The Lofts are such a great place to live and are in a great area near USC. Walking distance to stores, restaurants, school, and a lot of other places on campus. The building is kept very clean and I like how secure it is too. Management is also super friendly. read more

They will find hundreds of ways to ask for money from you!!!! The room always has a smell that cannot be eliminated.

I don't even want to give 1 star; they don't deserve that. There are not at all near that. Management could be better, and there needs to be a class in management. Everything is for money. They tortured us for the last two months with unnecessary charges. My son stayed over the summer for two months by taking over someone's lease. They just threatened an 18-year-old student with eviction. They expect students to pay the money in 5 days or leave the home. The management doesn't share move-in and move-out information for someone subleasing. They only walked through the apartment after my son's subleasing began to check for damages done by the previous renter. We spoke with Keith, the manager, for over an hour, and he could have been more helpful. After explaining all the wrongfully charged charges to my son, they expected him to clean the dishwasher's food net, which required him to physically dismantle the bottom. Granted, he only used the dishwasher during the summer. They hid the things and told you after the move-out. Ridiculous management and service. Be aware read more

My car got towed and I found out that they never gave me my parking permit. I had to ask for it, just like with my mail key. Apartment is a filthy place, mold on walls, electrical hazards, disgusting smells all over. There was also a water main break that lasted several days which left the whole place without water until late night. At least I learned a life lesson to never rent a place without first inspecting it personally. 0 stars, would never recommend even to my enemies. read more

If I could give zero stars, I would. The worst place to live at UofSC. Sure costs initially are relatively low for location (proximity) to campus but it is not worth it!There were multiple times throughout the duration of my lease where I was without water, air conditioning, and a plethora of other issues where the management gave minimal/none/inaccurate notice. Management is incompetent, unreliable, and will charge you for any/everything they can upon move out. Do not sign a lease here. The condition upon move in of my unit was filthy and I would never recommend these apartments to my worst enemy. They have a couple kind associates that work in the office, but other than that, I have no positive feedback to give. read more

I lived in a 3 bedroom apartment and loved it. The convenience was unbeatable, being able to walk to class every day was so nice, and there was always parking in the parking lot. If you don't want to walk, the shuttle stops right outside. The apartment was very spacious for 3 people, apart from the kitchen being a bit small. There was a lot of closet space too so I never ran out of space for my stuff. I loved the high ceilings and windows, you could always get a lot of natural light. The building is old and we had to call maintenance every couple months for something, but almost every time they were able to fix it the same day. The staff are all super nice and helpful, and they often host free events and giveaways which is a nice bonus. Utilities were included in the bill up to a certain amount but we never ran over. The wifi was great. Cons: The train will drive right by the apartment at night, and it is loud. I got used to it really fast and it didn't keep me up, but something to consider. The trains never blocked me from getting to class in the morning which had been a concern of mine. The walls are thin enough that you can hear the units next to you but not an issue unless they're being loud. -The windows don't open all the way, and bugs sometimes get in in the warmer months, but we never had a major issue. They have pest control too. -There's no in-unit washers, and you have to pay for laundry. Apart from that being a hassle, the washers and dryers always worked well for me. You also have to take your trash out to the dumpster. -There's also like no AC in the main building so the hallways are always hot when you're coming back inside. The hallways are also super well-cleaned and always look a little dingy, but it's not really an issue. Honestly, all of the issues I had were relatively minor but I just list them so you know what to expect. If you're thinking of renting, I recommend you talk to people who rented the same apartment type you're trying to get because different models have been renovated more or less recently. I was nearly scared away by poor reviews but our apartment was recently remodeled and very nice! Pretty sure they're remodeling more units this summer. Overall I loved staying at the Lofts and wish I had found out about it much earlier! read more

If you are attending the University of SC and don't want to live in the dorms, The Lofts is a great alternative. It is extremely convenient to the university, you can walk everywhere and the U of SC has a shuttle right at the apt complex. It has a rustic feel to it on the inside as it once was a cotton mill-lots of wood and windows. The apartments that are 3 bedrooms have a spiral staircase that leads upstairs, 2 bedrooms up and one downstairs. Also one of the bedrooms upstairs is truly a "loft" with a view of the downstairs living area, so a lot of people drape curtains for privacy. Pool is nice, staff is pleasant. The train comes through and yes, that takes some getting used to. They have pest control. WiFi is good, kitchen is fine, lots of closet space especially in the upstairs bedrooms....utilities are included in the bill, it's a good place for living at while attending the U of SC. read more

