Lakeview Associates seemed to be an apartment manager that genuinely wanted to help its tenants, versus just extracting a rent check and imposing rules and conditions. As the cosigner on a lease, they did a lot to help us with a sub-let situation when we needed to be out of the apartment earlier than planned, first by helping us evaluate a leasee we suggested, then finding us a new tenant in a week when that didn't work out. On top of that, 2256 N. Cleveland was well-maintained, the staff was helpful with questions, they were always responsive to communication. read more

The manager was very nice, but the property was not in great condition , even though they were working on the elevators , the apartment I looked at had peeling paint , and the wall on the outside of the apartment had a huge weird peeling, patchy looking area that was very creepy. The manager informed me that it was going to be taken care of, but made me uncomfortable, so much that I decided not to rent this apartment. read more

I only lived at 520 W Belden for one calendar year, but it was one of the best apartments I've ever had -- and I give all credit to the leasing staff. I moved out a few weeks ago and I still miss the team there! In the spring of 2018, I was looking to move out of my first studio apartment and into a one-bedroom in Lincoln Park near the lake. I found an apartment online that I was interested in and called the leasing office and met Wes, who set up an appointment with me for the following week. When we met in-person, he not only showed me the apartment I was interested in, but a few others in the same neighborhood that also might suit me. This went above and beyond any other leasing company I'd worked with, from my time in the Chicago burbs, to New York City, to Chicago, and I was impressed. I moved in to 520 W Belden in July 2018, and I was and still am extremely proud of my top-floor, skyline-facing vintage apartment. Right from the start, I was given a warm welcome from the entire leasing staff, and over the course of the year I was there, I became a huge fan of Joe and Tom, the managers of the building. They were consistently personable anytime I ran into them, whether I was near the building or walking down Clark Street. When I created a project I was proud of through my job, they taped up one of my promotional posters in the front window of the leasing office, right next to their leasing offers. When my time at 520 W Belden was coming to a close, there were quite a bit of tours going on in my unit, but they were always very informative about when a tour was going to happen, and even surprised me by giving me some laundry money for my patience with the tours (which weren't bothersome at all, if you two are reading this)! They made me feel important and were friendly and everything I could've asked for in a leasing manager. Anyone would be lucky to live at a building managed by Lakeview Associates. If you get the chance to work with this team, RUN to sign a lease -- don't walk! read more

So, last week, these jackarses put a new key under my door with a notice saying they were changing all of the building's apartment door locks within 4 days. Creepy. Oh, and if you happened to be out of town when they happened to decide to do this, you'd be locked out of your home....and charged $75 to be let back in. Lakeview Associates routinely violates the city tenants' rights ordinance by showing occupied apartments without notifying the unit occupants. They know it's illegal. They don't care. Words have yet to be created to properly describe the condescending and pompous attitude "Mr. Congeniality" exudes whenever a simple request is made of him. Even on this page, you can enjoy a little sampler of his style by reading his management response to a reviewer. My neighbors are quiet. My heat works (for now). The elevator's iffy. They do not require a security deposit. The building DOES have, um, multi-legged residents at laundry level. Photo of one recently-dispatched tenant is in the gallery section. read more

Lakeview Associates manages the property at 531 W Deming. In the last 6 months, the mail room, bike room, and common areas have been burglarized 4 times and Lakeview Associates has done almost nothing in response. The common area keyholes have been filled with super glue, making the laundry and bike rooms inaccessible (the advertised 24/7 maintenance is not actually 24 hours and this particular situation took days to fix leaving a large apartment building with no laundry). The brick wall outside my apartment partially caved in and during the repairs their workers operated power tools earlier than 8am in violation of the city noise ordinance. During this work, they also filled my apartment and the adjoining apartments with toxic brick dust as the apartment manager refused to believe my emails stating that the dust was coming through the vents. Lastly, there are a family of rats that hang out in the dumpsters outside the apartment building at night. Each of these issues on their own are understandable and could easily be written off as the side effect of renting from a large property manager in a big city. The compounding factor and the reason for the 1 star review is the lead property manager, Joe, exhibits a complete lack of professionalism when it comes to his dealings with renters and has repeatedly gaslighted me when I've brought up legitimate problems/asked for the bare minimum. read more

Renting at 534 W Belden and my experience with this management company has been terrible first off the apartment has a centipede infestation which management refuses to deal with. I kill on average 4 a day in my apartment and it is gross and never seems to end even if they spray. Second the laundry is beyond overpriced at 2.25 per cycle and the dryers do not dry clothes all the way which I have also complained about several times to no avail. Thirdly our mailroom has now been broken into twice, both times my packages seems to fall victim to which Joe has no quick solution to and refuses to issue a police report even though I am out over $200 worth of products. This is a serious safety issue for residents and management seems to not care about making us feel safe / securing our packages. There is ALOT more than could be done to prevent this but they have done nothing. And on top of all these issues rent was increased here for quality of living that has severely decreased. Lastly this entire building smells bad. I would not recommend anyone to sign here as you are getting ripped off and your quality of living will be extremely below standard as well as compromising your own safety. read more

