Review History for anonymous

LOUSY LIVING!

At Colonial Grand, living is slightly better than a hotel stay at a fly by night joint! Certainly apartment living isn't expected to meet the expectations of home ownership. Admittedly however, residents expect a PEACEFUL, CARE FREE lifestyle. Especially when the rent you are paying dictates such. <br><br>Yes of course they sell you a great product when you are looking. The model is beautiful, and the sidewalks and walkways to the model are painted and with great upkeep (no mildew, stains, cobwebs, etc.)<br><br>However, the entirety of the complex is not in resemblance with that facade. <br><br>In reality the gangways, especially upstairs are FILTHY!!<br>There is trash pick up at your door, (which of course you are charged nicely for and of course is not included in the quoted rent and you have no choice but to utilize this service!) however the trash pick up is unreliable and contributes to the stained and unkempt atmosphere of the halls and doorways due to stagnant trash bags and sloppy pick up service. <br><br>The noise level is very high. The neighbors vary. Some are great and are understanding about everyday life issues that generate noise (laundry, vacuum, diswasher, etc./ which you can hear from apt. to apt.)however a few neighbors are relentless. <br>Typically the ones that are generating the highest noise levels and are the filthiest! It becomes tiring when day after day, (and you are not even home/ the apt. is empty all day) and there is a violation notice on your front door! Describing an unacceptable noise level!<br><br>Irregardless of how many times you describe the level of noise, and timing of increased noise (2-3 AM) of those neighbors that are doing the complaining(who must just be unhappy campers themselves) ,you are just wasting your time and breath. (not to mention that they stand up in the stairwell and spit nasty tobacco, bloody sputum down on the floor of the corridor downstairs, and occassionaly on you as you walk past and complaints to the office do you NO GOOD!)<br><br>The girls in the office "make friends" with certain residents, (because these miserable residents that do not work, and sit home all day long in their 2 bedroom apartment with 2-3 kids and a dog running around screaming all day, have nothing better to do than to hang out with the girls at the office!<br><br>The utility bills are questionale. The electric comes from withlacoochee and is astronomical (that is if they can get your account straight!). More than it was at my larger house. The cable, roadrunner, and phone, comparable to that of a house, and the water a joke!. The water is submetered and the bills come from the office. That is they stick it in your door. So you may or may not get it before it is due. It is payable to the front office and you have no way of disputing it. Once again, that is if you recieve it. <br><br>Word of advice, pay everything with a written check that you can easily trace. Do not pay your water bill in combination with your rent. You will frequently find yourself in the position of having to verify with a bank statement or cancelled check that you have actually paid your rent and or your water bill. Write on the memo section exactly what the check is for including the month of the service (water or rent month). <br><br>Parking is an absolute disaster! Especially if you come home past 8-9 at night. Or if you want to leave, run to the store and come back, be prepared to either walk or just have to park all of the way up front by the office as that is the only place there is extra parking (and you will have a note on your car in the morning if you do not move it early!). Of course the lease states no more than 2 cars per apt. (ehich does not happen) and if you rent a garage, that counts as your allotted parking space! <br><br>I have never, in many years of apartment living, in many states and countries (due to military travel) lived in a complex that allows teenagers to run the complex, or allowed such congestion on balconies and under stairwells! What an unsightly mess when there are toys, lazy boy chairs, and excessive items on screened in enclosures!!<br><br>In conclusion, I must admit that the location is not as mentioned in one of the other reviews in a cow pasture. It is actually quite convenient for travel to many areas of Tampa, Brandon, and Pasco. The location is just past the fork of the I75 and I275 split allowing you to travel south towards Brandon or Downtown Tampa, or you can easily head north and travel into pasco or beyond.<br><br>Word of caution though, don't expect too much. Expect high prices, little service, and unkempt corridors, undependable trash service, and lousy living!