Elms Kingstowne

Current Resident 793028

Resident • 2011 - 2013

I've been living at the Elms for over two years and I am impressed with the consistency of the management team's friendliness and responsiveness. They are great people to work with. The appartments are good quality for the money and parking is not a problem.

Current Resident 154269

Resident • 2012

I moved to The Elms in November and have enjoyed living here so far. I leased my apartment on-line, which was one of the more easier experiences I've had with leasing. The office staff was very friendly and went over the fees and policies fairly well. My apartment is pretty spacious, but I would have liked to have door-to-door trash pick up, but that's just a personal preference that other places didn't offer either. I have not needed and maintenance yet, so I will check back to follow up. I would recommend The Elms.

Current Resident 362614

Resident • 2011 - 2012

Lived at the Elms for 6 months and really enjoyed it. We had a third floor apartment w/ fireplace and larger living room. Best amenities were being next to the pool and racquetball court. The staff is very friendly and helpful. A lot of neighbors are messy/inconsiderate with trash. But the outside areas are always cleaned on the weekday mornings. Military friendly. Cons: - Neighbors were sometimes loud.

Current Resident 441288

Resident • 2009 - 2012

Let Me OUT!

I moved here in 2009 but wasn't ever shown my exact unit. Cut to them putting me down a flight of stairs in the back by the woods with NO OUTDOOR LIGHTING down there. Oh, my God. GROSS! Bugs, frogs, just scary. I'm a woman living alone! Imagine coming down the stairs at 11:00 pm in the pitch dark. Good times. The first day in the apartment, the A/C hose backed up and leaked all into the hallway. The carpet was soaking wet. They came & fixed the hose but never addressed the carpet. Well, guess what? Green mold starting growing in the closet to the point I couldn't breathe. I stayed sick for four months with bronchitis that went into pertussis (whooping cough). I would cough so hard, I would throw up, which really messed up the carpet, but I rented a steam vac and cleaned it myself. I asked for a transfer to another apartment and was told at first that I needed to be there 6 months before I could do that, but I guess the mold situation had them concerned, so they granted my request and a few months later, I moved up to the main level just above me. I got charged most of my deposit to clean the carpet AGAIN, despite providing a receipt. If you move here, don't count on getting back any of your deposit. They will find a way to keep it. Now to the newer apartment. The first day in there the dryer didn't work, and they put the refrigerator handle on the wrong side, which meant I had to pull it from the side closest to the wall. They came and fixed those things. The stove has gone out. The smoke alarm goes off of its own accord all hours of the day and night. I've disconnected it several times. The ants have been a MAJOR problem. I had a water leak in the laundry room from above me that settled into the closet again. They never addressed the wet carpet, which ruined several of my purses. I have a towel down in there and what's under it could qualify for a science fiction movie. I had another water leak from above me in the hallway that left the plaster bubbled and rust brown. They stopped the leak and left the wall like that until I complained and told me they were planning to come back THAT DAY but were waiting for it to dry. Right. Then I had a THIRD leak from above me. I came home from work one day to find the sink full of backed up disgusting garbage disposal type water. The next day, which was a Friday, my kitchen was trashed. Everything was moved, everything was out from under the sink (which was soaked) with no fan to dry it out, there was water all over the counters, the worker left his pen and other work orders on my counter, and the wall when you first walk in was full of drill holes and gray looking plaster. The entire kitchen was covered in dust - I had to wash everything. And this is how they left it for the weekend with no note or explanation or anything! They did come back and fix the wall and did a nice job, but that's it. I also had a FOURTH WATER LEAK FROM ABOVE that started at night, and I woke to the sounds of electrical zapping, only to find that the water was running over the circuit breaker box. I was scared to death! What am I supposed to do with that at 3 in the morning? I was scared I might be electrocuted if I touched it but tried to turn off the breakers. It's a wonder I'm not dead. Uh, let's see, what else? My carpet now has those bulges in it from being wet, which I DETEST. One night, a gang was out in front of my apartment all night long. Turns out they broke into several cars and even had one up on cinder blocks to steal the rims. They also ran around knocking on doors, including mine at 4:00 am. I was petrified! Another night, there were two guys fighting in the yard and an ambulance came, and another night, I called the police for a fight out in the parking lot that sounded like about a dozen men involved. We've also lost power here several times. Don't ever go play racketball in the evening. Kids hang out in the racketball court and get high. You can smell it from outside. I'm afraid to use the little gym, and I've never been to the pool, either. And now for the best part of all...the NOISE!!!!! I know this has been cited here because of the poor construction, but it bears repeating because I thought it was only me. The people above me? I hear every move they make. I hear them get up out of their bed, I hear the guy peeing, the toilet flush, the shower run, the girl running up and down the hall, the guy dropping barbells when he lifts weights, them having sex (EWWW!!!), and their frickin LOUD, I said LOUD music and TV. I know what channel they're watching. And when he has his friends over? I can't hear my own TV. Like someone else said on here, my apartment shakes, the refrigerator vibrates to the thump of their bass. And then they had the nerve to tell me they were having company. They wanted to tell me because "they're quiet otherwise". Yeah, right! Every loud, heavy-footed step taken up there is heard and felt by me! It's not that he wasn't nice about it, he was. He apologized, but he kept on doing it. This was especially bad on Saturday nights till about 2:00-3:00 am. I can't enjoy my own place! His TV sounded like it was right in my apartment. I think the ceiling is there just for kicks for the good it does. They just moved out about two weeks ago, and it's been pure bliss. For the amount of money I pay here, which has gone up almost $200 a month in 2 years, this is excessive. The staff people are great, very helpful and responsive, but that's a small concession given all the rest. I don't have trouble parking here at all, but again, that's not much given everything else. As soon as I can afford to move, I'm OUT OF HERE! As a rape survivor, it's hard enough living alone, and I know incidents happen everywhere. Generally, it seems safe to me, and the grounds are very nice, but I don't live out on the grounds. I agree with what someone else posted on here. They need to knock the apartments down and start over. Poor, poor construction for $1500 a month.

