I moved into the Oaks about six months ago. It was in a perfect location because it was out of the way, but still close to everything in the city of Colonial Heights. The outside is beautiful and staff maintains the property very well. There is even a fire department directly across the street for that feel of "added safety".

However, I will tell you that looks are very deceiving!

First, I want to start with telling you about the staff. You'll find there are two people you will deal with. Bettina (Sp') and Sincere. Bettina is probably the most inconsiderate, rudest thing I've spoken to in years. Unfortunately, she is the first line of defense and you have to put up with her 99% of the time when looking for an apartment. I've asked several of my neighbors what they thought of her and everyone agreed that if anything, she needs to be removed from her position strictly based on her attitude.

Secondly, Sincere. She'll start off nice, but the minute you have a problem, she has a problem. Our apartment was infested and she REFUSED to relocate us to a hotel for a night or two while our apartment was being treated for fleas. She kept saying, "You can stay in a hotel, but I will not guarantee you that you will be reimbursed". Anyone can see that trick from a mile away. Trying to pursuade you to take it, and then she can fall back on that "no guarantee".

Third... the people who live around here are horrible! The person up stairs (Not that this wasn't expected)are heavy people with a child who do nothing but let their child run around and jump off the bed. With paper thin walls, people need to be more respectful. There was however, a brat who kept pulling his car in front of the apartments with his subwoofers all the way up. The kid would do this daily at 3am every night. We figured he was smoking pot. We've called the police several times and they've warned him. However, to this day he continues, and to this day we call the police each night. Management refuses to take action.

Fourth, the HIGHWAY! It may seem far away, but don't be fooled. The noise from the highway directly behind the apartments can be heard all day and night. I always loved hearing the morning sounds of a semi-truck shifting down and blowing his airhorn at 5am vs. the birds.

Fifth, the apartments just are not that nice! Sorry, but the are not that great. I pay $841.00/month and just now am I leaving to go to shortpump where we found a BIGGER and nicer place for only $819/month! Same ammentities as the Oaks.

Sixth, this is my biggest problem with the Oaks. The "Fine print". I just recently did a civilian job transfer about eighty miles north of here. Our contract states that under a "Civilian job transfer", you are released of your lease if you give a sixty day notice and pay $400. When we approached the office about this, they of course diagreed and gave us a story about how the job transfer was "Interfacility only". That's not true! In the contract, it doesn't stipulate interfacility... in fact, the contract doesn't even define what a job transfer is! So we called the regional staff and spoke to them. They of course followed the same and in fact, Mrs.Pulliam (Regional Manager for the Oaks) commented to me that it was "Implied". Implied'' You can't imply anything on a contract. Eventually, we had some paperwork drawn up by our attorney and sent into their corporate office. Two days later I received a call from Sincerely apologizing and letting me know that we were given permission by the Oaks to terminate our lease under that clause since it wasn't defined. **Note... if you terminate your lease for any other reason, the complex wants $4,000! Good luck with that.

Lastly, I called Sincere and asked her if we paid the six months and $400, could we turn in our keys and call it a day since we were cleared by corporate to terminate our lease. She said we could, but the electricity had to stay on for the sixty days and that they would rent it out to someone else during that time period. I laughed and said nevermind, your going to lose money and that deal. We move out on the 28th (Only 14 days into the sixty day termination)... I will unplug everything, turn off everything, and get the bare bones bill from dominion power. They will suffer because they wont be able to rent the apartment out since now I am going to hold on to the keys for the entire sixty days.

This is obviously a full story here and I hope you took it to heart. It took a bit for us to write this, but we want people to understand that appearances here are deceiving. If you do decide to move in, talk to your neighbors and they too will tell you that this place is no good. Four reviews with all 100% are not always accurate. Please, PLEASE don't forget this! They could've easily been written by the staff to improve their score. Talk around, ask people before you move in. Happy apartment hunting and don't do the same mistake as us!

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