My roommate and I live at the 2542 N. Racine apartment and honestly, for the price that the rent is does not match the quality the apartments gives. For $1790 a month you will experience: -Walls cracking (making the vintage look of the this 1923 building even more antique) -Mold growing in the bathroom and in your living room -Rusty looking liquid that will drip all over your apartment and on your furniture due to poor wall/crack sealing -Heaters turning on and off when they want to or heaters not working at all -Calling/emailing for maintenance will become a regular thing -Kitchen sink has faulty water valves -No ventilation so get ready for those dust bunny invasion and higher chances of getting sick -The old fashion bathtub will offer you poor head shower performance - Cleaning and vacuuming will become a daily chore as oppose to just the weekends Maintenance has told us that the management needs to fix deeper issues within the building so only cosmetic fixes are what you end up receiving. Recent update: 2 times now they have showed up for a showing without any notification within the 24 hour period. The one time they notified my roommate but not the both of us. Regardless, they need to notify the both of us and have us confirm. The only few pros this place offers is the fact that you're across a Starbucks for those pat-on-the-backs of the fact you survived this place and the nice convenience of how it's close to the L-Stop and campus if you're a student. read more

Lakeview Associates is a solid management company. We ran into a few maintenance issues which is not unusual for living in an older building, but maintenance was same day or next day to repair/ fix issues. Their tenant portal is user friendly and easy to use. Payment methods and maintenance requests are straightforward. We lived at 531 W. Deming. The building could use updating and invest some rent back into the building. The appliances are outdated, but you are paying for affordable living in a great location. Management was beginning to update areas in the building which was hopeful. read more

Places are nice if you like vintage. The company is TERRIBLE. Do not live in these buildings unless you dig condescension, accusation and tricky fees & deadlines that a close examination of your lease will reveal are NOT legit. My neighbors toilet overflowed all over her apartment and she called for maintenance and was told her issue was "not urgent." Hello water damage and ruined electronics. Mine started acting up the next day so I called, they came out and then called to tell me not to put kitty litter in the toilet. I do not put kitty litter in the toilet. Somehow they turned a clear plumbing problem into my fault. Currently they are charging me $150 to abandon my lease even though that charge is not in my lease and when I inquired before signing, I was told there was no charge if you find a subletter (which I did and they wont let me sublet). This company is TERRIBLE. They are unfriendly, irresponsible and will take advantage of you if you do not constantly review your lease and wag it in their faces. Jerks. **Update on the sublet sitch: Looked in my lease where it says, and i quote, "Landlord must accept reasonable sublet candidate from tenant with NO ADDITIONAL FEES." They had the audacity to continue to argue with me, telling me I had to resign and pay the $150, until I directly quoted the lease. Then he goes, "sigh, ok just come down and fill out the paperwork." These people are predatory. read more

This company lacks customer service and respect for the individuals that live and pay rent in their rental properties. Their property manager was incredibly rude and unwilling to stretch a little further to help answer a simple question. I called due to construction that has been happening outside my building for the last two months, to see when it will be complete. I understand that things happen and dates change, but she was completely unwilling to help find a practical solution inorder to allow my air conditioner to be installed in the window. Her only response was "there is nothing I can do". Since my window is boarded up there is no way to install the air conditioner unit, until the construction is finished. I have zero air circulation in my living space and the Chicago summer has been nothing, but hot and humid. Her solve was to place the air conditioner in the window located in my shower. She also refused to ask the construction workers an estimated date that they will be finished. As a property manager wouldn't you want to be on guard with this type of information and have more control over the happenings within and to your building? I was completely dumbfounded. Her lack of willingness to find out more information about the construction and lack of willingness to help find a practical solution was incredible. I am living in a heat box and have been for the last two months with NO COMPLAINTS, figuring that the construction shouldn't take longer than two months. Now that it seems to be taking longer, there is nothing that they can do. I find this obscured. Other apartment units have holes cut into the boarded up windows to allow the air conditioner unit to fit. Just because I didn't have my unit installed prior to the construction (which we had no warning that our windows would be boarded up) I am out of luck. When I tried to ask for a manager to speak to above the property manager, I was told that there is no one else to talk to. So I have to sweat in my apartment for the remainder of the summer due to incompetence and lack of customer service from the Lakeview Associate employees. Regardless of the fact that I pay an exorbitant amount of rent, as do all Chicago tenants, on time and with zero issues or past complaints. Since it doesn't directly affect their living situation, there is no need to lift a finger to find a solution. No respect for tenants. read more

The apartment itself was hardwood throughout and I made it as homey as possible and it was functional but grossly overpriced. I left after a year. The parking in the Cambridge building was the biggest headache and pain all year. People were constantly parked in my spot and there was no way to tow it out during day hours since it's considered private property and only the property manager can tow people out. Joe was as accommodating as possible but overall not worth the price. read more

I was in the market for a new apartment a couple of months ago and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of there apartments and buildings. I look at a lot of apartments and they were at the top of my list. If it wasn't for my roommate pulling out I would have taken this one apartment I looked at. I can't say much about how they would be as landlords but the service I got while I was there was great. This company is worth at least checking out if you are in the market. read more

We lived at 531 W Deming. Overall we had a pleasant experience except for a few issues with the building and maintenance. The building is pretty basic and you get what you pay for. There aren't any fancy amenities. All of the units in this building have dishwashers and a good amount of closet space. The apartments themselves are generally clean but the hallways can be kind of dirty and reek of smoke depending on what floor you live on. The location is great. Less than half a block from the 22 and 36 buses and a 5 minute walk from the 151 and 156 buses. A 10 minute walk from the L. There are great restaurants right on Clark Street and it is close to lots of bars. Parking is a total rip off. We paid the same price for parking as we would if we lived in the Gold Coast. Laundry is also ridiculous. We paid almost $5 to wash and dry one load. We also didn't have water for 5 WEEKS! Every day they would send us updates saying that it would be fixed by the end of the week and it went of forever. The elevators are constantly breaking down. It's rare that both of them are working. And if one is working, you have to push the door shut or else it won't move. The building managers are pretty easy to deal with and are responsive but it can take quite a while for maintenance requests to be dealt with. read more

