When you’re looking for a new apartment complex, how do you know what clear signs of problems to look out for? What exactly makes a bad apartment complex?
Take a look at these red flags to know if the apartment complex you are looking at is likely a bad choice.
1. Neglect
If you notice signs of neglect outside, then you’re likely looking at a bad apartment complex. Some warning signs to look for include excessive uneven or broken concrete sidewalk and steps, pot holes in the parking lots, poor landscaping (poorly maintained lawns, overgrowing shrubbery, lack of shrubbery), missing windows, trash everywhere and excessive peeling paintwork.
2. Maintenance Poor
Is the maintenance team responsive to service requests? What is the reputation of management and maintenance? Ask around. Poor maintenance is a telltale sign of a bad apartment complex. Occasionally work orders can be missed even at the best complexes, but how does maintenance respond after that.
3. No Emergency Phone Number
If the apartment complex doesn’t have a 24/7 emergency phone number for any urgent repairs or maintenance, that is likely not a great sign. It is certainly not as big of a red flag as some of the other items, but 24/7 Emergency Service is a nice feature in a luxury apartment building.
4. Persistent Pest Problems
Every apartment can have pest issues, but if the apartment complex has lots of pest issues that appear unaddressed for extended periods, then you know that the building maintenance team is not doing its job.
5. Improvements Missing
If the apartment complex looks like it hasn’t been maintained or upgraded for years, then you can expect there to be a range of issues that will make your life harder as a tenant. Ask the leasing agent what some of the recent improvements to the complex have been over the past several years. If they have none, that’s not usually a great sign.
6. Poor Snow Removal
If you notice that the building doesn’t have good snow removal during winters, this is another sign of poor maintenance.
7. Excessive Common Doors left Open
Occasionally doors can be left open, but in general, common doors should be closed and locked.
8. Poor Night Lighting
Poor lighting at night is also a security issue, so treat this as a warning sign of a bad apartment complex.
9. No Communication
If you are experiencing poor communication from the leasing agent, this is not a good sign. You should have clear and consistent communication. Similarly, existing tenants should have regular communication (both reactive to problems and pro-active with on-going improvements)
10. No Amenities
If there are no amenities in the building, then is it worth living there? Ideally, you’ll want some amenities like laundry, walking paths, playgrounds and parking.
Use these signs to determine whether you are already living in or looking at a bad apartment complex.
Want to know what makes a good apartment complex? Almost the opposite, including good location, well-built, well-maintained, clean, good responsive management, amenities, and continuous improvement.