Current Resident 867040

Resident • 2010 - 2011

Getting your Security Deposit refunded

Security deposits are normally withheld only if you fall behind in your rent or cause more than "normal wear and tear" damage to the apartment. The management company (Legend Management Company) withheld my security deposit because they claimed that the apartment was not sufficiently clean when I vacated. I took Legend Management Company to small claims court and won a partial refund plus court costs. I filed a form entitled "Warrant in Debt - Small Claims Division" with the Fairfax County General District Court and had it served on their "Registered Agent", Mr. ---------. ---------------------------, Suite ---, McLean, VA 22101.

Current Resident 864075

Resident • 2010

Never Again

We rented here for 2 years. Issue #1 our neighbor from upstairs is a smoker and the vent would lead the smoke in our bathrooms. So everytime we walk in the apt coming from the outside the smell of cigarette smoke would be so strong. I complained but there is nothing that the manager can do cause there are no non smoking policy in the apartments. Issue #2 we park our car just right in front of our apartment balcony, one morning we just woke up and the car was open and it was trashed. There were no valuables in the car but an old cel phone that was stolen and we always lock our car. Again complained but of course the best that they can do is write a letter to the tenants to make sure you lock your cars and be careful. Issue #3 Gym has a very poor ventilation Issue #4 smoke alarm so close to the oven, so everytime we use the oven the smoke alarm will make a noise. The area is really nice, but it is really high for a price for an apartment. Despite of the issues I give credit to the maintenance people, they are very very nice.

girlkingstowne

Resident • 2009

the worst

we moved in here about two months ago. The front desk management (woman anyway) is one of the rudest people I've ever met. This place seems nice at first glance, but once you move in you realize how cheap and poorly built it is. The carpets sweat, it always feels wet in our house. Everything in this house breaks, god forbid you hit the wall without making a mark. Beside paying over 1500 dollars a month for rent you are also obligated to pay all appliances and utilities. Not to mention the fee's you will be charged if you don't make rent on time. GIVE US A GOD DAMN BREAK. I'd rather live in a ------ studio apartment than overpay to live in this horrible place.

