residents very seriously. I would like to wish you well in your new homes and thank you for your feedback. Should you have any other comments or would like to speak with us directly, please call us at 313-441-5350. Thank you.
From: Anonymous Date: 03/09/2009
EXACTLY the same experience. I've been through at least 5 managers and that is no joke. And I haven't lived here all that long. The parking is a real trip here. I could be one of at LEAST 5 people writing the same thing. My buddy's car.. TOWED! It was infuriating to say the least. In asking around, I am not the first person this has happened to. 5 people right around me. It's unreal. and the first post is PRECISELY right. You cannot see the VISITOR PARKING signs all that easily.. because they are off to the side as you drive in! Are tenants supposed to tell their friends.. BE SURE TO PARK IN THE VISITOR AREA. If you have a lot of friends.. it can be hard to remember whom you've told. Sadly, I didn't tell one of my buds and he got his car towed. Do ya think FW did anything about it? Nope! And the poster is also right about the trashy-ness of the place.. IT's totally gone down hill. They tried to paint over the garages last fall. Already this spring the paint is PEELING! it looks disgusting. The appliances are circa 1989. The cost to heat the place is unreal. The windows are thinner than thin And yes.. the gutters.. in terrible shape.. the ice dams were huge this winter. I will say though. I have not experienced leaks like the first poster said. But I wouldn't doubt that at least one building is leaky... this place is notorious for not fixing things fast. I will be moving out when my current lease expires. It takes a lot to upset me. But this place has done it one too many times.
From: Anonymous Date: 03/13/2009
I am a previous tenant of Fairlane Woods also and experienced the exact same thing. When we moved in we were impressed with the grounds.Once we were settled we realized that there was a major bug issue. I seen dead bugs lying in the corners the first night we moved in. Everyday when we came home I never know what type of bug to expect. From centipedes to ants and spiders it was something different everyday. We called the exterminator as often as they would allow.Which did not help any it was as though he sprayed water instead of bug spray. Not to mention the stray cats that would often surround my door. The parking was horrible, there were far too many times where i had to park in the visitors parking and walk all the way down to where we lived. As far as the security if they were there all you really had to do was wave and act as if you lived there and they would let you in. I know because i had some friends try it. So dont let the grounds fool you and also be aware that the storage space is EXTREMELY limited in the 2 bedroom 2 bath townhomes.
Your thoughts? Post a response to this review.
Display my response: with my username anonymously
Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.
   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates
What's New On OH MY APARTMENT

   No-Budget Ideas for Decorating Your Living Room - Dec 04
   How to Create a Zen Garden on Your Balcony - Dec 04
   The Art of Packing Boxes for Moving - Dec 04
   Interior Design Tips for Traditional and Classic Style Apartments - Dec 04
   Renting in Chicago: 3 Laws You Should Know - Dec 04
   10 Things Smart Renters Know About Apartment Hunting
   How to Break Your Lease Legally



Up to: Fairlane Woods
          Dearborn apartments

Disclaimer: No attempt has been made to verify or assure the accuracy of the claims made by the author of this opinion or responses. You must judge the truthfulness of any review and accept responsibility for your use of this information.

tracking gif