My son has lived at the Loft for a year and a half. I've tried to stay out of the situation, but since he is moving out this month I can no longer remain silent. The bottom line is that this property should be condemned. It's a serious health hazard because of mold and poor ventilation. If you're a parent considering the Lofts for your student, I would STRONGLY urge you to find another place. The only thing it has going for it is the location. Put the health of your student first and don't rent from the Lofts. read more

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Great apartments! Stayed in a one bed one bath interior unit for a year. Would have stayed if price wasn't an issue. But I say it was money well spent! Because I had an interior unit I missed out on the huge windows, but there are super high ceilings in every room and that was nice. Had almost no problem with my apartment except for the occasional bug (they also spray every month for them). And the staff is excellent! Saw a problem with a leaky pipe close to the end of the lease, it was fixed within an hour, on a weekend! Great maintenance crew, polite and prompt. Office staff is Fantastic as well. Having important packages handled by the office worked out great, no problems. The office was always there to handle all of my questions and was consistently helpful. Property Manager Emily makes sure everything is running smoothly and was delightful to work with. Great location, awesome staff, historic (well kept) building with special features; would definitely recommend to friends and family! read more

Currently only been living in this apartment for 2 months and for someone who has never broken a lease I have almost had it honestly. I complained to the office about the Mildew issue behind the toilet and what do you know I had an appointment today to find out I have an issue with my breathing and was given an inhaler. The humidity + grow of bacteria both in the bathroom, under the cabinets, and under the carpet is inhabitable. Figured I might as well get it in writing because you basically have no way of getting out of this lease unless it poses physical injury to you. I have had to get maintenance on both the toilet that is not bolted to the wall and stopped flushing to the fridge that completely stopped working letting all my food go to waste. Don't forget the dusty vents. took these pictures when I got here and I'm so disgusted will be taking legal action with this if nothing can be done. This place poses a health risk ! read more

Bed bugs, asbestos, lead, leaks, roaches, noise, smells. This place has it all. It will literally kill you.

At first glance, The Lofts seems like a convenient, affordable solution for students seeking a way out of the dorms. Indeed, of the many popular student-oriented apartments, it is among the closest to campus and cheapest. It is because of these factors that I signed a year-long lease there for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, which expired a few days ago. Apparently, though, these benefits come at great cost. First, the air-conditioning in my apartment never worked well. For many weeks it did not work at all, and the staff sure took their time to fix it. During the spring semester, the cool air didn't work at all, which wasn't a problem until it began to get hot, upon which they had to replace some sort of gas in our machine. Even once the gas had arrived, we had to specifically ask them to fix it that day. Even worse, perhaps, was during the summer, when our A/C barely cooled the place. When we reported the problem, they said that due to the top-floor location of our apartment, the internal temperature would apparently get no cooler than 80+ degrees. Unacceptable. Our downstairs toilet broke several weeks into the semester, and, after being "fixed," quickly broke again, which required us to wait a few weeks for a new toilet to be installed. The kitchen and living room were far too small for four people. The kitchen could barely fit one person! It seemed that the apartment would have been better off as a two-person residence; we felt overcrowded the whole year, leading to irritability between my roommates. Even worse, the walls were so thin that one could hear any and all conversations and sexual activity. The kitchen appliances barely worked, and the garbage disposal broke within a few weeks, leading to many a clogged kitchen sink. One bedroom was lofted above the kitchen, meaning that the poor man living there's room smelled of the sum total of the cooking. Another was located above the living room. Great idea! My bedroom's windows were poorly installed, so it would always be too hot, too cold, or too humid. Perhaps most insultingly, the staff did very little to cultivate a good relationship with the residents. If your rent was one day late, they would slap on a $150 charge. Not even real landlords do that. Their main method of communication was through white-boards, reminding us when rent was due. If some idiot broke a beer bottle outside or a light bulb in the hallway, it would take them days to clean up the broken glass. Maybe you think living here is still worth it; perhaps you like the location, the look, or something else that attracts you. The location is a double-edged sword; yes, it's close, but it's practically at the bottom of the city; the parking lot, first floor and laundry room flooded after a particularly bad storm, ruining several people's cars. The look is meant to be old in a cute sort of way, but the reality is this place is just run down. Overall, perhaps I would live here given no other choice. But with the multitude of readily available and affordable apartments, homes, and student-oriented places to live, it is clearly rewarding to spend a little time looking for somewhere else. Nearly anywhere would be better than The Lofts. Very few who have lived there have anything positive to say... just ask a classmate. Its reputation is terrible for good reason. read more

