This may be a long review, but it is a necessary read for interested potential lease holders (You will be glad you read this):
We signed a 9 month lease because this was the first apartment that both of us would ever live in and we didn't know what to expect... if we were going to be able to afford it every month, if we would like the staff and maintenance, or even like space. Looking back at it, I wouldn't choose this place again. We both love the space so much, that is the one thing we thought we were going to miss- it turns out we actually don't. I have been ignored in the front office, had postal notices withheld from my mailbox (hadn't had the notice on my door, or received a call. By the time they gave me the "final notice," the package had already been sent back to the sender two days prior), had my rent check snatched out of my hand, and the list goes on.
The first week that we were there, I was home for a couple weeks by myself before I went back to work. The first thing we noticed was the sink leaking. We made a report on our resident portal and they came out that same day. They used the Lysol from under my sink to wipe up a sticky, orange water stain and told me that "it should be fine" and left. A week later, the cabinet under the sink had another water puddle, but this time I caught it. Again, we set up another appointment through the front office; they came out two days later and changed the disposal. To the day of our lease end, the sink was still leaking.
After we were living at Palmetto Creek for two months, I read from another Yelp user that the deposits at Palmetto Creek were misused, the user said they received additional charges after they moved out, and that Palmetto Creek illegally charged full amounts of charges to the lease holder. I wish I had read that review before we signed our lease with Palmetto Creek, and even the apartment complex we are in now (which is also a 1st Lake Property).
About 3 months before our lease was up, the washing machine started leaking. I called the front office and they sent someone up the same day. They, again, wiped up the water and left saying that "it should be fine." A few weeks later, it did the same thing while I was in the middle of a regular sized load.
About two weeks later, my fiancé noticed in the morning that the clothes that he put into the washing machine the night before were saturated with water and still had soap all over them. We tried to just wash them again. Again, maintenance came up the same day and come to find out, something was wrong. The washing machine wasn't spinning or draining properly and the price of the part was more than the washing machine was worth. They were able to get us a new washing machine, and told me that the morning of he would come out to take out the old washing machine at 9 AM (after asking me what time was best for me). I thought the bad service streak might actually be over at this point.
I didn't go into work the morning of because I was waiting for the maintenance man to come in and take out the old machine like he scheduled with me, and he never showed up. At 10:30, I called the front office and they told me that he had an emergency come up and that he would probably just take care of the old machine when the new one arrived. They never once thought to give me a call and inform me about this hold up, since I was asked what time I was best for me. Maybe that is how apartment complexes work, but it doesn't really impress me or my fiancé.
Two months after our lease ended we received a bill in the mail claiming that we owed $1,362 additional because the carpet needed to be changed. I knew that the carpet needed to be changed before we even moved in because I was told that they change the carpet whenever there is a pet in an apartment. I was forewarned about that. What I wasn't informed about was that the carpet change was going to cost more than not only the $300 pet deposit, $300 security deposit, and $400 additional security deposit (based upon credit). We were billed an additional $468 to be due 15 days past the date on the notice. Not only were we charged this, but after getting over the shock of this bill I realized that we were charged a $100 fee for forfeiting our deposit. I was very mad about this whole situation because if there was a $300 pet deposit with $100 non-refundable, but the most basic thing that would be replaced after having a pet living in the apartment is $1,362, and then what does the $300 cover? Better yet, what does the $100 cover? Our entire deposit of $1000 was kept and they are asking for almost $500 extra. We were hoping to at least get the $700 security deposit back.
We are never going to live in a 1st Lake community ever again. read more