Current Resident 83440

Resident • 2009

Poor Management

Nice place...poor management. You are just a number here and the staff will not go out of their way to make you feel otherwise. Aside from that, the area is pleasant, but renters will never feel completely welcome or appreciated.

Prospective Resident 210716

Prospect • Visited 2008

We're not trying to pull "Wool" over your eyes

You're probably wondering about the title. Well it was actually what the woman who is the manager (-------------) stated when I went in trying to get my deposit back. Here's the story. So they were friendly when we (my fiance and I) first went in to do a tour of the apartment and had quickly placed a deposit down after being reassured that we were only on the waitlist and were under no obligation. Only did we find out a couple days later that we were assigned an apartment and weren't even given a legal documentation stating it. When we tried asking for a contract, we were not only denied but threatened that we would lose our $500 deposit (mind you for being on a waitlist?) After about 5 phone calls and those people playing phone toss and denying everything (basically placing the blame on us), I went in and the manager woman still refused to give me a legal documentation. Now this is before we even rent the place. Can you imagine what moving in here would be like? So my question is, who's pulling the "wool" over whose eyes? If you have a lot of money to waste and love dealing with people who like to play "storytime" then this is the place for you!

mem71879

Resident • 2007

Please read before you sign!!!

I wanted to add a few things from my previous review from last year. In the time that I have lived here I have done some research on the management. Go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer/tenant/ Click on search complaint history and look up the Elms and look up Legend Management Group LLC. They have had at least one allegation per year that has been settled in favor of the tenant over the past three years. I do admit it was my own fault for not ready the fine print and seeing that they had changed the rental price on the lease putting in "consessions" that put the rent amount back to the price I quoted. Here is an accurate and honest account of my stay at the Elms: The location is good, there is alot of things around to keep you busy. The construction is poor, the windows are very drafty in the winter, the heat does not circulate well leaving the bedrooms and bathrooms freezing cold at night. We had to use space heaters all winter to keep warm in addition to setting our thermostat to 75. Doing all that made our apartment 65 degrees we couldn't get it any higher than that unless it was a warm day with no wind. My neighbor below me had requested that they come and fix the seals to make the apartment more efficient and all they did was reseal the door and did nothing to the windows - where the problem is. If that weren't bad enough you have the noise. I'm not just talking about hearing people argue from time to time. I'm talking about hearing every conversation, I hear the people above me cooking and going in and out of their cabinets. I hear them walking around, when they play with their dog, when they shower (i not only hear the water but the tubs here creak when you stand in them so I hear that as well) Not fun to hear that at 4 am. In the last two months I have seen the police here on numerous occassions and there is a constant drove of people moving out. This place is obviously a sinking ship and I intend to be out before the place goes completly into the toilet. If you have any questions feel free to email me. I'll tell you everything you want to know about the place. The biggest problem this place has are poor appliances and horrible construction. So if you don't mind having to get everything constantly fixed and you don't mind horrible noise and cold then this is the place for you otherwise I would look to spend my money elsewhere. Also, the actual apartments look nothing like the one you will rent - take my word for it. Ask to see your actual apartment and see what they say.

Current Resident 319643

Resident • 2007

Stay away

I moved here last month. The main complaint I have is the noise. This apartment complex is cheaply built. I can hear my upstairs neighbor all the time. I can hear hem walking, talking, showering, playing on his XBox, every thing. I have a hard time sleeping some nights due to him walking and talking on the phone. The whole roof shakes when he walks. The same thing, unfortunately, happens when my roommate who is only 115 bounds walk around the apartment. I can feel the floor shaking in one room when he walks in the other room. I really regret moving in here and now I am stuck for a year. The management seems to be nice but so far they didn't respond to any of my work orders I asked to do. It has been more than a week that I asked to fix some basic and quick things and they never responded. Another problem is parking. If you arrive after 8pm you have very slim chance of finding a spot close to your apartment door. Some nights I have to park all the way by the other end of the complex. All this being said, I will not recommend this place to any body under any circumstances.

