My partner and I have leased an apartment in the Carrington Park at Gulf Pointe complex since October and are moving out this month, October In this time, we have found the management to be inferior, maintenance to be subpar, and the community made more vulnerable to crime because of poor responses by managementAs we prepare our final days before moving out of the complex, we have grown more frustrated to find that online reviews of the complex dating back five years report the same issues, showing that this is a continual problem rather than an individual experienceThe following letter details our complaints regarding the complex, specifically the gates being repeatedly broken, the single dumpster’s inability to contain the residents’ trash, continually poor maintenance responses, inadequate management responses to community issues, and management’s neglect of the groundsThese are the primary reasons we will strictly discourage all potential renters from entering into a contract with any future *** *** *** ***Our hope is that, as the managing company, you will take action to correct the issues in questionThis letter will be posted publically in regards to our review of your property on various websites, so we feel that it is only right to inform you of our disappointment with your ***When we moved into our apartment on October 4, 2013, we immediately noticed as movers began bringing in our boxes that our master bathroom linen closet was overrun with antsI immediately called the office to inform them of the issue and ask for assistance because all of our items, including bug spray, was packed and still being loaded off the truckI was told that maintenance was very busy and would not be able to get to us for nearly two daysThe office stated that we should treat the problem ourselves by purchasing bug spray from the nearby *** instead of waiting for their assistanceThis first instance set the tone for the remainder of our two years at Carrington Park at Gulf PointeBecause the ant infestation was so large, we did as the office suggested and treated the problem ourselves so that we could continue moving inAfter living in the apartment for two months, we began to notice that the front entrance gate to the apartment complex was often open and did not shut behind entering carsWe mentioned this to the office and were told that the motor was malfunctioning but that they would have it fixed soonAfter a few weeks, the issue was fixed, and the gate began to work normally againLess than three months later, the gate was broken againThis pattern of the front entrance gate being left ajar due to what the office consistently said was a burned out or broken motor continued through our two years at the complexAfter our renewal in October 2014, we went more than a month with an entrance gate that would not close, so we began keeping track of how many days the gate was open compared to how often it was closedWe estimated that between February and May 2015, the gate was broken in the open position more than 50% of the time, leaving our “gated” community open to anyone who wished to enterWe stopped counting days that the gate was broken in May though the issue persistedAs you can imagine, this is tremendously frustrating for two women who pay to live in a gated communitySoon after our renewal, we noticed that the neighborhood surrounding our complex began to have an increase in crime rates and that gang graffiti increased so that nearly all intersections up to a quarter mile in every direction, including under Beltway on support columns and on stop signs in residential areas, were tagged to show the turf division of two individualsWe brought this to management’s attention with our concerns about the apartment’s safetyAgain, we were told that the motor continued to burn out and they must wait on a contractor to fix itWhen the gates were operating, which appeared to be less than 50% of the time in the ten months that we lived there in 2015, we experienced several incidents in which non-residents without remotes would either wait in the parking lot to follow us into the complex after we had opened the gate or would rush us at the exit gate in an attempt to enter as we exitedIn the latter incidents, vehicles often larger than our cars would wait very close to the only exit gate, which opens inward toward the exiting residentAs we had to wait for the gate to open to allow our cars to pass, the waiting non-residents would follow the opening gates inward and require us to back up our vehicles to avoid being hitWe immediately reported these incidents to management because notices regarding the increase in car thefts and break-ins in our complex asked that we report any suspicious behaviorEach time we reported the incidents and asked that management take action, we were told that there was nothing they could do to stop individuals from entering the property by following residents in or by rushing the gatesThis indifference to interfere with the gate issues was apparent in the several instances in which the gate had to be fixed because it had actually been hit or rammed by individuals attempting to enter quickly without a remote while the gates were closingWe have witnessed three instances in which part of the gate was bent or broken off and had to be replaced and repainted because of such incidents*** also clearly warned us not to attempt to stop anyone from entering without a remoteAs the manager Misty P*** informed us, when a maintenance man had attempted to stop a resident from entering by standing in front of his vehicle, the non-resident pushed the man’s body with his SUV and the police had to be called to escort the individual off the premisesIt appeared management was not only worried about the use of vehicles but assault, as, to quote the manager, “You never know who carries a gun around here.” Even during our final week living in the complex, we risked damage to our car by blocking the exit gate with our vehicle when non-residents attempted to enter; however, as some residents did not follow suit, most vehicles waiting to enter without a remote were let in only minutes later as other residents exited the propertyDuring one of our initial conversations regarding the issue, management explained that this is common in this area where gates operate this wayTherefore, we were very careful to watch the gates of our potential new complexes, in some cases even sitting in the parking lot to wait and see if anyone rushed their gates; at no time did we observe similar behavior at other apartment complexesWhile one might argue that living in a gated community is an amenity and should be appreciated when available, trash service is a service for which all residents pay, as with most apartment complexesIt is, therefore, tremendously frustrating that Carrington Park’s management ignores the inability of the dumpster and trash compactor to regularly keep up with the amount of trash created by the residentsIt is routine for the space outside of our single dumpster to become overrun with trash sacks because the trash shoot becomes fullThe trash often fills the platform, takes over the three stairs leading to the curb, and circles around the dumpster, at times reaching the curbWhile this might in fact be partially due to residents’ neglect to push their trash bags thoroughly down the shoot, thereby leading others to assume it is full, the only efforts we have seen management make to correct the issue is to require a maintenance man to come out in early on some mornings to push the trash down the shoot and load the extra trash himselfHowever, this is not done on weekends, and we have noticed that it is not done daily through the