Overall Experience:
Genuinely LOVED the townhouse/community,…read morebut was not expecting the horrible management. Matchbox Realty & Management Services neglects tenant needs, leaving us to handle repairs ourselves, and nearly all students I know lose some if not all of their security deposit. While there are great features--spacious rooms, privacy, and dual laundry--beware of the immense drawbacks of dealing with this landlord before signing. If you live here, plan for at least two years to make the deposit loss worth it, and expect the following:
1. Poor Move-In Condition: We moved into a unit left in unacceptable condition by previous tenants. Despite documented proof/move-in inspection, management "lost" our records, took our entire deposit, and even requested more money.
2. Unreliable Maintenance: Repeated requests were dismissed as "it's normal," even for serious issues. Their approach shows a lack of respect/care, leaving tenants to handle repairs themselves. If maintenance does show up, they charge $40/hour, making it unaffordable for college students unsure of the total cost for simply asking for help.
3. Move-Out Charges for Existing Damages: Left the unit in fantastic shape, but were still charged for the pre-existing conditions we documented at move-in. This pattern of exploitation seems like a common experience for student tenants at Charleston Townes.
4. Lack of Accountability: Matchbox Realty's frequent management changes create disorganization, and tenants pay the price in withheld deposits, unexpected charges, and inadequate maintenance.
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***Some of the Issues We Faced***
1. Moved in with a shredded couch and damaged furniture; requests for replacements were ignored for two years. However, they upgraded furniture only for the houses in the front of the complex, ignoring those in actual need of replacements.
2. Our washing machine was alarmingly loud, and after persistent complaints for two years, it was finally acknowledged, only to be replaced a month before we moved out.
3. A constant squeaking noise in the house was dismissed as "normal", but a maintenance worker later confirmed it was an issue and fixed it.
4. After a tenant was evicted in 2022-23, we requested a lock change for security reasons as they could not verify that their key was returned. Management refused to help unless we paid over $100 for it, prioritizing cost over tenant safety.
***How We Improved the House Ourselves***
Shampooed carpets, manually fixed unstable furniture, dismantled/cleaned clogged sinks filled with years of black sticky debris, and fixed insane garbage disposal odors--all at our own expense.
And yes, they left us with that raggedy couch for 2 years:)