I will always love Lakeview Associates and am quite sad that I've had to move out of their apartments because of personal reasons. Why do I love these people? Well, for one, the apartments themselves are beautiful, comfortable, and kept well. My building was one of the most amazing I had seen in the neighborhood. Secondly, the staff at 520 W. Belden is extremely helpful. Every time I had called down to their office, I always received kind and respectful responses to my questions and they always sent help when I had needed it. Benjamin Ring and Joe Videtti are great managers and I was glad that they were the two helping me; this also includes the agents and maintenance men, as well. Always respectful and helpful. The Lakeview Associate apartments are highly recommended. Great buildings and a very helpful staff. A+. read more

I've lived in my fair share of apartments, have had 7 different landlords, and I feel like I now know what's good & what's bad. As far as landlords go, these guys are always fast to respond when there is a problem, and the building (620 W Belmont) was always very well maintained, so I've got no complaints there. The price was a little steep, but the best I could find at the time, and the rent did not increase in the 2 years that I lived there. My only major complaints are that the laundry is freakin' highway robbery in these buildings... you end up paying amost $6 to do one load of laundry, and that's erring on the side that the machine does not eat your money. They do not reimburse you when the machines break, which happens often, so be forewarned. And, they use that stupid CardMate system, which seems to be more error-prone than regular old quarters. My apartment happened to face into the LVAC gym, which, I know is no responsibility of the landlord, but DAMN was that annoying. 8am dance classes every Sunday woke me up like clockwork, and they never turn their lights off (read: insanely bright light entering your bedroom at 2am). Upon the end of my lease, I was moving out a few weeks early (though paying the full lease), and the management was insisting that they had to come in and clean/patch holes/paint for the next tenant while I was still living there. I knew it was against Chicago tenant rights for them to do this without my permission, & after having a decent tenant-landlord relationship with them for 2 years, this really irritated me. I spoke to my lawyer & got confirmation that they could not do this, so just watch out. read more

I didn't realize you can review a landlord! Prior to living in my Lakeview Associates apartment, I've only rented in buildings where my landlord was downstairs which was a pain in the ass. My roommates and I had to walk up to our place quietly as not to disturb him and the heat never got fixed so we moved out after a year. Then I got my own place on Belden and I would have to say renting this apartment is by far my best experience in an apartment. The apartment I rented was in good condition when I picked it out. I liked everything about it. However when I got the keys to move in, something looking newer and different. I asked the guys in the office and they told me it was vacant for a couple weeks prior to my moving in so the company put new tiles all over the bathroom wall and replaced the sink plus put new tiles all over the kitchen walls and refinished the floors in someway that made them look brand new. That to me was really cool. I had a clogged drain, stopped in the office told the employees there and they took care of it the next day. My circuit blew, couldnt find the breaker or fuse and the emergency service they use told me over the phone where it is and that happened at like 8:00 at night. The guys in the office are all nice, the maintenance guys I see in and around my building are cool too. My advice, if you're looking for an apartment be sure to check out Lakeview's stuff. read more

My experience with Lakeview Associates was the best. I rented a 2 BDR apt at 2542 N Racine Ave, the area is so nice and quiet, the deck is beautiful especially in the spring when all the trees are blooming in the courtyard, good size kitchen and bathroom. I had minor issues in my apt but Joe and his team were very responsive and got them fixed the next business day. By far the best property management in Chicago!! I would recommend them in a heartbeat. read more

I have lived at 531 W. Deming for a year now and have recently signed for another year. The apartments are clean, well maintained, and cute. Rent is affordable & in a great neighborhood. The few problems I've had, are mostly my fault (closet door off hinges, broken shower door, lost key, etc) and Joe has not only answered my emails/requests within one day, but also had things fixed for me in one day. I am so thankful they are so responsive & great. They are good about sending out alerts for shampoo cleaning & building maintenance that may interrupt our days. read more

When it comes to vintage apartments in Lakeview/Lincoln Park, I think Lakeview Associates is about as good as you're going to get. I've lived at two of their buildings, 531 Deming and 520 Belden. Their buildings are older, with few amenities, but they take care of their buildings and respond to maintenance requests quickly. And really, that's all I need from a landlord. read more

Not really sure where to begin as there have been so many issues in the 5 weeks I have been living in a property owned/managed by Lakeview Associates. My roommate and I signed a one year lease and we moved in on June 1st. Before we signed the lease we viewed the apartment and it was/is a gorgeous space with 2 porches...one off the main bedroom and the other off of the living room. Our apartment overlooks Lincoln Park so of course we were excited to use the porches... When we moved in on June 1 we came to the porch window to find it completely boarded up and ripped apart. The company is repairing/redoing all of the porches (which is completely understandable) however they failed to mention to us that we will not be able to use our porch for the entire Summer. Today is July 7th and they still have not even poured concrete which means it will not be done for weeks. Not only can we not use our porch but every time is rains water leaks into our apartment because they ripped the concrete of the porch above us and all of the water funnels into our apartment. We have called them 6 (yes SIX) times and they brought us tiny red buckets once to catch the rain and the other 5 times they continuously told us that they cannot patch the cracks until the concrete is poured and dried. We cannot use our porch for the entire Summer and our ceiling has been leaking for 5 weeks. We have asked for a discount on our rent because we are living in a $1900/month apartment that has a leaky roof and a porch that we cannot use. Does that seem reasonable? The only response we have received is "no". This has been the most disappointing experience that I've had with any landlord. I will not live in any unit they own in the future nor will I recommend them to anyone. read more