Current Resident 378632

Resident • 2006 - 2007

Too bad

Tenants who have pets are not considerate in picking up after their pets. Staff are only pleasant to you the first time you walk in to apply for an apartment. I will never recommend the Elms to any of my friends or relatives.

Current Resident 506689

Resident • 2007

Cool Place

Been here since Feb 07 - haven't had any problems - quite, no bug problem, apartment is nice, staff is great - always a pleasure to speak with.....Gym facilities (on and off premises could be a little better)...OVERALL IT'S GREAT!!!

Current Resident 408810

Resident • 2004 - 2007

Hmmm

50-50. Who doesn't open their pool by Memorial Day Weekend? These guys. I was really disappointed to find out (after lathering up, mind you) that the pool was NOT open! Yet this company feels they can raise the rent at least $100 a year, AND start charging residents for water. I am ready to move on.

jknudson98

Resident • 2007

A Nice Community

I've been living here for about 3 months now. I thought I'd contribute my experiences here. The folks at the office have been nice. Any maintenance requests have been handled quickly, usually in a day or two. The apartment itself has plenty of space. I'm in a two bedroom. I've noticed a few finishing touches that my last apartment didn't have and it does make a difference. The ONLY complaint I really have about the apartment is the noise coming through the ceiling. The neighbors upstairs have kids and, kids will play. I can hear them running around from time to time. Also the floors squeak which means the ceiling squeaks when people are moving around. This can be annoying at night with the neighbors pacing Generally people around here is nice and the areas are kept clean. There are however, a lot of dogs. The size limit is 35 lbs, which isn't too big. I don't mind it, but I like dogs anyways. Parking can be difficult late at night. My wife and I have two cars and if we come in before evening we can usually find a place just out front of the building. There is only one dumpster. It's a big one with a compactor at the center of the community, but I'm at the edge and it is a bit of a walk. It gets jammed frequently and trash piles up outside. This area is pricey. This includes not only the rent, but gas and food as well. The benefits though are being right near metrorail and having a Fairfax Connector stop right at the community entrance. Also there is a theater and shopping just a mile down the road. As some have mentioned there are also Kingstowne Community exercise centers and pools. One is less than a mile away. All of the equipment is in very good shape and the weight machines are new. In addition there are many biking and jogging paths next to the roads. Overall this community looks nice. My complaints are the noise from the apartment above, and the price. [UPDATE] This is just an update to explain why I've downgraded my rating. To say the noise was excessive doesn't do it justice. The family above us had two young boys that constantly ran back and forth and jumped from the furniture, sometimes late at night. When they played the whole apartment shook. I'm not kidding. The staff sent our neighbors warning letters, but nothing else. In the end they offered to move us to another apartment that was larger for the same price for the remainder of the lease. Well, my opinion is that we shouldn't be the ones moving as we aren't causing the problem. Moving is very time consuming and difficult and we'd be stuck paying more when we signed a new lease. It also wouldn't solve the problem of our neighbors hearing us walk around on their ceiling. Sound insulation here seems to be nonexistent. In the end we decided to break the lease and buy a house. Sure, the market is down, but the silence is wonderful. On our way out we rented a steam vac so that we wouldn't have to pay the fee to have the apartment clean the floors. I made sure we cleaned every inch so that we wouldn't be charged. Well, they charged us anyway. Apparently you have to provide the receipt saying you rented the cleaner. Nevermind that it was obvoius that it was steam cleaned. We didn't even leave footprints in the carpet. We had thrown the receipt away, and had to go back and beg for a copy to get our entire deposit back. So, it's too bad. The grounds were nice, the exercise equipment and pool are nice. The staff couldn't seem to handle the problem and the construction is atrocious.