weekTherefore, we find that there are days where the trash is allowed to build up over two days to create a blockade of trash sacks that keep residents from putting their trash in the compactorThis has also added to growth of stray cats that we have seen in the complex, which are often found eating out of the trash pile when I leave our trash in the early morningAs we’ve seen it happen, we know this issue is compounded by the fact that non-residents from the nearby neighborhoods bring in their trash to drop off sacks and furniture because the dumpster is outside of the gates and available for whomever pulls into the complex’s parking lotWhen the compactor is broken, as it has done three times in the past two years, management does bring in an external dumpster for us to use in the meantimeUnfortunately, not all residents are able to toss their trash over the edge and into the dumpster, as even I have struggled to do, so trash also begins to build up quickly with the external dumpsterI am unaware of the schedule for having such an external dumpster cleared, but we have witnessed it being left for over a week before being cleared so that the amount of trash began to fall from the top into the drive that created an obstacle for exiting vehiclesAs you can imagine, the smell is horrible in both situations, and the appearance is disgusting, as it is the first item residents see when pulling into the complexFor clarification, I have added two photos for you to view: one shows the regular buiof trash at the compactor and one shows the dumpster that was left uncleared after nearly a week of use (with the public street behind it for all to see as they pass)As a paid service, we are very disappointed in management’s lack of attention to this issue and often embarrassed when visitors comment on the issueWhile the interior of the apartments was superior for the area, especially with available space, what issues did arise and required maintenance responses were very frustratingIn August 2014, our air conditioning unit stopped workingWe immediately called maintenance upon realizing that it was not blowingAs it was after the office had closed, the primary maintenance man at the time called us back and told us that it probably needed to be reset; I explained that I was certain it was something more but humored himAfter half an hour of no air, we called and submitted another requestHe called again and asked if we had reset itI asked him to come look at it because it was nearly in our apartment and would likely get h*** with it being August in HoustonHe reluctantly agreed and showed up nearly an hour laterAfter checking out the unit, he explained that he just needed to order a part and would likely have it within hoursThe next evening, as we neared the 24-hour mark, we called the office and asked about the part and were told that the maintenance order showed that our entire unit had gone out and that we would have to wait 48-hours for a new one to arriveI explained that that was not at all what we were told and demanded to have something done to accommodate usThe best they could offer was to bring a window unit to the apartment, which cooled only one room and would require us to shut the door of the room to keep it coolAfter expressing our immense irritation given that the situation had been grossly misrepresented to us by maintenance, management apologized for the inconvenience and said they would let maintenance know about the issue so that they communicated with residents better in the futureAfter two more days, a new unit was installedIn early spring 2015, the caulking that had sealed our master tub began to pull loose and come off the tileWe could see beneath it that it was beginning to mold from not being sealed wellDespite our attempts to clean it, we could not keep the areas clean where the seal had come looseTherefore, we requested that maintenance reseal our tubThe maintenance man who came did so without the notice we had requested to prepare the tub, so we were not able to clean and dry our tub before he resealed itRather than treating it properly, he did not remove the old caulking or clean the surface beforehand (or allow us to do so), and he simply covered the existing caulkingAs a result, mold has remained a problem despite our continued cleaning, and the improperly sealed caulk has already begun to peal away after less than a year’s use, something that has kept us from being able to keep the tub cleanAs he began to exit the apartment after resealing it, he told my partner that we could not use it for hours because it had to dryMy partner stopped him and asked why he had not informed her of that before given that it was the middle of the week and we both work the next dayHe shrugged his shoulders and left without apologyWe lived in a two-bedroom/two-bathroom apartment; however, the spare bathroom is used specifically to house our cats’ litterbox to keep any loose litter in that bathroomThis is significant because my partner takes medication that lowers her immune system’s response to infection, meaning that she is unable to handle cat feces and all surfaces that can potentially come in contact with the cat feces must be cleaned very well before she can use themWe explained this to management, clarifying for them that, to use the other bathroom, we would have to move the litterbox and I would have to deep clean the other bathroom floor and tub with bleach repeatedly before she could use the shower to ensure that any loose litter had not contaminated the surfaceThis cleaning process would then have to be repeated to move the litterbox back into the spare bathroom after the master tub had driedBecause of the time this would take and the risk to my partner’s health, we opted to stay with my parents in Missouri City, nearly minutes west of our apartment complex which added as much time to my already minute commute the following morningHad we been warned of the time the tub required to dry after being resealed, we would have requested that the maintenance be done on a Friday to avoid the issue of us needing to shower the next day for workI spoke directly with the manager to complain about how the situation was handled; she asked that we write a formal email or letter to explain the situation because she had received so many complaints about that particular maintenance manAfter doing so, were informed that the maintenance man in question had been let go and no longer worked with the complexWe had hoped that the issues surrounding maintenance requests would not returnUnfortunately, we were wrongIn May 2015, Houston experienced severe storms that brought on very heavy floodingDuring one of these storms, we noticed that we had a small leak in our spare bedroomThe total damage was a section of the far corner where the wall had become wet, no more than two feet by three feetAdditionally, the tape used with the sheetrock had peeled away from the ceiling on the other wallWe immediately notified management, and we had a roof inspector on our building that afternoonThe manager assured us that they would contact a contractor and have the roof and our room repaired soon; she estimated that it would take no more than five days for the contractor to come outWhile the roof was repaired, no one ever came to repaint our wall or fix the tapeAfter a week, we called and asked for an estimated date of repairThe leasing agent was unable to give us a date, so we waited a few more days and called back when we were nearing two weeks after the leakOnly after we stated that the manager had assured us that it would be taken care of did the leasing agent finally contact maintenance and give us an estimation of two daysTwo days