I'm usually a pretty chill person, not one to blast places online, but what I endured at Barton…read moreHills Apartments was so appalling, so utterly unacceptable, that I HAVE to share this to warn others. Forget the prime Austin location - a quick walk to Barton Springs, minutes from downtown - it's a trap. My experience, largely thanks to the manager, was a living hell.
From day one, my "new" apartment reeked of stale cigarette smoke. It wasn't just a faint smell; it was practically soaked into the walls. I even suggested painting the walls and a foundational cleaning, and offered to buy my own odor absorbers to help. Their brilliant solution instead? An HVAC blow-out. It did absolutely nothing. I tried everything - air fresheners, burning incense - anything to escape that disgusting smell that clung to everything. It didn't just linger; it ruined my nice couch and mattress, leaving them permanently tainted.
Adding to the misery, I also had to contend with a mass bug infestation. I made them aware of the problem, and they said they would fix it, but guess what? They never did. I was left to take matters into my own hands, constantly buying and setting out my own bug traps just to keep the creepy crawlies somewhat at bay.
Then came the parade of incompetence with maintenance. My AC broke down not once, not twice, but repeatedly, leading to a massive leak. Every time I reached out, I was met with such condescending emails or voicemails - like I was inconveniencing them by having a broken AC. the AC was the real torment. When it gave out for the third time, while I was gone for an extended period, they claimed it was "fixed." I returned to a sweltering apartment where the thermostat insisted it was 75 degrees, but the actual indoor temperature was a suffocating 94 degrees - a heat that's simply impossible even with the AC off. And then I saw it: the bathroom ceiling was literally collapsing, dripping and crumbling. This confirmed my worst fears - mold was everywhere, visibly growing on the ceilings and under the sinks. They patched the ceiling, but the AC still barely worked, lasting maybe three days before blasting 94-degree heat again, all while I was being charged insane amounts of money on my energy bill. The place wasn't just uncomfortable; it was a health hazard, completely unlivable.
But what truly made this place intolerable, what pushed me over the edge, was their outrageous disregard for my privacy and safety. They entered my apartment without my consent. This wasn't some honest mistake; it was a shocking invasion which they even admitted to doing..... And it's not just me - I met another resident whose power was actually shut off by the manager because he didn't immediately respond to a noise complaint he got on a Saturday afternoon! Feeling utterly unsafe and exposed, I told them, "Please do not enter unless there's a life-threatening emergency." That simple, reasonable statement? They twisted it into their leverage. They refused to let me out of that hellhole lease without a hefty fine, which I had no choice but to pay. I wasn't risking mold poisoning or continued invasions of my privacy. I even had to get an attorney involved, but even that couldn't fully protect me from their manipulative tactics.
I'm sharing this because no one should ever have to go through what I did. STAY FAR AWAY FROM BARTON HILLS APARTMENTS until they get new management, especially a new property manager. Your health, safety, and peace of mind depend on it.