I am writing to formally express my dissatisfaction with the Mills and the overall experience I had…read morewhile residing there. I was a long-time resident, having lived in my first apartment for nearly nine years. I loved the location and I was close to everything. Despite my loyalty as a tenant and my consistent payment history, the treatment I received, especially towards the end of my lease, was unacceptable.
After being told that my original apartment was rented out while I was considering moving (but ultimately decided to stay), I was relocated to a different unit 4211. While the apartment appeared acceptable on the surface, it quickly became apparent that it had numerous issues that made living there extremely unpleasant:
* The apartment was unbearably hot in the summer, as the sun faced directly into the unit. I was forced to keep my air conditioning set at 60-66 degrees, which led to excessively high electric bills.
* The back bedroom was extremely cold in the winter and stifling hot in the summer, creating an uncomfortable and inconsistent living environment.
* There was a persistent gnat infestation, even though I kept my apartment clean and free of food waste. I later discovered a hole behind the pantry, which I reported and was patched--indicating that the problem was pre-existing.
* The apartment had a strong smell of cat litter coming from my downstairs neighbor's unit. Despite several complaints, no permanent resolution was ever offered. They seemed afraid of the tenant and didn't won't to address the matter. The smell was unbearable and negatively impacted my living experience.
* The water heater malfunctioned and required patchwork repairs instead of a proper fix.
* I also experienced roaches entering my apartment, even though I am a clean and responsible tenant. They sent pest control, but occasionally I still saw bugs because of my nasty neighbor.
* There were clear signs of neglect in the unit's condition: the stove had permanent stains inside the glass, the backsplash in the kitchen was incomplete (only one piece installed), the apartment had a persistent odor (possibly mold-related).
Despite these issues, I upheld my end of the lease, paid rent on time, and submitted a proper 60-day notice before moving out. I vacated the apartment on February 13th, yet I was still required to pay over $2,300 for the apartment even though I no longer lived there. I would come there when I was in town, and because of the cat litter smell, I couldn't stay. I left so of my belongs in the apartment until my lease was completely up. On top of that, I was later informed of an additional $2,700 charge for breaking my lease--despite the lack of any policy offering lease modifications for residents moving a significant distance/state.
I was a responsible and loyal tenant who always paid rent on time. I expected to be treated fairly and for my concerns to be addressed, yet my experience was quite the opposite. The property has significantly declined over the years. The grounds are not maintained properly, residents leave trash outside (including cat litter), and there is an overall lack of respect for the community. The gate is always broken, if one side work, the other don't, the landscaping is subpar, and it feels as though the property has become a lower-quality living space--despite residents paying $1,400 to $1,500 per month in rent.
People were breaking in cars and the property managers never disclosed the information. So RENT at your own risk.
In summary, I would never recommend anyone move into this property. My experience has been disappointing, frustrating, and unfair. The management failed to address my legitimate concerns and treated me poorly despite my years of loyalty and timely payments. I was the only tenant that lived in my first apartment in building 9 for many years until May 2023.
I am formally requesting that the $2,700 charge for breaking the lease be removed. I have paid more than enough--over $2,300 for an apartment I wasn't even living in--and I will not be paying any additional fees. If you don't have any place to live and don't really care about how the property look or how you are treated then you may can live here. They have had 8-10 property managers, 10- 12 leasing agents, and 15-20 maintenance guys. Now you do the math. And this is not to say the people that work in this leasing office are not good people. I heard there is a new property manager that just started during my separation, but oh well. I just delivered the mail.
Sincerely,
4211