later, over two weeks after the leak, we had a completed maintenance form in our apartment stating that the repair had been finishedAfter investigating it, we found that the paint did not match the actual wall color and had not covered all of the leak damageAdditionally, none of the tape had been repairedBecause we had had to contact the apartment several times just to have the paint repaired, we decided not to contact them again if they felt that it was an adequate repair, though we felt it was superficialWhen we moved out, we could still see both areas of damage to the apartmentLater that month, we noticed that our tub had begun to crack at the bottomWhile we thought that it was superficial and did not create a leak to the next floor, we recognized that it was growing and likely affected the integrity of the tubWe informed the office of the issue and requested that the work be done on a Friday because we were aware of the need for the tub to dry for at least hours because of our previous maintenance issueThey agreed and worked with us to schedule the maintenance accordinglyThe evening before the work was to be done by a contractor, by chance, we happened to stop into the office to ensure that everything was set up and that we did not need to do anything in particularI happened to ask if it would be wise for us to lock up our cats in a spare bedroom for the day so as not to bother the contractor if he would be there very longThe leasing agent, Kim, responded that the cats had to be removed and acted as if we were aware of thisWhen I responded that we had not been told this information, she replied that it was standard for that type of maintenance because they had to take off the old coating and apply a new one, creating hazardous fumesNeither we nor the cats could be in the apartment for up to hours after the refinishing had been completedI asked why we had not been informed, but she could not answer my question of who was responsible for having dropped the ballI explained that we had no manner in which to remove the cats for four hours except to keep them in our running car in the parking lot and emphasized that it could not be done the next day anyway because we both had to workShe seemed undisturbed by our frustrations and said she would let maintenance know about it but that we should check back to ensure that they got the message the following morningThe next day, I called twice after the office had opened, but the phone was never answeredI left a voicemail on both the manager’s and main maintenance line, but never received a call backI finally called the new maintenance man’s cell phone (which I had from a previous call)He said that I must speak with managementAt 11:00, two hours after the office opened, I finally got someone on the phone to confirm that the maintenance had been cancelledI asked that they investigate the tub to ensure that there was no further damage and that they would approve holding the maintenance until a after we moved out in OctoberThey agreed that it could wait without further affecting the integrity of the tubIn August 2015, we received a notice that the complex would be conducting standard fire alarm inspectionsThe wording of the document made it sound as if they would be coming in to inspect the sprinklers and setting off the smoke detectorsNowhere in the notice did it recommend vacating the apartments due to the high level of noise; instead, all it suggested was that all animals be kenneled because an inspector would be entering the apartments along with an apartment complex representativeWhen our apartment alarm went off, my partner was at homeRather than the smoke detector, the inspectors were testing the fire alarm system for the building, which sets of an immensely loud, high-pitched siren inside every apartment to warn of a fire somewhere else in the buildingAfter a few minutes, she checked the time, unsure of why the alarm was still going offShe even exited into the hall to ensure that it wasn’t a true fire, meeting other confused residentsAfter ten minutes, she said an inspector—not accompanied by an apartment representative as the letter said he would be—entered the apartment and looked at the sprinklersWithout a word, he leftAfter five more minutes, the alarm finally went offIt took nearly ten minutes for our cats to come out from under the beds and longer for the ringing in her ears to dissipateThe letter was a complete misrepresentation of the situation; we felt more sympathy for the stay-at-home parents who care for their babies and toddlers than we did for our cats, but altogether we were once again gravely disappointed in the apartment’s opportunity to communicate effectively and their failure once again to provide simple informationMost disturbing was their allowance of a stranger to enter our apartment without accompanimentAnother example of the apartment’s ineffective communication is a complete lack of notification of the gym being closed for remodelingAs regular patrons of our apartment’s gym, we were very frustrated in July to find that the doors were locked with a sign stating that it had been closed for remodelingAfter a few days, we checked back and found that they were still closedMy partner called to ask when it would be reopenedAgain, using the excuse of a vague contractor, we were told that it would likely be two more weeksThe gym was closed in total for three weeks for a simple repaint and the addition of art and massive fake tree, which we had to move regularly to make room for stretching when the gym was fullAdded to the already poor upkeep of the gym—a container for disinfectant wipes that has been empty since 2014, machines that are not bolted to the ground and lean when in use, and disappearing remotes for the TV—this made the gym nearly impossible to use without having to adapt the environment in some way to be more user friendlyWhen the gym reopened, we were excited to begin to use this amenity again; imagine our irritation when we realized that the air conditioner in the gym did not workFor over two weeks, the thermostat ready degreesWhen we asked management twice about the situation, again we were told that their contractor was having trouble finding the part to fix the air conditionerAll of management’s issues aside, one would hope that fellow residents would make up for the community; however, we have found that many residents in the complex continue to be inconsiderate and cause issues that management does not address wellThe manager told us in of how the business center was continually being broken into after hoursWhen they finally put up cameras, they found that they had taped a teenage daughter of a resident having sex with her boyfriend in the business centerWe regularly had to call management or the courtesy officer regarding teenage boys who would wait outside the club house in black hoodies and backpacks to run to the front after receiving one phone call after the next, what management agreed was likely attempts to sell drugs or something illegallyHowever, the most frustrating of all situations revolves around a resident who lived below us for six monthsShe continually played her bass so loud that it shook our walls and vibrated our floorsEven our bed would vibrate when she turned it on at 3:AMWhen the issue began, I attempted to speak to the neighbor directly but could not get her to answer the doorAfter several attempts, I called the office and spoke with Kim, a leasing agent, who told me that there was nothing they could do but issue a leasing violationShe explained that this meant that the resident would not be able to renew her lease but that it would not require her to vacate earlyWhen I asked how