10 Reasons Not to Live in Apartment Heights in Virginia

The Apartment Heights community in Blacksburg, Virginia, offers affordable apartments within a reasonable walking distance of the Virginia Tech campus. Many apartments include utilities, cable, internet, and other benefits. My apartment, for example, is a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment, with all utilities except for electric included in the $605 monthly rent. Cable and internet are included among the utilities. The apartment community also has easy access to a bus stop and ample parking around the individual parking buildings. The room dimensions in the apartment are also comfortably sized. Although the kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures are aged, all are clean and in working order. Although these benefits initially drew me to the apartment community, I quickly discovered that there are at least 10 reasons not to live in Apartment Heights.

First: When I initially moved into the apartment, I noticed that there were quite a few things in need of repair. A screen had popped loose from a window, the lock in the bathroom did not quite lock, and there was a small crack in the corner of one window, just to name a few examples. I was told by management to put work orders in for everything I found and that the repairs would be made quickly. I have lived in Apartment Heights for over two months. Only two repairs have been made. Those repairs only occurred because I bypassed the main office to have them done.

Second: Even on ground floor apartments, windows do not always completely close. The ones in my apartment do not have locks. Virtually anyone could enter my apartment with ease.

Third: There are no doorbells, chains, or peepholes on the doors in my building. There is no way to tell who is outside the door before it is opened.

Fourth: The buildings are insulated poorly.

Fifth: Cable and internet access are unpredictable at best.

Sixth: Trash is collected directly outside the front of the building. Sometimes rotting furniture will sit for days or weeks without being picked up.

Seventh: The leasing office of the community was closed without notice. There is no on-site manager.