Hickory Ridge Apartments: Schmucks To The End

Or, as they're now called, The Landings at Buckley. La-di-dah, but a name change isn't going to improve the place. The complex has changed management companies at least 3 times in the past 5 years. None of those helped, either.

I used to live in these Aurora, Colorado apartments, during and just after my divorce. They weren't great, they weren't awful. They've always been pretty slow replacing or fixing stuff. My sons have had a rusted dishwasher and broken closet doors since 2007. (Yes, the maintenance guys have been there. They keep saying "the dishwasher runs" or "the closet's been fixed" and run out the door.) Anyway, I would rate this complex as .... so-so. I've since had cause to retract even that faint praise.

As I said, I've long since moved out, but my sons still live there. It's been nearly 5 years now. They're quiet, pay their rent on time, they're hardly ever home (always at school or work), and they don't own pets; in short, the perfect tenants. In fact, when we went into the leasing office, no one knew who they were. The manager had to look them up on the computer to make sure they really lived there. It was sort of amusing.

We went to the see said manager to ask if there might be any leeway on breaking their lease 1-2 months early? Sons wanted to buy my house (I had to move to the midwest). We wanted to know if maybe we could do something simple, like pay an extra month's rent, because they'd been there so long and been so well-behaved and all that jazz.

The manager, Holly, said: Sure they can break their lease -- for a $1500 early termination fee. Plus since the complex give Sons a discount every year for resigning a lease, they'd also owe us $125 for every month, from the beginning of their last signed lease, until the day they move out. (Feb 1st -- Nov 30th: 10 months x $125 = $1250) I said, now wait a minute. $2750 for breaking the lease TWO MONTHS early? Yes ma'am. She was very firm about it. No budging, no deals, no leeway.

Even if the guys stayed until the 11th month, the same outrageous fees would apply.

I called the district manager. Same answer. Only ruder.

The other issue was the the $800 deposit Sons have on file. The management wouldn't let any of that apply to these utterly ridiculous charges. (Hickory Ridge currently charges a $99 deposit.)

I pleaded with both women. Have a heart. I know these fees are in the lease my sons signed, but your complex has enough crummy tenants, with drunken fights in the parking lot, shootings (in the apt below my sons, summer 2010), noisy evictions, drug dealings, etc., etc. ... yes? They readily agreed. I went on: So if you're trying to change your image, wouldn't you be willing to work something out? Some little bit of consideration for 5 years and no headaches? Get a good word of mouth review, two happy tenants, one happy mother?

But, nope. Nada. No way, Jose. So, I'm writing this to say, Stay Away. Rent someplace else. You'll thank me later.