RENTER BEWARE -- DOCUMENT EVERYTHING
I recently ended a 15-month lease at Lux of Buda Apartments, and their so-called "stress-free move-out" was anything but. It has been one of the most frustrating move-out experiences I have ever had.
My experience is that they expect tenants to live in an apartment for an entire lease and then leave it as if nobody ever lived there. Whatever happened to normal wear and tear? It certainly doesn't seem to exist here.
I was not a problem tenant during my entire 16-month stay. My rent was always paid on time. I had no pets, no parties, kept to myself, and took care of my apartment.
Before moving out, I did everything they asked:
* Had the apartment professionally cleaned as required.
* Paid for the cleaning out of pocket.
* Provided the cleaning invoice they requested.
* Filled every nail hole.
* Sanded and touched up the walls.
* Used the touch-up paint provided by their own office.
* Followed their move-out instructions.
Despite all of that, they are attempting to keep my entire security deposit and are even trying to charge me an additional $32.
One of the charges is approximately $240 for alleged sheetrock/wall repair, which I completely dispute. My apartment did not have sheetrock damage that I caused.
When I requested documentation and photographs showing exactly what I was being charged for, I received close-up, vaguely labeled photographs of walls. A picture labeled "living room wall" does not tell me which wall it is, where it is located, or even allow me to independently verify that the photograph is actually from my unit.
This has been a recurring problem throughout the dispute.
My requests are repeatedly answered with vague, unclear, and confusing responses that fail to actually provide the information I am asking for. I ask specific questions and instead of receiving specific answers or documentation, I receive responses that seem to dance around the issue without actually resolving it.
I have repeatedly requested clear documentation identifying each specific area being charged and an explanation of why it constitutes tenant-caused damage rather than normal wear and tear.
They also accused me of failing to provide the cleaning invoice. I turned that invoice in with my keys when I moved out. Nobody ever told me that they didn't receive it, and they obviously received my keys, so I find it extremely difficult to understand how they can now claim the invoice wasn't provided.
I have my own photographs documenting the condition of my apartment, as well as reliable witnesses.
IS THIS PLACE WORTH WHAT THEY CHARGE?
In my opinion, absolutely not.
There is no visitor parking whatsoever in the entire complex. When family or friends visit, they have to park a significant distance away or risk violating parking rules by parking somewhere they aren't supposed to, such as along a curb or near the office -- with the possibility of being towed.
Your visitors have nowhere to park. That's something you should know before signing a lease.
THE NOISE
There also appears to be very little insulation between units.
During my entire stay, the residents above me were extremely loud. I could hear every footstep, their garage door opening every time they left, and their vehicle starting so loudly that it sounded like it was practically inside my bedroom.
For the amount residents pay here, I expected a reasonable level of privacy and sound insulation. That was not my experience.
THE RULES
It also often felt like living under neighborhood-association-style rules and restrictions.
Early in my lease, I was warned because I had a cooler on my patio.
Yes. A cooler.
I was told it was a violation and that I needed to remove it or I could be fined.
That experience really set the tone for how I felt living here: there always seemed to be another rule or restriction to worry about.
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING
I am going to repeat what previous reviewers have said:
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. AND I MEAN EVERYTHING.
Take pictures when you move in. Take pictures throughout your tenancy. Take pictures before you move out. Save every email, text, invoice, receipt, lease document, and move-out instruction.
Do not assume that because you take care of your apartment, you won't need proof.
I genuinely believed that leaving my apartment exceptionally clean, well-maintained, and complying with every request would be enough. Unfortunately, my experience has shown me that documentation may be the only thing protecting you when you dispute charges afterward.
After living somewhere for 16 months, some ordinary wear and tear is inevitable. Walls may need fresh paint. Apartments require routine turnover and make-ready work before the next tenant moves in. I should not have to make the apartment look like nobody ever lived there just to avoid being charged for normal turnover.
I was a responsible tenant, paid my rent on time, took care of the prope read more