I'm a graduate of USC and a father of a recent graduate of USC. We both love CAROLINA. I have decided to write this review to ask that you do not lease from The Lofts at USC. We feel the practices they deploy are deceitful and unfair to young USC students. But if you do lease from The Lofts be warned of this common practice that occurs and has recently occurred to us. After move-out, they will fabricate additional charges such as carpet cleaning, paint, utility usage, etc. We left the apartment in better condition than it was during move in. We participated in an apartment walk through with a staff member and left with no mention of issues or additional charges. The Lofts will not contact you directly regarding the charges although they were given a forwarding address. Since you have no idea of the charges and thus not paid or contested the charges, they employ a debt collector to collect. The debt collector will then contact you wanting payment or be reported to the credit reporting services as a late or unpaid debt. This is a threat to lower your credit rating. Recently, almost two years after moving out of The Lofts we received that call from the debt collector. We had no knowledge of the charges and the only details they offered for the stated "validated debt" was a one page Final Account Statement from The Lofts. I have attempted to discuss this with The Lofts management via telephone, email, and in-person, without any response. I urge if this has happen to you or if it happens to you in the future, to contact the SC Department of Consumer Affairs. read more

The Lofts at USC, the apartment complex off of Main Street in Downtown Columbia; I had the pleasure of taking a tour of the place, both physical and virtual, before deciding to stay there. My experience there was satisfactory at best but it could have been better. There were uses of false advertising to make the rooms look better than what they really were. If I had the option of returning there once more, I would, because I had free reign to do as I pleased, but I would get a better looking room though. The year was winding down and I needed some place to stay. Surfing the web I came across the Lofts at USC. It was a convenient place located not too far away from the campus. I decided to take a virtual tour of the place to see what I was getting myself into. Looking at the pictures, the room looked very hospitable. I liked that they had a pool, so I could practice swimming. On top of that with the amenities, the water/sewage and electricity were all covered with the rent. When I actually went to the apartment to take a physical tour, I was greeted with open arms by the manager. The staff was very inviting as well. Even the guy who did the repairs was nice; he always greeted me with a friendly, "What's up!" I wish I could have convinced the staff to give a free T-shirt to commemorate my stay. While on the tour, I sneaked a peak a one of the other rooms that weren't shown to me. It looked terrible on the inside. Unfortunately for me, that was the room I stayed in. There were stains on the carpet, I couldn't tell you what it was I saw a cockroach once or twice around the kitchen area. The bathroom sink had this weird mold in it that would never go away no matter how many times I cleaned it I think the heater was broken as well because it was always cold in there, especially in my room. I had to deal with a lot of things while I was there but with so freedom to do whatever I wanted, I really didn't care as much. My satisfactory level with the place was high but the bad rooms is what brought it down a few. Overall I give it two stars. read more

I am incredibly disappointed with how unorganized the office at The Lofts is. Prior to move-in, my roommate and I called the office multiple times to confirm that we had a fully furnished 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment. They assured us that this was the case and then at the last minute claimed we never asked for furniture, therefore would not have any. Fortunately we had saved emails so there was proof of the request. Upon move-in, the contract we signed had pen marks all over it with prices crossed out and new prices marked. It was very unprofessional. When we got up to the apartment we found it filthy and only partially furnished. We were missing desk chairs, a coffee table, and a tv stand, all of which we has promised. When we called the office they said, "Furnished apartments are not guaranteed all furniture and if you don't like it we can take it out." So essentially, we are paying the same amount as other people who have all of the furniture for only half of what we should have. There was dirt and dust everywhere, and the bathroom was disgusting. In addition, we were given the wrong mail key. When the representatives are not in the office, they can be found smoking cigarettes by the pool. The Lofts is definitely a convenient location but the disorganization of the office creates a lot of extra problems. read more