Current Resident 661196

Resident • 2007

Not what it used to be.

Lived at the Elms for 1-1/2 years. Mving out because the staff does not enforce the rules and those who live on the premise are some of the worst offenders. The first year was fine but something changed and the quality of life at the elms has been steadily decreasing. Recent construction/repairs to plumbing were not tenant freindly and the elms would not compensate for the week of non use of our capartment. Living in construction central created major headaches for my family. I don't know what has change in the Elms tenant acceptance policy but the police have been visiting on a regular basis for dometsic issues.

Current Resident 736557

Resident • 2007

I love it here

Not as bad as it seems

Current Resident 285689

Resident • 2005 - 2006

Fitness Center Problems

The quality of the maintenance in the fitness center is embarassingly bad -- currently 50% of the small assortment of equipment there is broken and unusable. The weight machine has not been usable for quite some time and the maintenance staff or management apparently does not feel this is a problem.

shelwill

Resident • 2003 - 2004

Wonderful place

we resided at the Elms for in an 2bdrm and loft unit for approx. a year and never had any problems that were not immediately fixed. The resident managers were very professional and proficient as were the maintenance crew. I highly recommend this complex to anyone that wants a safe neighborhood and a quality place to live.

cjk22m

Resident • 2006

its a mixed bag

When we moved to the area we had to find a place in a hurry. Our top priorities where safety and convenience. The Elms has both. We love our apartment for the most part. We have never had a problem with the management, but the maintenance can be very hit or miss. I wish they had a real play ground. The one they have is a joke. Sadly we will not be renewing our lease because the already high rent is being increased another $200.00. For this money we can rent a 3 bedroom townhouse in the same neighborhood!!!

Current Resident 191910

Resident • 2005 - 2006

A place to call home!

I moved into this area/apartment last November. My experience here has been very pleasant. I have only had to call Maintenance two times. Both times, they responded the same day.<br>The office staff is very knowledgeable - have been very helpful every time I called them. I enjoy the location of these apartments - very convenient to everything. Move here and enjoy the easy life - just like me and my dog have.

Add143

Resident • 2000 - 2001

Happy to move out from there

We lived here one year (2000-2001) (Windsor Gable @ that time) and were very happy after moving out of there. Appartments are not bad, but under terrible management. Another problem is electrical station nearby, it is not so healthy.<br>

Current Resident 510278

Resident • 2004 - 2006

Great place to live!!!

I'm not sure why there are all these negative comments on this site, because I have lived at The Elms for two years now and I love it!! My aparment is spacious and has brand new carpeting and floors, and two sets of inside stairs with vaulted ceilings. My washer and dryer and dishwasher are new, and the apartment overall is in great shape. We have access to three different pools and gyms. People need to not be so judgmental about apartments. I mean, what do you expect - it's an APARTMENT. If you want something where you won't hear your neighbors, go buy a house!

Current Resident 756232

Resident • 2005 - 2007

AVERAGE

Most pet owners don,t pick up behind their animals. One thing is there is not enough green areas for kids and pets. The management works very hard at keeping the units full and they kinda look the other way. The turnover rate is very high here compared to other places, probally 70% or higher. These apts seemed to be designed for singles and young couples but now get mutipy families and a lot of young kids. They have no play ground per se so the only place the kids have to play is inside the dwellings. The apts are very noisy due to the construction. Management seems to try to try and acomidate everybody.

jenniferd20

Resident • 2006

DON'T DO IT!!!

I have lived here for about six months and it has been the worst experience of my life. They don't respond to any of my maintanance problems for months. The customer service is horrible. It is well over priced. Certainly if you can afford to live here you can afford to live somewhere else. I would highly recommend that you save yourself the stress and misery and look somewhere else. It is very noisy, Parking is fine when they don't have dumpsters taking up the lot. The whole place is falling apart, and they will charge you for anything and everything they can. They also have an exteremly rude attitude! Please Don't Do It!