they would require her to stop playing her music so loudly, she stated that there was nothing they could do for thatI continued to call and complain for three more weeks, continually being told that the manager was unavailableFinally, I walked in and demanded to speak to the manager regarding the issueWhen I explained the situation, the manager was entirely unaware of the problem; the leasing agent had never mentioned it in the month that we had been attempting to resolve the issueThankfully, she was quick to respond and asked that we call during office hours every time we heard the music, and she did speak with the neighbor one-on-oneUnfortunately, the neighbor continued to play her bass on high after the manager had left the office, leaving us no choice but to continually call the courtesy officer late at night and early in the morning until she received a noise violation ticketWhile I will credit the manager with stepping in and attempting to help with this issue, the fact that I was told the manager could not help and was unavailable for nearly a month when the manager was entirely unaware of the issue is a prime example of how poorly the complex handles resident concernsOne would hope that we had reached our precipice of the complaint, but, alas, there is always the maintenance of the grounds to discussWe are unaware of what makes our section of the complex so unappreciated, but it is obvious in the utilization and care of the complex that our building is the last to be considered and often left out of regular maintenance and upkeepWe have at least two residents in our building, Building 4, who have dogs, and, because we are the very back of property where the fence butts up against the back of the *** building, many residents choose to walk their dogs behind our buildingWe initially believed it was because it was quieter and has less traffic, but we quickly realized that it was because residents allow their dogs to defecate in the grass without the worry of being seen and having to clean it upOur complex even provides a stand with waste bags for easy clean-up, but we have never witnessed a resident use them in the two years we have lived thereIn July 2015, the issue became so bad that we had to speak with the office to ask them to interfereSo many residents were allowing their dogs to defecate behind our building that, as the days warmed up in late July and eventually August, the smell of dog poop was overwhelmingWe could smell it as we exited our cars in the parking lot, as we made our way up two flights of stairs to our apartment, and even if we attempted to open our windows on the third floorUpon our first complaint, management replied that they would let our building and the surrounding buildings know that they needed to clean up after their dogs; we awaited a notice of some kindOne never cameAs the heat of the summer intensified, we complained again, always alerting them to the building number, location of the problem, and even our names so that they were sure to understand where the issue was at its worstAgain we were told that they would discuss it specifically with the manager and have a solution for usDuring this second conversation, the leasing agent Kim specifically told me in person that they would send letters to all building residents and that they would make a note in the upcoming community newsletterNeither a notice nor a newsletter followedAfter another two weeks, while moving furniture to my parents’ house in preparation for our upcoming move, my partner stepped in dog poop in the grass when her foot went off the pathwayWe complained a third time in person, this time speaking with a new leasing agent and explaining how previous promises had not been keptAgain we were told that it would be taken care ofToday, as we finish packing up our items in October 2015, we can easily spot three to four sets of dog poop from the stairwell to the parking lot, some even up on bushes where owners have taught their dogs to defecate creatively among the shrubberyTo this date, no notice has been sent informing owners to better manage their dogs’ feces on the propertyWe have also experienced several instances where residents and their visitors drive much faster than is sensible in the complexI have personally experienced three incidents in the past year where, if I had not stopped in time or swerved my car when I had the right of way, I would have been involved in a collision in the parking lotOne in particular involved a resident of my building driving so fast that his car bounced when he reached the center of our interior intersectionWhen I reported this to Kim, the leasing agent, she assured me, as with the dog feces issues, that it would be noted in the community newsletter that would be released soonNo newsletter was ever released; no request for slow driving for children’s safety was ever madeFinally, for reasons were are unable to determine outside of simply be one of the last in the complex, our building is often the one that is not completed with regards to grounds maintenanceFor example, when the landscaping crew works in our complex, we have noticed that at the other buildings, bushes are trimmed, weeds are pulled from the lower flower beds, and even mulch was spread in late summer to fill in with the trees and flower bedsAt our building, the bushes in the back are often not properly trimmed, we can go several visits from the crew without having weeds pulled, and the mulch did not reach the back of our building; they appeared to run out before finishing our sectionJust last week I had to pull a dead limb from a tree because it continually hung over a parking spot and the maintenance crew had not taken it outAfter it sat in the grass for a week, the crew returned for their monthly work; the limb was cast aside under the bushed rather than removedEven the complex’s maintenance team neglects the back of the complexFor three months, the sign that hangs above the back stairwell announcing our apartment numbers had hung by one screw on its sideThe stairwell banisters were repainted in every building in the spring, and the company had done a very poor jobWhere they had touched the buildings with black paint, maintenance came through and sprayed over the spots with white paint in an attempt, we thought, to mark where they would need to be recoveredThey were never recoveredFor over four months our building has had white spray paint spots on tan paint all up and down the stairwellsWe realize that living in Houston is expensive, and we have come to accept that we must pay a large amount to continue to do so; however, the price of the apartments at Carrington Park at Gulf Pointe after considering the poor management, the inappropriate and ineffective maintenance, the growing crime rate, and the overall poor quality of community, is simply not realisticHad we been able to afford to move after our first year’s lease was concluded, we would have done soHowever, due to tight finances, we had to wait until this year to move out, and I can confidently say that in my ten years of living in apartments, this has been the worst experience of them allBecause previous reviews state that it is the complex’s habit of charging tenants with cleaning bills as they move out, we will be hiring a cleaning company to ensure that there is no such bill held to our nameWe discovered last week that the complex has hired a new manager after the previous manager departed, and we do hope that this improves the quality of living at Carrington Park at Gulf PointeWe are, however, disappointed that we will not be able to experience the new manager’s changes, as no notice of her arrival was ever sent out to residents