I lived here for two years and despite it's problems I am happy with my living experience. The rooms are nice, the place really just needs a deep cleaning and a fresh coat of paint (and new colors); maintenance is extremely friendly and helpful. My complaints stem from the leasing office, as most do. Chris was an excellent employee - professional, kind and helpful, however he has moved on to the next chapter in his life and is no longer working for them. The elevators broke the day of move out and the leasing office acted like it was a surprise to them. They would not accept the fact that people would be unable to be out of their apartments by noon with the elevators not in working condition, and the leasing manager, Amy, even left during this fiasco so (what it looked like at least) she could leave the college kids working there to deal with the complaints from parents and residents about this issue and not have to handle them herself. Because of this I have been charged a cleaning fee (that I wouldn't have been charged if I had been able to use the elevators and had more time to be in my apartment to actually clean it) that isn't coming from my security deposit (so what was the security deposit for?). Management has appeared to change yearly (sometimes twice a year) and has never had much improvement with each change, other than losing paperwork and requiring tenants to deal with problems from these change-overs themselves. Overall, the location and the units are nice and spacious, just be prepared to deal with a disorganized and somewhat neglectful management system. read more

The Lofts is a great apartment complex to live in. It is very clean and right next to campus. The staff is very friendly and very helpful. Great apartment complex for students. read more

These are definitely not the nicest off-campus housing option, but it's definitely not the worst. The key to the lofts is the convenience. It is right across the street from the Engineering building and the Carolina Shuttle bus stop. Short 10-15 minute walk to the central part of campus. The apartments are of decent size. There is not a lot of noise problems either, but it is easy to hear the people above you if they are loud. Overall I give them a 3 out of 5 just because they are not the nicest. However, convenience is a big thing for college students and the lofts definitely have that. read more

This is a great place to live I've lived here for a year and renewed my lease. The place is clean i haven't seen any bugs and it is secure and well lit including the parking lot(free parking). The utilities are paid for up to a cap that i have not gone over yet and the office staff are super nice, accommodating, and informed. The maintenance workers are great as well and everything is always fixed by the next day. It is super close to campus and green and yellow shuttles pick up like 10ft from the front door. The interior is a bit ugly but its clean and who really cares when its affordable and close to campus. Overall I would highly recommend living here I truly enjoy it. read more

this place is a joke!!! especially if you have child leaving home for the first time going to collage-- they will not rent to them with out there parents signature but when they are trying to make there #'s look good for renewals even though your child does not have a job the will let them resign a lease and then when you try to talk to them they give you the runaround -- and will not give you the # to corporate-- they do nothing but lie to you. first it was two girls in the office now it is two guys --and they are all just alike so i am sure this is the way they are being trained --please look somewhere else do not rent here!!!! read more

DO NOT SPEND YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY HERE!!! My daughter lived here for 2 years because it was within walking distance to the Engineering bldg. Well, there are plenty of other options now. Between the poor management and the leaky faucets, clogged toilets and bugs it is amazing she survived. The worst part is that they would not honor a military order when she married a Marine and went to live with him in Germany. She had to continue to pay the lease for an additional 7 months while the place sat empty to avoid having it reported on her credit. She gave them plenty of notice and was promised they would help her sublet her apartment but yet they "never had anyone to lease to". This was federal law but because they were overseas, they did not pursue and just paid on the lease. To add insult to injury, she received a bill for cleaning of the apartment for the 7 months it sat empty. The toilets, sinks and tub were stained from the dripping water over all that time and the manager acknowledged this so we came to an agreement to split the bill in half and we would only pay for the carpet cleaning. What happened? She was turned into collections for the other half that should have been credited. The "manager" was never available to discuss this with so we paid the difference along with the extra fee that the collection agency charged just to be done with THE LOFTS AT USC. With all the new housing going up around the university, your money and energy is best spent elsewhere. read more