I moved in to an apartment rented by Lakeview Associates this fall. They have been wonderful! I had a radiator that was hissing and dropping a little from the valve. Since it was thanksgiving week and not emergent I didn't expect that maintenance would come out right away. They were able to schedule for the next day! The repair person left a copy of the work order for me as well. Very courteous and responsive. UPDATE: After living here for a year I still can't say enough great things about these guys! The ONLY reason I'm leaving is because I need a 2 BR and they don't have any openings in my area. I've been lucky to have them this year. read more

I have been living at 620 W Belmont Ave for the past year. Despite the great rent rates in the Lakeview area, I decided to resign a lease with Lakeview Associates. They are so helpful! The building is always clean and well kept! The other apartments I looked at were slightly cheaper, but not nearly as well kept for the rent. The location is amazing for the price. On top of great pricing and well kept buildings, the leasing office is very helpful and dependable! They always are friendly. Overall, I will continue to rent with Lakeview Associates because of the location and the building maintanence. Only complaint would be the laundry is very expensive! Other than that, everything is exceptional! read more

I have been living in the 522 Belden unit for approximately 9 months and have had no major complaints. I have had to call three times for maintenance issues, but seeing as this is an old building and mostly original, it's to be expected. What I like about the unit/management is that any maintenance calls are handled reasonably quick (a day or two). The apartment is clean and well maintained but maintains it's old school feel. Lot's of built in storage, but having downsized from a much larger unit I shared in North Center I needed to buy more. The only complaints I have of the unit is the fact that there are no drawer's in the Kitchen (I think they were sacrificed to install a mini dishwasher. The radiator's are set too high (the thermometer I have commonly registers in the 80's when they turn on even though I have the windows open with the ceiling fan on). My advice is that if you don't require brand new renovation or all the modern conveniences (full size fridge and appliances) this is a good place to live. read more

Not worth your time and certainly not worth your money. There are many options and much better people to work with in Chicago and this property management company is the worst I have ever come across. Don't risk it and simply don't enter into a contract with them. read more

I would give them a negative rating if I could. This is the worst leasing company I have ever had the displeasure of working with. They had yelled at me on multiple occasions for simply trying to pay my rent or figure out if I had packages sitting at my old apartment after moving out and changing my forwarding address. They go out of their way to NOT help you. They're rude. They're inconsiderate. They have zero idea what the meaning of customer service is. The worst leasing company ever. And this comes from somebody who used to work for a leasing company for multiple years. read more

I've been living in the Belden St. building for going on two years now and have been nothing but pleased. The location is great and the people in the leasing office are friendly and helpful. The one time I had a problem with my toilet the maintenance people fixed the problem immediately. My only complaint is that the laundry situation kind of sucks. It's expensive and some of the dryers don't work very well. But all in all it's a small concern. read more

I lived in 520 Belden for a couple years and it is in a GREAT location; the management of the property is a different story. I loved living in Lincoln Park because it was safe, clean, and in the heart of the north side of Chicago.There is always something to do, and new areas to explore. As a resident of Lakeview Associates, I have had issues with the management from Day 1. Benjamin Ring is the property manager, and he fails to show respect for his tenants. When he's not smoking a cigarette on the corner of Belden and Cambridge, you may be able to get ahold of him. He will speak to you in a condescending manner, and will not work well with you when you are trying to get a lease established and signed with this company. That being said, the apartment treated us well, even though it was quite "cozy." Living in Lincoln Park is expensive, but it's worth the compromise. They are vintage apartments, so you will have to provide the air conditioning, and the wood floors tend to be a bit creaky which is to be expected for a vintage complex. Depending on the unit, the Kitchens are actually quite nice and roomy for a 1 bed or studio unit. All of these units have a very large amount of closet space. (There are only 1 or 2 photos on their yelp website that actually show the building.) The Laundry Process is an absolute robbery. $2.50 per load. If you're planning on doing lights and darks, you'll be spending around $10 to get laundry done after washing and drying. Buy a color catcher to cut the price in half! Overall, I am glad we got the opportunity to live in Lincoln park, but the way management runs this building, I would have loved the opportunity to rent with another company. That is why I am giving the Belden location only 2 stars. read more