My partner and I have leased an apartment in the Carrington Park at Gulf Pointe complex since October and are moving out this month, October In this time, we have found the management to be inferior, maintenance to be subpar, and the community made more vulnerable to crime because of poor responses by managementAs we prepare our final days before moving out of the complex, we have grown more frustrated to find that online reviews of the complex dating back five years report the same issues, showing that this is a continual problem rather than an individual experienceThe following letter details our complaints regarding the complex, specifically the gates being repeatedly broken, the single dumpster’s inability to contain the residents’ trash, continually poor maintenance responses, inadequate management responses to community issues, and management’s neglect of the groundsThese are the primary reasons we will strictly discourage all potential renters from entering into a contract with any future *** *** *** ***Our hope is that, as the managing company, you will take action to correct the issues in questionThis letter will be posted publically in regards to our review of your property on various websites, so we feel that it is only right to inform you of our disappointment with your ***When we moved into our apartment on October 4, 2013, we immediately noticed as movers began bringing in our boxes that our master bathroom linen closet was overrun with antsI immediately called the office to inform them of the issue and ask for assistance because all of our items, including bug spray, was packed and still being loaded off the truckI was told that maintenance was very busy and would not be able to get to us for nearly two daysThe office stated that we should treat the problem ourselves by purchasing bug spray from the nearby *** instead of waiting for their assistanceThis first instance set the tone for the remainder of our two years at Carrington Park at Gulf PointeBecause the ant infestation was so large, we did as the office suggested and treated the problem ourselves so that we could continue moving inAfter living in the apartment for two months, we began to notice that the front entrance gate to the apartment complex was often open and did not shut behind entering carsWe mentioned this to the office and were told that the motor was malfunctioning but that they would have it fixed soonAfter a few weeks, the issue was fixed, and the gate began to work normally againLess than three months later, the gate was broken againThis pattern of the front entrance gate being left ajar due to what the office consistently said was a burned out or broken motor continued through our two years at the complexAfter our renewal in October 2014, we went more than a month with an entrance gate that would not close, so we began keeping track of how many days the gate was open compared to how often it was closedWe estimated that between February and May 2015, the gate was broken in the open position more than 50% of the time, leaving our “gated” community open to anyone who wished to enterWe stopped counting days that the gate was broken in May though the issue persistedAs you can imagine, this is tremendously frustrating for two women who pay to live in a gated communitySoon after our renewal, we noticed that the neighborhood surrounding our complex began to have an increase in crime rates and that gang graffiti increased so that nearly all intersections up to a quarter mile in every direction, including under Beltway on support columns and on stop signs in residential areas, were tagged to show the turf division of two individualsWe brought this to management’s attention with our concerns about the apartment’s safetyAgain, we were told that the motor continued to burn out and they must wait on a contractor to fix itWhen the gates were operating, which appeared to be less than 50% of the time in the ten months that we lived there in 2015, we experienced several incidents in which non-residents without remotes would either wait in the parking lot to follow us into the complex after we had opened the gate or would rush us at the exit gate in an attempt to enter as we exitedIn the latter incidents, vehicles often larger than our cars would wait very close to the only exit gate, which opens inward toward the exiting residentAs we had to wait for the gate to open to allow our cars to pass, the waiting non-residents would follow the opening gates inward and require us to back up our vehicles to avoid being hitWe immediately reported these incidents to management because notices regarding the increase in car thefts and break-ins in our complex asked that we report any suspicious behaviorEach time we reported the incidents and asked that management take action, we were told that there was nothing they could do to stop individuals from entering the property by following residents in or by rushing the gatesThis indifference to interfere with the gate issues was apparent in the several instances in which the gate had to be fixed because it had actually been hit or rammed by individuals attempting to enter quickly without a remote while the gates were closingWe have witnessed three instances in which part of the gate was bent or broken off and had to be replaced and repainted because of such incidents*** also clearly warned us not to attempt to stop anyone from entering without a remoteAs the manager Misty P*** informed us, when a maintenance man had attempted to stop a resident from entering by standing in front of his vehicle, the non-resident pushed the man’s body with his SUV and the police had to be called to escort the individual off the premisesIt appeared management was not only worried about the use of vehicles but assault, as, to quote the manager, “You never know who carries a gun around here.” Even during our final week living in the complex, we risked damage to our car by blocking the exit gate with our vehicle when non-residents attempted to enter; however, as some residents did not follow suit, most vehicles waiting to enter without a remote were let in only minutes later as other residents exited the propertyDuring one of our initial conversations regarding the issue, management explained that this is common in this area where gates operate this wayTherefore, we were very careful to watch the gates of our potential new complexes, in some cases even sitting in the parking lot to wait and see if anyone rushed their gates; at no time did we observe similar behavior at other apartment complexesWhile one might argue that living in a gated community is an amenity and should be appreciated when available, trash service is a service for which all residents pay, as with most apartment complexesIt is, therefore, tremendously frustrating that Carrington Park’s management ignores the inability of the dumpster and trash compactor to regularly keep up with the amount of trash created by the residentsIt is routine for the space outside of our single dumpster to become overrun with trash sacks because the trash shoot becomes fullThe trash often fills the platform, takes over the three stairs leading to the curb, and circles around the dumpster, at times reaching the curbWhile this might in fact be partially due to residents’ neglect to push their trash bags thoroughly down the shoot, thereby leading others to assume it is full, the only efforts we have seen management make to correct the issue is to require a maintenance man to come out in early on some mornings to push the trash down the shoot and load the extra trash himselfHowever, this is not done on weekends, and we have noticed that it is not done daily through the