Pros:
Awesome location. 3 blocks from 31st and Ditmars (where you can find anything), also across from a school so pretty calm and quiet at the same time. Parking not too bad either, had trouble maybe 5-10 times total in 5 years. Not sure if it comes back but they also shoot a lot of shows around here so that could be taken positive or not, I always thought it was cool.
As far as the apartment goes, water pressure is pretty good, appliances all pretty new.
Cons:
Where to begin... serious roach problem, partially due to the fact that there are so many cracks and openings in the walls and floors. There are rats as well, though I never saw any as I had a cat. Exterminator told me they know there is a cat so they avoid that apartment but other units had seen rats. Exterminator is supposed to come monthly, but if you don’t complain they don’t really come.
When we moved it, landlord told us they don’t typically increase rent yearly especially if you always pay on time and don’t cause any issues. Our rent was increased every year though we were never late and had no complaints against us. One year they said they would not consider keeping it the same because we called the city and complained about something (which we did not).
The super, victor, is very rude and aggressive. He threatened me with physical violence over a simple electrical issue where the electrician no showed on me twice (both times I lost a day of work for that), I asked victor who this was and if there could be any follow up or how to get this resolved quickly, he went off about how he doesn’t work for them and he doesn’t know, keep him out of it and whatnot. Meanwhile he told us when we moved in to get in touch if there are any issues and gave us his cell number. He is a creep and completely incompetent. When I called management to inform them of the threat, I told 3 different people and not once did I get a call back from the landlord or anybody. It was a very disheartening experience that they were ignoring my safety so blatantly. I avoided victor the rest of my time in the building, which was a few years.
They never clean the front when it snows properly, always the last on the block. Also don’t salt the front before snow storms. I suppose that is on victor but who knows.
Hallways are always filthy, and a tenant on the first floor constantly leaves garbage bags right outside her door which causes terrible smells. Don’t know if she is still there, but she also yells loudly early in the morning. I think she was in A1.
Heat is crazy. In the winter it will be cold for a bit, then the heat will blast so you feel you are in the Sahara desert. The knobs so control the heat are pretty much for show. You have to find the right combo of fan, open window and heat to feel comfortable.
Lastly, management claimed the bathtub was broken and kept almost 400 of my security deposit. We tried calling them at least 3 times to schedule a walk through and each time they said no need it’s all fine. They told us we would get the full deposit back multiple times. A few weeks passed and we hadn’t heard anything so we got in touch, then they told us about the bathtub. Now, the tub looked exactly like it did when we moved in. I cleaned the place after emptying it myself. It is impossible that there was any issue with the tub. So, clearly they are into scamming their tenants and are habitual liars.
Advice to owner:
Stop scamming people to keep their deposits, show up when you are supposed to for a walk through, fire victor who is completely incompetent, put up an extermination schedule so all tenants know when they are coming and can plan for it, clean the snow properly, seal up openings in the floors and walls, take it seriously when your tenant is threatened by your super, and STOP LYING.