As I write this I am slowly being driven mad by the loud and incessant beep of the smoke detector in the unit adjacent to mine. It has been going off for 29 hours, and despite 3 phone calls, maintenance has decided it just isn't important enough to address on the weekend. Prior to this past day, I might have rated the apartment higher. Maintenance is fairly responsive on weekdays, and all told, it's a reasonable price to pay for living in a great neighborhood,-- if you can tolerate the quirks that come with living in a vintage building. (The sign on the outside says "recently updated" or some such nonsense. That's a lie. There is absolutely nothing updated about them.) Some things you should know: Smoking is allowed in your room. If you are a smoker, the prospect of living in a cancerous cloud of ash might seem appealing to you. To you fellow non-smokers, let me warn you that you can occasionally smell your neighbors' cigarette ash in your room as it settles on your clothes, bedding, towels, and everything else you own. To be fair, I didn't smell any cigarettes the first ten months I lived here. Since I first smelled it shortly after the 1st day of my 11th month, I suspect a new neighbor moved in. Your luck may vary. (Since I assumed smoking was not allowed in the building, I reported the incident to Lakeview Associates. I was told that smoking is allowed in your unit and that there was nothing they could do. Glad to know they value the smoker's right to smoke over everyone else's right to fresh air!) Speaking of things settling on all of your stuff (and lungs), let me also warn you that the DUST LEVELS IN THIS APARTMENT ARE INSANE. You can see a fresh coat of dust on surfaces within hours of cleaning them. If you have even light allergies to dust, I would highly recommend you look elsewhere. I bought a HEPA filter and ran it non-stop. It helped, but it only slowed the constant snowfall of dust. The apartments are hot! The stoves have three pilot lights. That's three open flames in 320 square feet, year round. In the winter you have no control of the heating. The radiators have valves to control the flow, but you are forbidden to adjust them. They must remain at full tilt because the old radiators cannot handle the increased pressure if you constrict the flow. If you cause a radiator to crack by using it's built-in adjustment mechanism, you are held liable. The result is unbearable heat. I kept my window open or cracked through the majority of the third coldest winter on record in Chicago. I only closed it when the temperature fell below 0F. For the summer, I had to buy a roll-around A/C. It's a 10,000 BTU unit and just barely keeps the place cool enough. The elevator is ancient. I think it worked for maybe ten days of the first three months I lived here. It has since been fixed and works 90% of the time. It's not a huge issue if you normally take the stairs, but there are those occasions when it comes in handy. Just be aware that you can't count on it. The laundry prices are at extortionate levels. $2.25 per wash, $2.25 per dry. My sheets and towels take two rounds in the dryer. I dry my clothes on a drying rack in my apartment. It's a good investment if you move here. The apartment was disgusting when I first moved in. They claim they clean them before you move in, but I saw no evidence. I spent an entire day scrubbing the kitchen cabinets of the brown, sticky ooze covering them. I think it was a combination of many years' worth of cooking grease, dust, and adhesive from the veneer. On a positive note, the apartment is usually pretty quiet. Sometimes the people in the building next door host parties that can be loud though. Delivered packages are left out in the open beneath the mailboxes. I've ordered several things and nothing has been stolen or disturbed. There is a new grocery store a couple blocks away called Mrs. Greens. The prices are high, but the quality is generally good, the selection is good for Lincoln Park, and it's really convenient. There is a little family-run dry cleaner in the apartment building. They are super nice, reasonably priced, and fast. Can't get more convenient either. There are plenty of great restaurants, bars, and shops nearby. Oz Park, Lincoln Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and the Lincoln Park Conservatory are all a short walk away. The 22 and 36 bus stop is a block away on Clark. It's about a 25 min ride to downtown. The Fullerton 'El' stop (Red/Brown/Purple lines) is 0.6 miles away. In conclusion, I would recommend 2256 N Cleveland to a friend, but would make sure they know what they are getting themselves into. The dust and heat are bad, but manageable. The elevator should be considered a luxury. The laundry prices, though annoying, should be viewed in light of the relative affordability of the rent for the neighborhood. The cigarette smell could be a deal breaker if it keeps up, but I've only smelled it briefly four times in the three weeks since it started. read more

I've lived in a few cities, and my apartment with Lakeview Associates was not my first in Chicago. I know what vintage means, and it does not mean you're not supposed to have heat, that you share your bedroom with insects of all sizes or that repairs are never made. Beware, Lakeview Assoc. is run by rude people who do not know of the City of Chicago Landlord and Tenant Ordinance. So here are a few things they do wrong that you should be aware of. The following are all state law and you can find this info through Chicago 311. I had to consult a lawyer, and here is what I've learned 1) They cannot enter your unit without 2 days notice (writing, call, email etc) unless it is an absolute emergency. Lakeview Assoc. immediately violates your right right off the bat. They post signs in each building that say they are unable to contact you for all showings and will show your unit without warning. That is blatantly illegal. 2) Law states that in the winter the heat must be at or above 67 (or maybe it's 65ish). My apartment was 60. I know this because a city inspector was sent to my unit. That is below living standards. Also, Lakeview Associates again admits to their illegal conduct by posting a sign in their lobbies that prohibits all tenants from touching their radiators because, they say, the buildings are old and it could cause flooding. They cannot disallow paying residents from altering the climate control in their unit. Again, I spoke to a lawyer. 3) Before you sign any lease, look for a listing of all violations received in the last 12 months. This is required by law. And it doesn't mean they can list a bunch of reference numbers like CR-029575. They need a date and a text description of the issue or the lease is null and void. I did not know this when I signed the lease, but looking back, this information was not included on the lease. Beware. 4) Calls for simple repairs went unattended for over 2 weeks, which is how long landlords have to respond. I've lived in a few places that were less than stellar, but the difference is that at least my landlords at those places would response to my concerns and fix things. I knew I was paying my money to someone who cared. At Lakeview, they'll smile and nod until you sign that lease and then turn their backs. And it's not just me. I've spoken to my neighbors, and they have very similar horror stories. They're also waiting for their lease to end so they can get the heck out. I can't wait until my lease is done. I never want to even walk past a building that says Lakeview Associates. I pity anyone else who lives here. And watch out for Joe. I don't know the last name. It's strange, but he's the only one who ever answers the phone so he's taken my calls. And nothing gets done. Maybe there are other decent people in the office. I'll never know. But Joe has always been rude and patronizing. He made my partner cry (we don't live together but often stay at each others apartments) read more

