Update 2: After having this post removed by the manager, here we go again. And, by the way, I have not received any notice regarding my lease renewal (or denial) as of 11:30AM today, though the manager promised to deliver them this week and my response to renew or leave is due by today. This is yet another example of a lack of integrity and reliability on the part of the apartment Manager.

Update: (11-29-06)I just got off the phone with the Manager, the individual to whom I refer below. She called me at work to tell me that she was angry about what I wrote originally, that I am a liar, and that she would send a notice of non-renewal of my lease (presumably because she was personally offended). I would like to clarify one point about what I wrote below at the Manager's request. She did not literally say, "You are an idiot. As I wrote below, however, she did call me an idiot in other words just the same way if I said, "wow, you are not a very smart person, are you'" it would be just the same as saying "you are stupid" only in other words. What she said (this time literally) was that she would call back in five to ten minutes and that maybe then I would have the time to think about what she said and maybe it would "sink in", because at that time I obviously did not understand. As stated below, she thought this because she failed to listen long enough for me to get out my question, which I tried to do four times.

She did not call back five or ten minutes later, but only five hours later after she read my original post below.

In addition, let me state the question I tried to ask her on the phone and how she did not answer my question, as I have claimed in this review:

If I must submit my intent to renew my lease or not renew my lease to the apartment with sixty days notice (which is this Friday, December 1), but I have not received notification of what the new rent rate will be for my unit, then how would I be able to make a sound decision of whether to stay or to leave'

Note that I am not making the request: "Please tell me the new rent rate so that I can make a decision. I am asking why the management has done a poor job of enabling residents to make sound decisions by withholding information necessary for residents to make good decisions about whether to renew their leases. These are two different questions, and this is what the Manager did not understand. It was not I who failed to understand her response; she simply did not answer my question.

Her answer to the question I tried to ask was: "I cannot provide you a dollar amount over the phone," which does not answer my question because I did not ask for a dollar amount.

Regardless of whether I was wrong or an idiot (neither of which were the case), she was wrong. Anyone who deals with serving customers, also known as customer service to everyone less this apartment manager, knows that he or she should never treat a customer in such a wretched manor. The manager should have at least attempted to resolve the situation in a professional fashion, if not a way that would be mutually satisfactory.

So, now, I have more thoroughly explained my problem; I have clarified my point about the Manager's unprofessional, inappropriate, and problematic comments toward me; and I have shown the lack of integrity and responsibility of the management by not following up after promising to do so.

Management, if you have any additional comments, please do not interrupt me at work.

ORIGINAL POST BEGINS HERE:

I just got off the phone with an apartment representative to discuss the procedures for renewing or declining to renew my lease. The conversation ended with the representative telling me that she would return my call in 5-10 minutes because maybe by then what she had already told me would sink in and I would understand what she said to me. She called me an idiot. Great customer service. I very easily understood what she said over and over again, however, in actuality, the problem was that she failed to answer the question I tried to ask her repeatedly. I say that I "tried" to ask her this question because each time I attempted to ask her, she interrupted me.

In addition to the extremely poor staff, the layout is horrible. You must loop around half of the complex to get mail (if in a car) unless you live near them because all nearby pathways are one way. You must also constantly swerve back and fourth if there are other cars on the pathways because they are too narrow for two cars to safely pass each other without doing so. Trash is constantly piling up near the dumpster, so people leave their trash all over the ground. The space inside the units (I have a large 3-3) is nice, but the bedrooms are too large. There is not much to do with the floor space in them, and the living room and dining area are much too small relative to the large bedrooms. In addition, I laughed when I saw the pantry, which is the size of a normal door, but only three and one half inches deep.
Another very disconcerting fact about the complex is that the back play area is broken and has been so for the seven months I have lived here. One of the tubes that should hang about four feet off of the ground to connect two separate play landings about five feet apart is missing. This is a HUGE safety hazard for children. The only time I took my daughter there, I also found a broken glass in the play area.
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User Responses
From: gizmo_carolina	Date: 12/12/2006
Thanks for the warning; I have now taken this place off of my list!
From: Lynalar	Date: 12/14/2006
I've lived here for almost three years now. I've seen managers cycle through, maintenance come and go, and seen the state of things fluctuate wildly. Right now, I'd have to say that things are on an upward trend. New garbage dumpsters have been added to address the garbage/litter issue. The two times I have emailed the manager with issues, she has gotten back to me promptly. The issues I emailed her about were resolved. Maintenance is a huge difference between now and a year ago. A year ago when my kitchen sink backed up and I had water sitting in my sink (rendering both my kitchen sink and dishwasher useless) I called every day for four days and nothing got done. The last two times I've had issues, maintenance was here within a few hours. A couple of larger things I needed done a few months back were dealt with promptly and the guys went out of their way to make sure everything was fixed. The problems aren't all gone and it is an older place. It's also an apartment complex...I don't really expect rugs and appliances to be top end. But I have seen improvement. I'll take that for what it is. Now if management and/or maintenance starts cycling again, I'll be crossing my fingers. But within the last year, I've seen an upward trend.
From: rachsypho	Date: 01/05/2007
Thanks, and by the way the person the man above is talking about he claims is the manager is NOT because that would be me. She is the leasing manager and she is doing her job...I hear the whole conversation with her and this man. Resident service is a the very tope of our list. Again we can't make everyone happy...but we do try.
From: bamthor	Date: 02/16/2007
This is to rachsypho: I tend to believe the review above more than I believe you. You say that customer service is your #1 priority, but it doesn't show here. No, you cant make everyone happy, but you can try to talk things out and come up with something that would work for the both of you. There is no excuse to how this was handled. That person took time out of their day to write a very clear and thought out review about your apartment complex and you took 2 min. to write yours. She is NOT doing her job, if she is not being professional and courteous. If there was no problem then why would anyone take that much time to write a review. I want to say thank you to that resident for letting me know how poorly run your complex is. According to all of the reviews, you should be reported to the BBB. As for my roommate and I, we will be taking our business elsewhere.
From: mrresource	Date: 03/02/2007
I live here and I'm happy with the maintenance and management staff. They're awesome.
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/21/2007
rachsypho more like rach psycho! I lived at IRA for 2 years. TWO YEARS OF PAYING BLOOD SUCKING HEATHENS! Every single review on here is true. You would think that this place would have changed by now after reading about all of the things people are saying on here. Everybody has the same problems. I feel dumb for not contacting the Austin Tenant Council. Be smart. This place is wretched.

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