American Campus Communities’ latest project, Lobo Village, will open to residents in the fall, but ApartmentReviews.com users gave nationwide ACC properties negative reviews.
Reviewers said they encountered hidden parking and “cleaning” fees, floods, collapses, break-ins and poor management, and warned students to take precautions to avoid unfair charges.
“Watch out for any existing damage when moving in,” a review of Nittany Crossing dorm in Pennsylvania said. “Document everything and take pictures because they will try and charge you for damages that were there before you moved in.”
No more than 55 percent of users recommended ACC communities, and for some communities, the approval rating was as low as 0.
ACC representative Jeff Langen said ApartmentRatings.com is an “unrestricted blog that allows competitors an open forum to negatively market against other properties.” The website lists more than 1 million reviews for apartments nationwide, according to the site.
ACC apartment reviewers complained about poor quality housing and unsanitary conditions.
“Since we’ve moved in, our dishwasher has overflowed twice. Both times it took about four days for them to come fix it,” a Royal Village reviewer said. “We have serious bug problems. The walls are paper thin, and I can hear entire conversations in the parking lot as if they’re sitting in my living room.”
Reviewers also said safety was an issue. They reported break-ins, stolen belongings, drug deals and dangerous individuals roaming apartment halls.
“Two kids were stabbed with hatchets this year. One was beaten with a metal pipe, and a 16-year-old girl was taken to the hospital for alcohol poisoning,” a review of the ACC-owned Inn at Auraria in Denver, Colo., said.
UNM Real Estate Director Kim Murphy said he has been pleased with ACC and Lobo Village so far. He said ACC was chosen through a competitive selection process that involved touring ACC universities projects and interviewing ACC representatives.
“ACC will be required to meet several operational objectives,” he said. “If they don’t, they will be in default of the agreement and UNM can take over the project.”
Poor management and frequent partying were also common complaints. Lobo Village plans to allow alcohol for students over 21. Positive reviews cited proximity to college campuses, convenience and amenities, like free tanning beds.
“If you are smart, lock your doors, and buy some earplugs. Living here will be very comfortable,” one reviewer said.
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Langen said he cannot gauge the online review sites’ validity, but ACC conducts customer service surveys to get feedback.
“We at American Campus take customer service very seriously,” Langen said. “We have a customer service hotline dedicated solely to helping resolve resident issues in a timely manner …”
