I lived at the Park at Arlington Ridge for 2 years. It was recommended to me by a then -current resident and she raved about the place. From Day 1, I experienced problems. Granted, I moved in while the property was still fairly new and the Management staff was very slim, the incompetence of the Leasing Office staff caused many headaches. On more than one occasion I was told one thing by one person and something completely different that would cost me hundreds of dollars. To that effect, there is only one person left from the original staff when I moved in.

I really loved the apartment amenities, brand new (and coordinated) appliances, cherrywood cabinets, 24 hour concierge, an excellent fitness center, and a business center. The location is a prime one that puts you minutes from various spots in the DC/MD/VA area. I also liked the shuttle back and forth to Pentagon City Metro. At first, they charged a monthly fee, but then stopped the fee (or either included it in the yearly amenities fee).

What turned me off the most is the fact that I had a major discrepancy when I first moved in regarding the move in terms. When I brought my concerns to the attention of Gates, Hudson, & Associates, with my lease as written proof, I was told it was a "mistake." No type of compromise was attempted. I was basically told I was SOL, whereas I'm sure that if the mistake they made was made by me instead, I would still be at a loss. I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau versus taking legal action, and still nothing was done. I was told that they already made concessions for me in asking the previous tenant to vacate early, even though I never asked them to do that.

The other major turn off was they nickel and dime residents for everything. When I first moved in I didn't have to pay an amenity fee. Actually, I never knew one existed until I went to renew my lease (against my better judgement). Maintenance began charging you to change lightbulbs (they are less that $.50/bulb) and they took forever to process repair requests. I was without a closet for 2 weeks when it collapsed. When they came to fix it, they put the shelf back into the same weakened holes in the wall, and said it was my fault when it collapsed a few days later.

I also didn't like the fact that the amenity fee was stuck into my 2nd year lease without my knowledge. They put notices on our doors for every other minor thing, like cleaning up after pets and charges for certain things, why didn't they tell us about the new fee'

Parking within the complex (my part - the first buildings) was a no go after 9pm. I would have to drive around to find a space on the street.

To their credit, the staff when I left was a bit more professional than that when I first moved in. I learned very quickly to get everything in writing and get the name of the person I spoke with, the date, and time of any oral or telephone conversation. The staff is also very good with planning apartment community events for the residents.

Overall, I felt like I was just another tenant in the complex. I was made to feel that my issues and concerns were isolated and that no "special considerations" could be made for me because they would have to be made for everyone. While I understand the need to be uniform in the major points between a leaser and a leasee, I do feel that the PAR staff lacks the ability to make tenants feel appreciated. There were more than one occasions where I felt like I could easily be replaced as a resident.

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