We lived in one of the lakeview associates Lincoln park buildings for two years. Our first year was fine no real complains, but our second year brought to light a lot of issues. First we were informed boric acid would be placed in each unit to help with the cockroach problem. We were told it would be used sparingly and in small hidden areas. When we came back to our apartment there was boric acid outlining the entire apartment, some had blown into the middle of the floor and large chunks were placed under the ac units and in the kitchen. Boric acid is highly dangerous if ingested and we were nervous to turn on our ac as we did not want it in the air even though this was the middle of the summer and it was really hot. We asked management when they would be cleaning it up and they informed us they were not and it should stay there. We did a lot of research and it only should have been used sparingly and be down for no more than a week. We then asked management to clean it up and put it down correctly as we did not feel safe to be in our apartments until that happened. We told them we understood the cockroaches needed to be addressed and their response was that we were being "dramatic, they would not re-do it, or compensate us to have our own cleaners come in." We ended up getting a special vacuum recommended by poison control to clean it up. We were able to get a majority of it, but there were still some small areas left. Before we moved out they came and cleaned the apartment and then finally cleaned up the rest of the boric acid for the new tenants. When we informed lakeview associates we were not renewing our lease they were very difficult in return. We understood they had the right to show our apartment to potential new tenants, but they did not follow the law and gave us less than 24-hour notice at all and sometimes no notice at all. One time they came one roommate was still asleep and they other was about to get in the shower. Our lease said they had to follow Chicago renters rights which stated that landlords need to give minimum 48-hour notice. Ultimately they gave us 24-hour notice after we showed them all of this documentation and threatened to follow through on withholding rent as stated as a tenants right when the landlord abuses its power. Once we mentioned the legality they started to follow the law but blamed in all on a new employee and never got a single apology. Finally as we were preparing to move out we were contacted about maintenance coming to make small repairs and paint. They wanted to come a month and a half before we moved out. We were able to push them back to coming 3 weeks prior to us moving out. During this time they cleaned the apartment and repainted every wall and took down everything from our walls and moved stuff around. It made the last 3 weeks pretty uncomfortable as nothing could be hung on the walls. We were still paying rent and living there. They also moved lots of things around for example some of our shower towels were found in our kitchen. I find it ironic that they scrubbed the bathrooms but left footprints around the rest of the apartment that we in turn had to clean up. Overall lakeview associates has horrible management. They are rude, unlawful and difficult to work with. If I had known what they were like before I signed a lease I never would have lived here. Their poor service is not worth the cheap rent. read more

We lived in a building on Commonwealth for 3 years. The location kept us there but the management was terrible. By the end of our stay, cockroaches were coming into the laundry room and my guess is they're slowly making their way up. Also, our elevator broke all the time and the sign in the elevator says it hasn't been inspected since 2002. The employees in the office has no sense of customer service. We would call with a maintenance request which would be ignored until we called a second time. The worst was our treatment during our last month in the apartment. They would drop in to show the place with no warning which I understand. However, they came in on a Sunday morning once when I had just gotten out of the shower. I stopped in the office and politely asked that they call if they're coming in on a weekend so we can be sure to be appropriate. They promised they would but continued to barge in unannounced. Also, when we still had 3 weeks left to live in the apartment and were paying full rent, they made us take all of our decorations off the walls and move our furniture so they could paint for the new tenants (most companies wait til you've moved out to paint.) This is not a company that cares about its property or its tenants. read more

If have a car, and want to park it someplace, I wouldn't live in Lakeview east, as it is generally where transportation comes when it wants to stand still, cry, and feel bad about itself. This is why I ultimately left Lakeview, though it is the "hip, young, funky" place to live. I lived at 429 W. Roscoe for 2 years. It's a vintage building, so if it's granite countertops you want, look elsewhere. Free heat, free water, and a landlord you never see or hear from unless it's something relatively important was fine by me. The space was pretty good for the price, but no one ever wanted to visit me because you're more likely to see a gazelle running down the street than actually find a parking space. Issues with my apartment while I lived there were: -keys dropped down an elevator shaft: they were fished out and returned promptly -a dislocated drain pipe: the entire sink was replaced the next business day -our freezer stopped freezing: fixed the next business day Any complaint to the leasing company was addressed immediately, questions could be submitted via email and were also answered promptly. A few things got old: laundry is ridiculously expensive (nearing $3 a load), package delivery happens but i can't 100% guarantee your package will actually be there when you get home. They claim to have an exercise facility but I never saw it, or found it. Neighbors are noisy but that's a fact of life. The bike room is more like an unused bike museum, and there is never room for your own. But all in all, I lived there happily for 2 years with very few problems. read more