weekTherefore, we find that there are days where the trash is allowed to build up over two days to create a blockade of trash sacks that keep residents from putting their trash in the compactorThis has also added to growth of stray cats that we have seen in the complex, which are often found eating out of the trash pile when I leave our trash in the early morningAs we’ve seen it happen, we know this issue is compounded by the fact that non-residents from the nearby neighborhoods bring in their trash to drop off sacks and furniture because the dumpster is outside of the gates and available for whomever pulls into the complex’s parking lotWhen the compactor is broken, as it has done three times in the past two years, management does bring in an external dumpster for us to use in the meantimeUnfortunately, not all residents are able to toss their trash over the edge and into the dumpster, as even I have struggled to do, so trash also begins to build up quickly with the external dumpsterI am unaware of the schedule for having such an external dumpster cleared, but we have witnessed it being left for over a week before being cleared so that the amount of trash began to fall from the top into the drive that created an obstacle for exiting vehiclesAs you can imagine, the smell is horrible in both situations, and the appearance is disgusting, as it is the first item residents see when pulling into the complexFor clarification, I have added two photos for you to view: one shows the regular buiof trash at the compactor and one shows the dumpster that was left uncleared after nearly a week of use (with the public street behind it for all to see as they pass)As a paid service, we are very disappointed in management’s lack of attention to this issue and often embarrassed when visitors comment on the issueWhile the interior of the apartments was superior for the area, especially with available space, what issues did arise and required maintenance responses were very frustratingIn August 2014, our air conditioning unit stopped workingWe immediately called maintenance upon realizing that it was not blowingAs it was after the office had closed, the primary maintenance man at the time called us back and told us that it probably needed to be reset; I explained that I was certain it was something more but humored himAfter half an hour of no air, we called and submitted another requestHe called again and asked if we had reset itI asked him to come look at it because it was nearly in our apartment and would likely get h*** with it being August in HoustonHe reluctantly agreed and showed up nearly an hour laterAfter checking out the unit, he explained that he just needed to order a part and would likely have it within hoursThe next evening, as we neared the 24-hour mark, we called the office and asked about the part and were told that the maintenance order showed that our entire unit had gone out and that we would have to wait 48-hours for a new one to arriveI explained that that was not at all what we were told and demanded to have something done to accommodate usThe best they could offer was to bring a window unit to the apartment, which cooled only one room and would require us to shut the door of the room to keep it coolAfter expressing our immense irritation given that the situation had been grossly misrepresented to us by maintenance, management apologized for the inconvenience and said they would let maintenance know about the issue so that they communicated with residents better in the futureAfter two more days, a new unit was installedIn early spring 2015, the caulking that had sealed our master tub began to pull loose and come off the tileWe could see beneath it that it was beginning to mold from not being sealed wellDespite our attempts to clean it, we could not keep the areas clean where the seal had come looseTherefore, we requested that maintenance reseal our tubThe maintenance man who came did so without the notice we had requested to prepare the tub, so we were not able to clean and dry our tub before he resealed itRather than treating it properly, he did not remove the old caulking or clean the surface beforehand (or allow us to do so), and he simply covered the existing caulkingAs a result, mold has remained a problem despite our continued cleaning, and the improperly sealed caulk has already begun to peal away after less than a year’s use, something that has kept us from being able to keep the tub cleanAs he began to exit the apartment after resealing it, he told my partner that we could not use it for hours because it had to dryMy partner stopped him and asked why he had not informed her of that before given that it was the middle of the week and we both work the next dayHe shrugged his shoulders and left without apologyWe lived in a two-bedroom/two-bathroom apartment; however, the spare bathroom is used specifically to house our cats’ litterbox to keep any loose litter in that bathroomThis is significant because my partner takes medication that lowers her immune system’s response to infection, meaning that she is unable to handle cat feces and all surfaces that can potentially come in contact with the cat feces must be cleaned very well before she can use themWe explained this to management, clarifying for them that, to use the other bathroom, we would have to move the litterbox and I would have to deep clean the other bathroom floor and tub with bleach repeatedly before she could use the shower to ensure that any loose litter had not contaminated the surfaceThis cleaning process would then have to be repeated to move the litterbox back into the spare bathroom after the master tub had driedBecause of the time this would take and the risk to my partner’s health, we opted to stay with my parents in Missouri City, nearly minutes west of our apartment complex which added as much time to my already minute commute the following morningHad we been warned of the time the tub required to dry after being resealed, we would have requested that the maintenance be done on a Friday to avoid the issue of us needing to shower the next day for workI spoke directly with the manager to complain about how the situation was handled; she asked that we write a formal email or letter to explain the situation because she had received so many complaints about that particular maintenance manAfter doing so, were informed that the maintenance man in question had been let go and no longer worked with the complexWe had hoped that the issues surrounding maintenance requests would not returnUnfortunately, we were wrongIn May 2015, Houston experienced severe storms that brought on very heavy floodingDuring one of these storms, we noticed that we had a small leak in our spare bedroomThe total damage was a section of the far corner where the wall had become wet, no more than two feet by three feetAdditionally, the tape used with the sheetrock had peeled away from the ceiling on the other wallWe immediately notified management, and we had a roof inspector on our building that afternoonThe manager assured us that they would contact a contractor and have the roof and our room repaired soon; she estimated that it would take no more than five days for the contractor to come outWhile the roof was repaired, no one ever came to repaint our wall or fix the tapeAfter a week, we called and asked for an estimated date of repairThe leasing agent was unable to give us a date, so we waited a few more days and called back when we were nearing two weeks after the leakOnly after we stated that the manager had assured us that it would be taken care of did the leasing agent finally contact maintenance and give us an estimation of two daysTwo