Briarhill Apartments

Moral of the story don’t live here. Read below for further information. –also I never rate things but this one needed it.
So I was excited about living here and working with the leasing agent Joy. I was looking for a 1 bedroom on the top floor that they said would be available November 3^rd for unit 426. On October 27^th I filled out the credit check/​background check application. I went to pay the $ 50 with check or card but they only accept money order. Weird, but okay so I drove to publix and got the money order. (Side not. Whoever sits across from Joy is so rude and even ruder on the phone). The next day I received a message from Joy to call them back. Joy then proceeds to tell me the apartment is behind on the cabinet installations and it will be another 3 – 6 weeks from the move in date I was promised and filled out on the paper work. How do you not know you’re 3 – 6 weeks behind 6 days before when I paid the money? She then tells me she has another model on the bottom floor (exactly what I said I didn’t want). So I tell her I’m not interested in waiting or taking the different apartment and asked for my $ 50 back. No surprise but she tells me it’s «non refundable». $ 50 isn’t the end of the world but I’m glad I dodged the bullet with sketchy practices. Should have listened to the other reviews.

I lived here 7 months and enjoyed my time. I lived on the 2^nd floor to avoid the bug problem that apts tend to have so I didn’t see any. I didn’t have break in issues in my apt or car nor did I ever feel it was unsafe here (we got one facing the parking lot and gate for added security). I used to jog after 10pm all the time around the block without incident. We got a non-​updated unit to keep rent low so it was just okay but I knew it was old going into it but it wasn’t run down or dirty. The rent was the cheapest in the area so we chose it.
The office staff is so friendly and helpful. They always greeted me with a smile when I went in for anything. The assistant manager Charlene is especially great. She’s so friendly and helpful. I was able to change my lease (twice!) to accommodate my moving schedule. She didn’t have to but she did. Very thankful for that.
It’s just behind the Druid Hills /​Briarcliff shopping center so you have most everything you need right. As of last week they just opened Fresh Market so now there’s a grocery available although Cheshire Publix has always been just slightly further. There are several quick eats available and a Target nearby. It’s convenient to a lot of things.
Overall, if you want a cheap option int he Druid area then do it.

This complex was the first place I lived when I moved to Atlanta in 2011. Not being familiar with the area, I thought I was getting a good deal for the price (just under $ 800 for 1 bedroom with washer/​dryer). Here are some of the issues I had to address:
Upon move-​in, the carpeting was dirty, stained, and needed repair in the dining room, hallway, and bedroom areas. There were large brown and red stains near the kitchen. The carpet was also dotted with bits of paint left from re-​painting after the last resident moved out.
The carpeting in the bedroom closet smelled heavily of marijuana. I had to steam-​clean the carpeting myself to remove the smell. The linoleum in the kitchen was torn under the refrigerator, and was stained throughout the kitchen and the laundry area.
The washing machine drain hose became unhooked multiple times, and flooded the carpeting in the hallway.
Water leaked into my ceiling during my first lease term. My ceiling was never properly repaired. Some «undocumented workers» showed up at my door requesting entry to repair the ceiling, but could not communicate who they were or if they were affiliated with the leasing office.
The bathroom was covered in black mold — I had to take bleach to the shower walls multiple times to remove it.
Management failed to properly notify residents before entering units. I would get a notice the day after management came into my apartment. On one occasion, they locked my cat in the closet for several hours until I arrived home.
When they repaved the parking lot, my vehicle was ticketed for parking in space designated by leasing office; leasing office failed to get space use authorized.
When I renewed my lease in September 2012, I was promised my carpets would be steam-​cleaned as part of my lease agreement. They were never steam-​cleaned, and I was not compensated for failure for that service to be provided.
I had to replace the air filters in my apartment myself. The air filters provided by Briarhill Apartments were sub-​par, and barely took care of ten percent of the dust that filtered through the unit. The dust was black and difficult to remove off my furniture and out of the carpeting without intensive cleaning remedies.
Insect infestation was an ongoing problem. I observed a cockroach infestation along the baseboard in the living room, in between the wall between the sink and counter in the kitchen, and in the laundry room. I also had a silverfish infestation in the closet. I had to purchase professional-​grade insecticide to treat the issues, and had to caulk the openings in the kitchen and laundry room.
Oh – and don’t rely on the gate to keep out unwanted visitors and non-​residents. It barely functions, and when it does, it lets in 4 to 5 cars at a time.
The only plus is the location — close to Buckhead, Highlands, Emory, and the expressways. Generally safe area, never felt I was in danger. My neighbors were pleasant for the most part.
I lived there through October 2013, when my rent skyrocketed to $ 1036, and I was requested to pay extra for «updates» such as clean carpeting, working windows that we not paint-​stained or grungy, and «fixtures.» I got out of there as fast as possible and moved to a Camden property right down the road. Of course, the leasing office tried to overcharge me for «cleaning» and «damage» (I had the apartment professionally cleaned before I moved out, and it was in better condition when I left). I dealt with their corporate office and was only charged for the water bill.
At Camden, I’m paying around $ 1024 for a one-​bedroom. Everything is brand new, maintenance and leasing staff is very professional. The security gate actually works, and there is ample parking throughout.
Save yourself the distress and look elsewhere other than Briarhill.

Update #2:
Eight months after we moved out of Briarhill, we had our credit run by the bank to pre-​approve us for a mortgage on a home. We were informed by the bank that Briarhill had sent a $ 53 charge on our account to collections without ever informing us of any outstanding debt. We immediately contacted Briarhill and were told that we supposedly owed them the money for an outstanding water bill. We had never been informed of this debt before or after our move-​out date. We paid the debt off as soon as we found out about it, but it has left a derogatory mark on our credit nonetheless — lowering our scores by around 100 points! We have impeccable credit otherwise and never missed any payments on our rent, etc. while we were living there. Management could easily have called or emailed us to notify us of the outstanding balance, but they never bothered. They claimed they mailed us a letter about it —to our old address at Briarhill AFTER we had already moved out! Obviously we never received it (despite the fact that we did have our mail forwarded), so they sent the debt to collections. This is not only unethical, but illegal. We have since contacted the new management multiple times to try and have them remove the item from our credit history, but the property manager has not called back as promised and IMO shows very little regard for the apartments’ reputation. I’ve made a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Save yourself the headache and move elsewhere.

HORRIBLE! FLOOD, ROBBERY, AND 300 RENT INCREASE WITHIN LESS THAN A YEAR! I lived here since October 2013 and within a YEAR my apartment flooded (due to old water heater while I was sleep) and my apartment was broken into. During the flood they did not put me in a hotel, didn’t replace carpet, or anything. They told me to stay with a friend. They had big fans and machines in my place with my furniture pushed all to the side. The carpet was NEVER put back into the threshold properly again. THEN, after receiving a letter that in order to renew my lease my rent would go up 300 two weeks later on ⁹⁄₁₁ my apartment was broken into while I was at work. It was around 3:30 pm when I received a call that it appears my door was kicked in. Two of my neighbor’s doors was kicked in as well. They ransacked my entire place going through every drawer and room. They stole a lot of my stuff. When I arrived the police was pulling up at the same time no one was watching our kicked doors (wide open) even though the office is the one that called me. Anyone could have walked in and took what was left. They did nothing but fix the door (with wall still missing). And still expected me to re-​sign lease with rent increase! Terrible one year expereince! I am moving out of course!