Review History for anonymous

Renovations can't fix the biggest problems (long)

The management has posted their own reviews touting their extensive renovation program and reminding us that most of the reviews on this site come from disgruntled residents who "are few and far between." I would urge you who are reading this review to remember that the management is also biased! I will try to give as fair a review as I can. Be warned; it's a long review. General comments: --The location is fantastic. Convenient to shopping, eating, car care; there's even a public library, a dentist and an eye doctor within walking distance. --Even though the apartments are so close to 495, 66, and 7, the complex AS A WHOLE is quiet. --The grounds are beautiful with many large, shady trees and well-kept flower beds, and the management encourages residents to beautify their patios (IF your apartment receives enough sunlight for anything to actually grow and thrive). --The buildings are old. I think they were built in the 60s or 70s. As a result, the plumbing and electrical systems, which were probably adequate at the time, are now hopelessly out-of-date (keep reading for more details--look for the passages in all caps). THE RENOVATIONS THE MANAGMENT IS INVESTING IN ARE MERELY COSMETIC AND DO NOT/CANNOT ADDRESS THE SERIOUS PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT PLAGUE THE UNITS. --As far as I can tell, rent is competitve for this area, although my rent is lower because my apartment has not been renovated. --Good amenities. Nice pool, great shuttle service to metro, free fax service, will receive packages delivered in your absence. --Until recently, ELECTRICAL SERVICE HAS BEEN UNRELIABLE, especially on windy days. Many long power outages or partial outages. Dominion did some tree trimming at the end of the summer and the situation has improved greatly since. My Building: --Stairwells are clean and well-kept. --Outside door used to be hard to keep open long enough to get inside while carrying a lot of packages, but management took our suggestion and installed a door stop. --Emergency lighting comes on in the stairwells when the power goes out. --EACH UNIT'S PLUMBING IS CONNECTED TO ALL THE OTHERS IN THE BUILDING. WHENEVER THERE'S A PROBLEM IN ONE UNIT (fairly regular occurence), THE WATER SUPPLY TO THE ENTIRE BUILDING HAS TO BE SHUT OFF. THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME OF THE DAY, INCLUDING WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO SHOWER OR FIX DINNER. RENOVATIONs WON'T FIX THIS. --Walls are very, very thin. If my neighbor wants to watch TV in his/her bedroom at 1 AM, I have to run a fan to drown out the sound. We have had some very loud neighbors, but even quiet neighbors can wake me up just by walking around their creaky floors. My Unit: --Big master bedroom --Tiny tiny tiny kitchen. By the time I set up my toaster and flour/sugar/salt canister set I was left with just enough counter space to make a sandwich. We had to buy a pantry and a kitchen cart. Only two narrow drawers and enough cabinet space for a small dinner service and a small saucepan set. Washer and dryer in kitchen--I can't decide whether the loss of counter space makes up for the convenience of being able to do laundry in my own unit. --Tiny bathroom with mold and mildew problems. ONLY ONE ELECTRICAL SOCKET WORKS WITHOUT THE FAN RUNNING, and it's not the one near the sink. We have had to keep the electric razor in the bedroom instead, which is inconvenient. The mildew is coming up from the pipes themselves, so RENOVATION WON'T FIX THIS because the pipes aren't being replaced. Mold discovered underneath the top layer of paint in the tub/shower, which flaked off when I used mildew killer. This means THE MOLD PROBLEM PREDATED OUR ARRIVAL AND WAS MERELY COVERED UP. --Cheap, problematic appliances. Refrigerator was old when we moved in and has begun to leak unhealthy-looking brackish water. Maintenace is baffled but refuses to do anything as long as it is still keeping food cold. Washing machine intermittently gets stuck on "spin." Maintenance's first suggestion was to wash only small and medium loads (which meant I did laundry for two people every other day). When this failed to fix the problem, they replaced the timing switch, which worked for about 3 loads. Maintenance: --Very polite. --Leave notes to tell you they've finished your work request, and hang signs on your door to warn you that they're inside if you get home in the middle of the work. --Prompt service. --Emergency after-hours service available, though sometimes for a fee. The phone number for after-hours service isn't easy to find--you have to call the rental office and wait until the answering machine message that has the number comes on. --Does good work on easy, general tasks, but is out of its league when dealing with appliance problems. Management: --Generally polite. --Quick turnover among office staff. I think we're on our fourth office manager in as many years. --Professionalism varies greatly from manager to manager. We had a difficult time getting our lease renewed last year, first because no one in the office returned our phone calls, and then because the renewal lease wasn't ready for us to sign when promised. My husband left work early that day to make the appointment, too. Also, they have failed lately to notify residents of disruptive "improvement" projects. --Seems to play favorites among residents. For example, a fellow resident filed a noise complaint against us for a date/time when we were not home, which management refused to strike from our file. In contrast, they took 9 months to evict the domestic violence couple that lived above us, despite numerous complaints from myself and other residents. They only acted when I made them follow me back to catch an incident in progress. Parking: --Can be tight when all units are occupied. --Is sporadically enforced and seems to alternate between Draconian and non-existent, depending on the personality of the property manager. --Reserved spaces available for $30 but enforcement is entirely your responsibility. Lately, I have had trouble with a few other residents who ignore the markings and park there anyway, depsite polite notes reminding them that the space is reserved. Management will not help me get through to the "repeat offenders." Having violators towed is difficult, and I've only succeeded once (see next point). --Towing company hard to reach after hours, when most "reserve space violations" occur. Only twice has anyone there even picked up the phone, and the first time the responder didn't speak English and hung up on me when I could not communicate my needs to him. I complained to the management and I *think* someone had a word with the towers (although return letter or phone call would have been nice), because the last time I called I successfully had the violator towed. Summary: Tyson's Glen is worth a look if you need a short-term lease or if you have big dogs, as the management is very accomodating on both points. It's also worth a look if your goal is to leave your car at home most days. Just remember that the appearance of the property can disguise some frustrating day-to-day problems. It's not worth a look if you have a mold allergy or are a very light sleeper. We are still here because we may not have much time left in the area. If there was a "recommended with reservations" category, I would place Tyson's Glen there. Since there isn't, I'll give it a 3 but say "no." UPDATE 7/1/09: At our latest lease renewal, we mentioned our frustration with the appliances in hopes that we would at least get a new washer/dryer out of the deal. The consultant listened attentively, took notes, and said he'd put in an order to "have it replaced." The next day, we got home to find a note from maintenance on our old w/d that read "Washer works good now. I replaced the timing belt. Is done." The very first load I did, the washer got stuck on the spin cycle again. Additionally, the maintenance tech messed up our deadbolt and now it's difficult to turn the key in it. Wish we'd never said anything, and afraid to mention the new problem. Not sure where the communication is breaking down.