Pros: friendly staff, great location of buildings (I lived at 524 W. Belden), cat-friendly, maintenance alright. Cons: rent greatly exceeds the quality of the apartment; "vintage building" that includes cockroaches on the third floor, numerous house centipedes, a tiny-black-ant infestation that lasted about 2 months (and i rarely even ate at my place), laundry located in the dungeon basement (needed to go outside and through the alley to get there, laundry EXPENSIVE... $2.25 per load? really?), heating operated by building so expect to keep your windows wide open in winter. Basically, the place was okay, but the rent ($1085 and rising) for a 500 square foot one bedroom apartment with no dishwasher, awful laundry, no ac, and cockroaches was not worth it. I'd recommend one of their less expensive places, and check for cockroaches before you sign. read more

BEN RING is the most unstable and unreliable landlord I have ever dealt with. He is an ill-tempered little man who screams every time I call him on the phone and is immature and hangs up the phone on his tenants. He does not treat his tenants with respect and that is simply embarrassing and unprofessional. We were forced to move out of our apartment 2 weeks early as he was sealing the floors in the apartment above us and the toxic smell over took our apartment. He did not forewarn us that the smell would make our apartment unlivable and said "the toxic fumes are just part of the moving process, there is nothing I can do." We had our apartment until 7/31 and slowly moved our furniture out from 7/15-7/31. Lakeview Associates sent in cleaners and painters to do work to the apartment before the new tenants moved in and they started slowly taking what we had left in our apartment. We are missing our kitchen chairs that were over $280. I called BEN RING on 7/31 and he rudely said, "I don't have time for this today call me on MONDAY" (in a yelling tone) and hung up the phone. I then showed up at the office with a calm demeanor and he raised his voice and demanded I get out of his office. That's what I call a pathetic landlord with major anger issues. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND LAKEVIEW ASSOCIATES DUE TO BEN RING AND THE LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM AND REPECT TOWARDS HIS TENANTS. I give this company zero stars. read more

My boyfriend and I have lived in several apartment buildings in Chicago...we are almost always pleased with the spaces we have chose to live in. We left our last few apartments in search of the perfect location...being close to grocery stores and transportation are very important to us. We decided on Lincoln Park last year, and LOVED our location...the apartment we chose was a little bit on the smaller side, but we sacrificed size for location. We are leaving our apartment for a larger one, and we even tried to find one with the company, but could not find one that pleased us. The reason why we give Lakeview Associates only 1 star is because of their policies on showing apartments, and their overall incompetence and poor attitude with tenant relations. They are very kind when you are signing your lease...however any good customer service ends there. If you DO decide to end your lease, they begin to show your apartment 3 months before the lease ends...without any kind of notice. No phone call, no email, on occasion without even KNOCKING. Our lease ends tomorrow (May 1) and Sunday, February 15th we received our first showing, with a knock on the door at 9 am, and they have continued to show the apartment every week (multiple times a week...even multiple times a day) without giving us any notice. They have showed the apartment while I have been in the shower, or sleeping...(I work nights and sometimes have to sleep in!) leaving lights on and ceiling fans going, and sometimes the door unlocked. I realize how cumbersome it is to pick up a phone and push a few buttons and maybe even SPEAK to someone or dare i say it, leave a message! But Lakeview's laziness is inexcusable. Every other apartment we have lived in will give a minimum of 24 hour notice, despite having several buildings and tenants to look after. I work in customer service and I know what good service is, Lakeview's attitude and customer relations are anything but. read more

great apartment, great location!! ive rented with lakeview for 3 years now. although parking kinda stinks and laundry is pricey, my vintage-y apartment makes up for it all. i lived in a quaint studio on cleveland for a year. it was the perfect size for me! huge closets and hardwood floors! the lobby is BEAUTIFUL and well kept. then i moved to their property on draper, since i could finally afford a one bedroom apartment. could you believe i had a back yard and porch??! in lincoln park??!! the building was always clean and well maintained. my only qualm was the parking situation. but i guess thats what you get for living in lincoln park! the staff is so friendly. the property managers ( ben and joe, i think) are really helpful!! and really cool! sometimes i when i drop off my rent, i want to stay and hang out with them. but that would probably be awkward..... thanks lakeview for a wonderful renting experience!! read more

Terrible experience. Sure, the apartments are nice for what seems like a good deal, but really it's a nightmare. I moved into a filthy studio apartment, with appliances that barely worked. I had to call multiple times about issues with my radiator and oven. Every time I did, the maintenance crews would tell me to fix it myself. I have no problems taking matters into my own hands, but these issues required a professional look. When they finally came (a month later after I complained) they actually admitted I needed new parts for my radiator and that my oven needed servicing. Gee, go figure. The cost of using the on-site washer and dryer went up after I moved in - $2.25 to wash and the same to dry. At least the laundry room was decent. AC is not included despite ads you may see on domu or other sites like it. What they mean to say is you are allowed to provide your own. What sucked was that I asked the gal who showed me the place if LA provided units and she said yes - she lied. Lakeview Associates does not care about its buildings or residences. They rarely respond to maintenance calls, even for things reported about the building. For example, it seemed like every month, the carbon monoxide detector would beep for a week straight because it was out of batteries or needed something. I'd report these issues and get nothing but rude remarks from the person taking down my report. I will never rent from Lakeview Associates again. Terrible customer service for a group whose priority should be all about their residence. Such a disappointment. Save your self the time and money. read more

