OK, I post reasonable reviews. In fact, I posted a very good one for this place about two years ago on this site. I guess the management must have changed...this place went from good to bad over the course of 27 months. As with any performance evaluation, it would be worthless without specific examples, so let's begin:

First and foremost: I am currently staring at a final accounting of over $650!!! Now that's a record. I've lived in 11 different apartments in my life. Did the college thing, trashed a few in my younger years, and God knows, I've never seen a bill that high, especially when I'm a settled down 33 year old married man. We hung nearly nothing on the walls, nor did we have even one party at any time in two years. This is a clear attempt to get tenants to pay for standard upkeep that is normally included into rent. I'm not kidding, I was actually expecting to get something back (I have received my full security deposit back on the last 4 apartments I rented previously, so I know its not me).

1. They will attempt to charge you for normal wear and tear, this is in clear violation of Tex. Prop. Code 92.104. Pretty standard, since it can hardly be expected that Western Rim Investments would hire attorneys to manage apartments. They hire managers to make money. However, laws are written to protect the public from unreasonable people, in other words, the reason the legislature passed the law is to protect people from crooked apartment owners that grift on the front and back for normal wear and tear. The security deposit is NOT meant to be profit.
2. Dogs..ugh. We observed a Chow-chow urinate off of a second story balcony nearly every day for 6 months. in addition, this awful dog would bark constantly, and occasionally, the owners would let it run around off the leash. Of course, they had no control over it, and it was a "heal biter." While annoying for an adult, this is downright dangerous for small children, especially with a known nasty breed and owners that have no control (the thing would pee on the top of their car!). Dogs are everywhere in this place. If you are a dog owner, have fun, but prepare to get rifted come move-out time for the deposit (of course, even if you don't have a dog, you'll get rifted).
3. Safety. They had smash and grab break-ins during the period we lived there.
4. Notifications of entry. They will fail to properly notify you when an entry will take place. On one occasion, I was working in my office when some dude suddenly appeared at the top of my stairs! I pulled a gun on him and he explained (somewhat nervously) that he was checking the fire sprinklers. This is Texas, when some guy appears unannounced in your residence, he gets a gun pulled on him. Not his fault, not my fault, this was a clear management screw up for failing to properly notify. This is especially important when your complex has a reputation for break-ins. Its also important to note that this guy was not in a fire marshal uniform, but was dressed in a dirty T-shirt and jeans with a ball cap.
5. Inexperienced and untrained management. The management is not aware of standard apartment management policies and procedures. Specifically, they will not perform a proper final walk-through with you, they do not maintain or provide proper forms, they do not return phone calls, and they do not address issues in a timely manner.
6. Accounting. Their accounting is downright awful. Water and Trash is averaged. This means that if you are a single person, you're paying for the family of four's garbage and water! Their books seem to be balanced using the beer bottle accounting method. Your guess is as good as theirs...literally.

I've compared notes with other residents over the last two years. Now I know why they were so ticked when moving out. One gentlemen was a retired military man, and they gave him the shaft, another lady was a super clean freak divorce, and they gave her the shaft.

All in all, apartments are pretty similar, but these guys are truly in need of a hearing in front of Ralph Swearingin (the local JP). I shudder to think of the number of people who they've successfully conned over the last year or two.

User Responses
From: screwedbymansions	Date: 01/08/2008
This is a very common practice for this management company. We call it their second income. Raping tenants financially after they move out. Your not the first and certianly will not be the last. I was hit with an $18,000 bill upon move out. You'd think the apartment had burned down for that kind of charge, but no, I just broke a lease. I as well as you have become victims of their second income. Most of which is highly illegal! As you said normal wear and tear is a huge violation of this company, but with as much money as they collect from it, they can afford to go to court. Some of these complexes have even appeared in court with pictures of some other apartment (not the apartement in question) this is how deceptive they can be in order to support their second income. So anyone please beware and feel free to contact me or your local attorney if they charge you illegal fees. The courts do not take lightly to shady landlords. Also, no matter what you do, take pictures of your unit upon move out, even if the complex says everything is ok......believe me it won't be. If you or anyone reading these reviews have been charged thousands of dollars from breaking a lease, please contact me. I have legal representation, and the best part is that they are free! Write me at screwedbymansions@sbcglobal.net and join the fight! If you have been charged thousands for breaking a lease, you are a victim and do not let these people get away with illegal activity. Join our fight and become a winner!

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