This isn't a rant, I'm stating all the things that weren't or can't be resolved and trying to be informing of issues.
Extreme fire danger as the wooden apartment was built with aluminum wiring which doesn't meet today's standards and electrical repairs aren't done by certified electricians. I found this out from a friend who checked the electrical but couldn't do repairs because it was unsafe to do so and that the previous repairs weren't done properly.
Repairs simply don't happen unless you persistently write letters to management and they have the budget to do so at the time. Otherwise it's forgotten and you start the process over again. The rent keeps going up yearly without any apartment improvements. Repair work is done by the lowest bidder so contracts aren't finished and new contractors keep coming to repair problems with previous contractors. Tenant turnover is very high with new tenants leaving as early as one month after moving in. New tenants complained about issues they have found that weren't dealt with even though promises were made to fix the issues soon after they signed the contract. Ambulance, fire and police vehicles loudly arrive almost daily. Sometimes more than once a day. On multiple occasions I have witnessed handcuffed individuals being taken from the apartment complex by multiple RCMP officers. Once there was a blood trail through the hallway that remained there for a couple days. RCMP could be heard talking to other tenanrs in the hallway. The front and back doors have been forced open more than 10 times in the 2 years we were there. The russian mafia were here multiple times trying to collect debts and that isn't a joke. The muscle climbed up the drain pipe on the outside wall to gain access to an apartment with a debtor in it. Security is non-existent and the parking lighting is rarely on for whatever reason. My husband and a couple other tenants we talked to had vehicle break ins. Apartment doors are old, the frames are badly worn and the dead bolts are recycled. I'd been stuck trying to open the apartment deadbolt a couple times because something was wrong. The main entrance key doesn't work sometimes because the door and lock are badly damaged. This seems to happen more on colder days. It appears that someone keeps kicking the door open from the inside. You will clearly see this if you look at the door.
Management was trying to deal with the dog poo being left on the lawns but some tenants refuse to follow the rules. The hallways often smelled of either dog poo or wet animals especially on wet days. Management deals with this but the smell can't be completely removed. The smell of cannabis growing or being smoked lingers the hallways making it NOT appropriate for young children or teenagers. People smoke cigarretes and weed on the balconies which directly drifts into the apartment if the windows are open. Management should have them deal with the smell instead of overlooking the issue. The decks were constantly being repaired so there are often contractors on your deck or near your windows. I expect they will complete repairs but they were still repairing when I left the complex. Other tenants and my apartment appliances were at least 10 years old and heavily worn along with almost every aspect of the apartment interiors. Paint and wall repairs are badly needed. The road exit is on a hill so during snowfall vehicles are often stuck because of either ice, slush or snow. Add to that there is only one exit and you will find your vehicle blocked by either ambulance, fire, police or someone parked at the entrance on occasion.
Management seems to have removed most of the criminal element and it was a lot more peaceful there minus the ambulance, fire and police. Management spends lots on yard contractors so the property looks good on the outside.
Overall the apartments simply aren't worth the 1300-1900 rental fee. Make sure to fully inspect any apartment you consider moving into because the repairs they kept promising never happened during the 2 years my husband and I lived there. Read up on aluminum wiring as well because it doesn't meet code and will cause fires in wooden buildings.
We were lucky and moved into a newly built and up to code apartment complex with underground parking for slightly less and haven't had any major issues yet, knock on wood (plus heat/water) read more