This is a solid, professional renting agency, particularly if you are looking for studio-1 bedrooms. If you live in Lincoln Park, you have to be ready to pay Lincoln Park prices. I can assure you that the price, quality, and location of Lakeview Apartments will be hard to find elsewhere. I've lived with Lakeview Associates for 3 years now in 2 different locations, and am moving into my third apartment and 4th year with Lakeview this September. I tried looking at other, cheaper neighborhoods, but ended up coming back to Lakeview because the buildings are safe, clean and well maintained, and the location can't be beat. Yes, there are some small things that are left to be desired, which you will get with ANY agency you rent with. The laundry is probably the most expensive you will come across, and the elevators do have a tendency to break down. However, elevator and maintenance issues can and will happen anywhere, and Lakeview is great about addressing your needs right away, and you shouldn't let a $5/load laundry price turn you away from what is a good and reliable renting agency (you can always go to a laundromat if it really bothers you). I was without hot water for 5 weeks with my lease earlier this year, and I'm still renewing with them. The situation really was out of their control (People's Gas is the one to blame) and they were very accommodating, communicative, and apologetic during the ordeal. I got free rent for a month because of it! I've never had a bad experience with the agents in the office. Contrary to some reviews on here, it's always been a pleasant and professional experience, and they have been very fair and generous. Top example: I was having issues with my laundry card being accepted, and spent about $15 dollars trying to get it to work with no success. I went to the office a little frustrated, but calmly explained what was happening and asked to be reimbursed. Not only did they reimburse me, but they gave me a new card with $40 pre-loaded on it and apologized for the inconvenience. If you go to anyone with a rude, aggressive attitude, you're probably not going to get the outcome you want. Go them with the same professional, polite manner that you expect, and you'll get that and more in return. Renting with Lakeview has been a good experience, and I have no worries going into my fourth year. Maintenance issues are addressed quickly (the maintenance guy even showed me once how to fix something myself if I ever wanted to, but was sure to let me know that he'll come if I don't want to fix it myself). Heat's always been included in my rent, no security deposit, and I've never felt unsafe in my home. If you're expecting a perfect renting agency without any small disappointments or annoyances, you probably shouldn't rent in Chicago. Lakeview Assoc. will not disappoint you on the things that really matter: Safety, cleanliness and professionalism, all in a cute vintage building that is a good price for the area. That's more than you'll get elsewhere. If you're looking at living in Lincoln Park/Lakeview, go to them. You'll get the most for your money here. read more

I gave Lakeview a 2 because their management is terrible. The apartment is pretty nice. Polished hardwood floors, pretty view, and they updated our kitchen. It's a pretty solid apartment but here's why they suck... They let you renew for a discounted price of $50 which sounds good at first glance. Well, we didn't want to renew so we started looking at other places. We found our same place listed on craigslist for $100 dollars cheaper!! They tried to screw us out of $50 a month while trying to make it seem like we were getting a deal. Oh so ethical. They are pretty slow to deal with problems. They installed our dishwasher wrong and didn't fix it for about 2 weeks. Our sink makes some strange noises and they have no idea why. They claimed we clogged our bathroom tub after we had only lived here for about 3 weeks. A huge clump of hair was found deep in the drain. Riiggghhhht. Must have been the new tenants. Idiots. The radiator heaters are extremely loud. They need to be cleaned out but Lakeview claims they are OK. Every time they come on, my boyfriend has to use his inhaler. We think there is mold inside the radiators and he is very allergic to it. Things fall from inside the wall at various times as well. It's disgusting. They just show up with random people to come look at our apartment without even letting us know. They claimed they sent us a letter but we never received one. Here's the kicker... their offices are located in THE SAME BUILDING that we live in. They are so lazy that they couldn't walk up the stairs to let us know. They actually put it in the mail or so they claimed. They are also going to paint our apartment. The walls are fine but they are doing it free of charge. As if that is some sort of convenience. Their plan is to just take our things off the walls and cover furniture with plastic sheets. Are you kidding? If they get paint on any of my stuff, they will surely pay for it. The turnover here is incredible. People come and go. This company has some of the worst ethics around. It's clear there is something up with the radiators and they just blatantly lie and try to deceive their tenants. Their buildings are pretty and have that vintage look of Lincoln Park that so many people love. We enjoyed living here but I would NEVER live with Lakeview again. read more

When we signed the lease it seemed too good to be true: it was. However, I will start with the positive aspects. The apartment is quite nice - even though it is a little overpriced. But, it is the price agreed upon. Now that the positive has been established, let us move on. The staff is pretentious and extremely unhelpful. I suppose they believe to be doing the work of a higher power or something, but we should all remember they are leasing mid-range apartments. They operate a lot of buildings and should be very experienced. This would be a great attribute, although experienced apparently means they are well versed in passing problems along to the tenants and absolving themselves of responsibility. I have only had the exalted privilege of conversing with the staff on a few occasions. Each glorious time I thought that the next time could not be worse. Imagine my surprise when I was proven wrong. However, I was able to discover a theme, which invariably went like this: "I have a problem with X." Response: "So." "Will you help me out?" Response: "No." End Scene. Repeat if necessary. In order to keep this review short, I will end by reiterating that the staff seemingly lacks the ability to understand concerns/problems that the tenants have and are entirely unwilling to offer assistance. Ultimately, renting this apartment from this company was a mistake and a thoroughly unpleasant experience. I cannot recommend doing business with them under any circumstance. As a side note, I suspect Joseph V. will write a response to this negative review and claim that I am being unfair/unreasonable. You, the reader, can believe what you will, just beware. read more