Essex deserves no stars. This review is regarding the Avondale Warner Center by Essex DON'T MOVE HERE. There has been nothing but issues here. The management is unreachable and crooked. All phone numbers re-route to the same automated line and you'll never be able to reach anyone. Not even the leasing staff that's supposed to be onsite. Neighbors are loud. The leasing staff rarely answers the phone, and if they do prepare to get hung up on. The apartments have roaches, thin walls, and stink like cigarettes. The windows aren't properly sealed and cigarette smoke from neighbors wafts in from windows fireplace and HVAC system.
I have contacted Avondale leasing office and property manager Kal Sassa to resolve the list of following issues and NOT ONE issue was resolved in a reasonable amount if time if at all.
1. Ongoing runaround and non repair of HVAC system. I have been without proper AC since I moved in. I flagged that the AC/HVAC Unit needed repair on my initial lease agreement and was told it would be repaired. During my entire residency, despite multiple requests no repairs were made. Numerous vendors, and maintenance techs were sent to look at the unit but no repairs were made. Summer of 2021 a notice was left on my door that replacement HVAC unit would be installed but no one ever came to install it. July 5th of 2022 was when I was notified by email that HVAC unit would be replaced. This was less than 24 hours notice that workers would be entering the unit for repairs. While repairs were being made the unit was uninhabitable. Each day workers left exposed wires in the ceiling and walls, debris throughout the unit and no AC for 5 days during 90+ degree weather. The work was initially supposed to be completed by July 9, 2022 but was extended to July 12, 2022. The state my apartment was left in, the less than 24 hours notice of this repair and then extended duration not only impacted livability of my home, but I work from home and this impacted my working situation since I could not be in the apartment during repairs due to noise and COVID social distance limitations. Several tenants had this EXACT same experience. My husband and I had to find a hotel to stay in and Avondale didn't pay for that or reimburse our rent for the time the AC was being installed.
2. Avondale authorized a pest control vendor to access our unit with out our consent. This vendor was provided with keys, unlocked and entered our unit even after explicit request in the work order to not enter the unit.
3. Multiple instances where the leasing office sent prospective renters to view my apartment after I moved in. One occasion led to the visitor pulling so hard on my locked and occupied front door that the knob broke and my husband and I were locked in our apartment for over 4 hours. I was completely dismissed by the leasing when I told them about this even after I had complained about previous visitor tours. The office offered a $50 visa gift card as compensation- I declined. In later weeks more visitors were still sent to tour my unit.
4. Unresolved Health and safety concerns due to secondhand cigarette smoke entering my apartment via drafty windows and HVAC ducts. They would not reseal any windows or provide other solutions.
5. 3 months with a broken mail center and no notice of mail being forwarded to the post office and no notice or issuing of a new mail key once it was fixed. I was supposed to receive a second key, but still have not.
6. Downstairs neighbors released flame propelled paper lanterns that landed on my balcony nearly causing a house fire.
7. The original apartment we leased was not the upgraded model they showed us in the tour.
8. Our lease termination fee was supposed to be $0 due to the above list of issues per phone and emails with Kal. The forms we received originally showed no charges to terminate but then without notice new versions were presented stating we owed a concession fee -this was not discussed or agreed upon. These changes were sneakily made last minute. The leasing office hung up on my husband when he called to get this fixed. His call backs were ignored but when I called from my phone the leasing office answered right away.
Do yourself a favor and stay far far away from Avondale and Essex properties. read more