days later, over two weeks after the leak, we had a completed maintenance form in our apartment stating that the repair had been finishedAfter investigating it, we found that the paint did not match the actual wall color and had not covered all of the leak damageAdditionally, none of the tape had been repairedBecause we had had to contact the apartment several times just to have the paint repaired, we decided not to contact them again if they felt that it was an adequate repair, though we felt it was superficialWhen we moved out, we could still see both areas of damage to the apartmentLater that month, we noticed that our tub had begun to crack at the bottomWhile we thought that it was superficial and did not create a leak to the next floor, we recognized that it was growing and likely affected the integrity of the tubWe informed the office of the issue and requested that the work be done on a Friday because we were aware of the need for the tub to dry for at least hours because of our previous maintenance issueThey agreed and worked with us to schedule the maintenance accordinglyThe evening before the work was to be done by a contractor, by chance, we happened to stop into the office to ensure that everything was set up and that we did not need to do anything in particularI happened to ask if it would be wise for us to lock up our cats in a spare bedroom for the day so as not to bother the contractor if he would be there very longThe leasing agent, Kim, responded that the cats had to be removed and acted as if we were aware of thisWhen I responded that we had not been told this information, she replied that it was standard for that type of maintenance because they had to take off the old coating and apply a new one, creating hazardous fumesNeither we nor the cats could be in the apartment for up to hours after the refinishing had been completedI asked why we had not been informed, but she could not answer my question of who was responsible for having dropped the ballI explained that we had no manner in which to remove the cats for four hours except to keep them in our running car in the parking lot and emphasized that it could not be done the next day anyway because we both had to workShe seemed undisturbed by our frustrations and said she would let maintenance know about it but that we should check back to ensure that they got the message the following morningThe next day, I called twice after the office had opened, but the phone was never answeredI left a voicemail on both the manager’s and main maintenance line, but never received a call backI finally called the new maintenance man’s cell phone (which I had from a previous call)He said that I must speak with managementAt 11:00, two hours after the office opened, I finally got someone on the phone to confirm that the maintenance had been cancelledI asked that they investigate the tub to ensure that there was no further damage and that they would approve holding the maintenance until a after we moved out in OctoberThey agreed that it could wait without further affecting the integrity of the tubIn August 2015, we received a notice that the complex would be conducting standard fire alarm inspectionsThe wording of the document made it sound as if they would be coming in to inspect the sprinklers and setting off the smoke detectorsNowhere in the notice did it recommend vacating the apartments due to the high level of noise; instead, all it suggested was that all animals be kenneled because an inspector would be entering the apartments along with an apartment complex representativeWhen our apartment alarm went off, my partner was at homeRather than the smoke detector, the inspectors were testing the fire alarm system for the building, which sets of an immensely loud, high-pitched siren inside every apartment to warn of a fire somewhere else in the buildingAfter a few minutes, she checked the time, unsure of why the alarm was still going offShe even exited into the hall to ensure that it wasn’t a true fire, meeting other confused residentsAfter ten minutes, she said an inspector—not accompanied by an apartment representative as the letter said he would be—entered the apartment and looked at the sprinklersWithout a word, he leftAfter five more minutes, the alarm finally went offIt took nearly ten minutes for our cats to come out from under the beds and longer for the ringing in her ears to dissipateThe letter was a complete misrepresentation of the situation; we felt more sympathy for the stay-at-home parents who care for their babies and toddlers than we did for our cats, but altogether we were once again gravely disappointed in the apartment’s opportunity to communicate effectively and their failure once again to provide simple informationMost disturbing was their allowance of a stranger to enter our apartment without accompanimentAnother example of the apartment’s ineffective communication is a complete lack of notification of the gym being closed for remodelingAs regular patrons of our apartment’s gym, we were very frustrated in July to find that the doors were locked with a sign stating that it had been closed for remodelingAfter a few days, we checked back and found that they were still closedMy partner called to ask when it would be reopenedAgain, using the excuse of a vague contractor, we were told that it would likely be two more weeksThe gym was closed in total for three weeks for a simple repaint and the addition of art and massive fake tree, which we had to move regularly to make room for stretching when the gym was fullAdded to the already poor upkeep of the gym—a container for disinfectant wipes that has been empty since 2014, machines that are not bolted to the ground and lean when in use, and disappearing remotes for the TV—this made the gym nearly impossible to use without having to adapt the environment in some way to be more user friendlyWhen the gym reopened, we were excited to begin to use this amenity again; imagine our irritation when we realized that the air conditioner in the gym did not workFor over two weeks, the thermostat ready degreesWhen we asked management twice about the situation, again we were told that their contractor was having trouble finding the part to fix the air conditionerAll of management’s issues aside, one would hope that fellow residents would make up for the community; however, we have found that many residents in the complex continue to be inconsiderate and cause issues that management does not address wellThe manager told us in of how the business center was continually being broken into after hoursWhen they finally put up cameras, they found that they had taped a teenage daughter of a resident having sex with her boyfriend in the business centerWe regularly had to call management or the courtesy officer regarding teenage boys who would wait outside the club house in black hoodies and backpacks to run to the front after receiving one phone call after the next, what management agreed was likely attempts to sell drugs or something illegallyHowever, the most frustrating of all situations revolves around a resident who lived below us for six monthsShe continually played her bass so loud that it shook our walls and vibrated our floorsEven our bed would vibrate when she turned it on at 3:AMWhen the issue began, I attempted to speak to the neighbor directly but could not get her to answer the doorAfter several attempts, I called the office and spoke with Kim, a leasing agent, who told me that there was nothing they could do but issue a leasing violationShe explained that this meant that the resident would not be able to renew her lease but that it would not require her to vacate earlyWhen I asked how