To whom this may concern:
I am sending you this e-mail to formally make a complaint in reference to the Gas billing. I dont know if all the residents from this building know that your billing for the gas depends on how much square feet you have in your apartment. I really think that is a stupid and an bogus way of determining how much gas you have used per month. I feel this is unfair because residences are also paying for the gas that are in common areas, such as the corridors, the gym, leasing office, & lobby so on and so forth. The Management should be responsable for the areas that are commons area because not everyone uses the gym or the leasing office. I recall when I moved in this aprartment complex in May 2008, I was told that every unit has a meter and you will pay for what you use as far as for Utilities i.e. Gas, and now we all are paying for the common areas. I travel all the time and i just got a bill for $300 when it used to be $50 a month. I feel like each month is geting higher and higher with no proper reasoning behind it. I always make sure not to use a lot of gas to ensure my billing for gas is at a reasonable price.
In conclusion, I want to inform you that I will be collecting complaints from all the residents that are not aware ofo this situation. I hope you understand my concerns and why I am really upset. If you need to contact me concerning this issue to resolve this matter, my personal e-mail dhiro80@aol.com. Any other concerns not regarding this matter, please dont bother. I am adamant about my abofeelings and opinions about this whole gas billing.
On another level, I also want to complain about the coffee machine that it is not working after 7 pm andnot to mention the game room that was promisedto us and it is still empty. Please contact me asap so we can do something about this issues.
Raul B.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/03/2009
Raul, I am in total agreement with you on all of those issues. Though I would like to remain anonymous, you bring up very good points. The gas thing is absolutely ridiculous. How can someone be billed for not even being in their unit, like yourself? How can the billing be fine (based upon their model of billing) then everyone receives a bill 3X what they are used to paying? The coffee thing irrates me, because they promote their building as having "complimentary" Starbucks, but it is not offered 24 hours... The game room....how long has it been? They also take away the Saturday morning brunch? No notice..nothing...bad communication... Where is the game room? Guess it will be pictionary in my apt when guests come over... BOGUS BOGUS BILLING>>>>TOO MUCH RENT>>>>
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/04/2009
Your right. The problem here is that all the students are living in groups and taking showers, eating, etc. and not paying for utilities as they should be. I have seen at least six to seven folks living in one or two bedroom apartments and this is wrong, I bet that many of these situations are common, no management at this facility. I will also be moving out soon, I have a two bedroom and the price has gone up way to much. I also travel and keep the heat down, etc. Not a fair way to charge utilities. Note: How is the apartment that your now paying $1,273 for? My wife and I might want to look at the area your in. Again, Crystal Square apartments are on the last leg, they will be out of business before long as more and more residents are moving to other apartments in Crystal City, like - Waterpark Towers, Crystal Plaza, a super place by the way.
From: veyunhappy	Date: 03/04/2009
I couldn't agree more with what everybody here has expressed so far. I am definitely planning to move out as soon as my lease expires. When I moved in almost a year ago they told me utility bills were billed based on consumption per apartment, since they had "separate/individual meters". That was a lie!!! I was also told my "upgraded" apartment would come equipped with a digital thermostat (like the one you see in the apartment they show you) but when I occupied my apartment it had the same old manual thermostat... I complained and they said it would be replaced promptly...almost a year has passed but it seems that their definition of "promptly" means 1 year since it has not been replaced yet!!! They also promised a game room (with pool tables, etc.), complimentary Starbucks coffee without restrictions, Saturday morning breakfast (donuts, etc.), and much more... Not only have they limited the coffee hours but they have also discontinued the Saturday breakfast without notice. As for the Game Room, it simply doesn't exist... There is just an empty 24-hour-locked room.. another total lie!!!! People come in and out of this building as they please so safety is a real concern here. I always find fliers and advertisement of all kind under my door, which shows that outsiders have easy access to the building. You can see large groups of 6 or 7 people (students I assume because of their books) entering their apartments. Of course, they ABUSE when it comes to electricity, taking showers, using gas to cook or heat, etc,, and we ALL pay for them. Management is incompetent and unable to keep an eye on those abuses and lease violations regarding the number of occupants. Does anyone know if there is a higher instance that controls this kind of abuse so that we could all write a formal complaint?
From: Anonymous	Date: 03/04/2009
There's a solution to your problems: MOVE OUT! I did. Last December. I too was away on business 90% of the time and getting outrageously high utility bills. Also, after one year, they wanted me to sign another one-year lease. This is NOT how things are done in DC or Maryland. I used to pay (with utilities) over $1,600 for a one-bedroom at Crystal Square. I now pay $1,273 a month for one-bedreeom in DC (Fort Tottem Station - brand new apartments), which INCLUDES utilities. The Crystal Square place is owned by the bankrupt Lehman Brothers, so it's not surprising that it sucks like it does!
From: Anonymous	Date: 04/25/2009
I completely agree that the management is fleecing the residents. When they are marketing the apartments they lied to us saying that utilities would not exceed $150 per month. Now for even a one bedroom apartment they have increased it to over $250 per month. the billing is non transparent. PLEASE BEWARE when you sign the lease.
From: CRKP	Date: 05/13/2009
Agree with all; I travel 2 weeks out of every month and my utility bills have tripled in 6 months. There are students living 6 to a 1 BR, and maintenance workers (not from Crystal Square) living 10 to an apartment, or 3 to a studio. Ridiculous. Leaving in 6 months.
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/03/2009
If you live in a 3BR, try $450/month for utilities. I'm not blaming it on students or anything else...I think it's the around-the-clock extreme air conditioning/heating/lighting in hallways, laundry rooms, the gym, etc. that's burning through. It is DEFINITELY not individually metered. It's absurd and I would caution anyone moving in to expect to add a significant amount to their rent.
From: Anonymous	Date: 06/23/2009
I agree. The utility bills, especially gas, have increased sharply since Bainbridge took over. They don't have a good explanation. I wonder if we are also paying for their vacant space, when they basically forced people out of unrenovated apartments in order to renovate them and charge more rent. From: Bills are suspect
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/04/2009
We need to bring this issue its going out of control its been like this for more then a year now. 150 now this month NOV 09 was 250/month. I have 1000sq one bed unit. not even some private homes pay this much. SOMEBODY HELP PLEASE CALL HELP. !! NEED TO BE SUED. THIS MGT is out of control .

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