they would require her to stop playing her music so loudly, she stated that there was nothing they could do for thatI continued to call and complain for three more weeks, continually being told that the manager was unavailableFinally, I walked in and demanded to speak to the manager regarding the issueWhen I explained the situation, the manager was entirely unaware of the problem; the leasing agent had never mentioned it in the month that we had been attempting to resolve the issueThankfully, she was quick to respond and asked that we call during office hours every time we heard the music, and she did speak with the neighbor one-on-oneUnfortunately, the neighbor continued to play her bass on high after the manager had left the office, leaving us no choice but to continually call the courtesy officer late at night and early in the morning until she received a noise violation ticketWhile I will credit the manager with stepping in and attempting to help with this issue, the fact that I was told the manager could not help and was unavailable for nearly a month when the manager was entirely unaware of the issue is a prime example of how poorly the complex handles resident concernsOne would hope that we had reached our precipice of the complaint, but, alas, there is always the maintenance of the grounds to discussWe are unaware of what makes our section of the complex so unappreciated, but it is obvious in the utilization and care of the complex that our building is the last to be considered and often left out of regular maintenance and upkeepWe have at least two residents in our building, Building 4, who have dogs, and, because we are the very back of property where the fence butts up against the back of the *** building, many residents choose to walk their dogs behind our buildingWe initially believed it was because it was quieter and has less traffic, but we quickly realized that it was because residents allow their dogs to defecate in the grass without the worry of being seen and having to clean it upOur complex even provides a stand with waste bags for easy clean-up, but we have never witnessed a resident use them in the two years we have lived thereIn July 2015, the issue became so bad that we had to speak with the office to ask them to interfereSo many residents were allowing their dogs to defecate behind our building that, as the days warmed up in late July and eventually August, the smell of dog poop was overwhelmingWe could smell it as we exited our cars in the parking lot, as we made our way up two flights of stairs to our apartment, and even if we attempted to open our windows on the third floorUpon our first complaint, management replied that they would let our building and the surrounding buildings know that they needed to clean up after their dogs; we awaited a notice of some kindOne never cameAs the heat of the summer intensified, we complained again, always alerting them to the building number, location of the problem, and even our names so that they were sure to understand where the issue was at its worstAgain we were told that they would discuss it specifically with the manager and have a solution for usDuring this second conversation, the leasing agent Kim specifically told me in person that they would send letters to all building residents and that they would make a note in the upcoming community newsletterNeither a notice nor a newsletter followedAfter another two weeks, while moving furniture to my parents’ house in preparation for our upcoming move, my partner stepped in dog poop in the grass when her foot went off the pathwayWe complained a third time in person, this time speaking with a new leasing agent and explaining how previous promises had not been keptAgain we were told that it would be taken care ofToday, as we finish packing up our items in October 2015, we can easily spot three to four sets of dog poop from the stairwell to the parking lot, some even up on bushes where owners have taught their dogs to defecate creatively among the shrubberyTo this date, no notice has been sent informing owners to better manage their dogs’ feces on the propertyWe have also experienced several instances where residents and their visitors drive much faster than is sensible in the complexI have personally experienced three incidents in the past year where, if I had not stopped in time or swerved my car when I had the right of way, I would have been involved in a collision in the parking lotOne in particular involved a resident of my building driving so fast that his car bounced when he reached the center of our interior intersectionWhen I reported this to Kim, the leasing agent, she assured me, as with the dog feces issues, that it would be noted in the community newsletter that would be released soonNo newsletter was ever released; no request for slow driving for children’s safety was ever madeFinally, for reasons were are unable to determine outside of simply be one of the last in the complex, our building is often the one that is not completed with regards to grounds maintenanceFor example, when the landscaping crew works in our complex, we have noticed that at the other buildings, bushes are trimmed, weeds are pulled from the lower flower beds, and even mulch was spread in late summer to fill in with the trees and flower bedsAt our building, the bushes in the back are often not properly trimmed, we can go several visits from the crew without having weeds pulled, and the mulch did not reach the back of our building; they appeared to run out before finishing our sectionJust last week I had to pull a dead limb from a tree because it continually hung over a parking spot and the maintenance crew had not taken it outAfter it sat in the grass for a week, the crew returned for their monthly work; the limb was cast aside under the bushed rather than removedEven the complex’s maintenance team neglects the back of the complexFor three months, the sign that hangs above the back stairwell announcing our apartment numbers had hung by one screw on its sideThe stairwell banisters were repainted in every building in the spring, and the company had done a very poor jobWhere they had touched the buildings with black paint, maintenance came through and sprayed over the spots with white paint in an attempt, we thought, to mark where they would need to be recoveredThey were never recoveredFor over four months our building has had white spray paint spots on tan paint all up and down the stairwellsWe realize that living in Houston is expensive, and we have come to accept that we must pay a large amount to continue to do so; however, the price of the apartments at Carrington Park at Gulf Pointe after considering the poor management, the inappropriate and ineffective maintenance, the growing crime rate, and the overall poor quality of community, is simply not realisticHad we been able to afford to move after our first year’s lease was concluded, we would have done soHowever, due to tight finances, we had to wait until this year to move out, and I can confidently say that in my ten years of living in apartments, this has been the worst experience of them allBecause previous reviews state that it is the complex’s habit of charging tenants with cleaning bills as they move out, we will be hiring a cleaning company to ensure that there is no such bill held to our nameWe discovered last week that the complex has hired a new manager after the previous manager departed, and we do hope that this improves the quality of living at Carrington Park at Gulf PointeWe are, however, disappointed that we will not be able to experience the new manager’s changes, as no notice of her arrival was ever sent out to residents