The Quarters Columbia — Attraction in Columbia Township

This is going to be a long review, but if you are thinking about signing a lease with the Reserve, please read this review thoroughly. 1. Early Move-In: Early move in is offered explicitly by the staff at the Reserve prior to signing your lease. However, when it comes time to move-in early the staff do not answer phone calls and do not allow for early move in, do not expect to be moved in early. 2. Move-In Condition: The Reserve did not allow me to move in early because they stated the apartment I was moving in to had been destroyed by the previous renter's dog and the carpet had to be replaced. When I moved in, the apartment was neglected. The shower head was being held on by a ponytail holder, there was water damage, holes in the wall, towel rack was ripped from the wall, and the apartment had not been cleaned as there was clumps of dog hair throughout the apartment. I've posted photos below, as the photos of an actual apartment do not match the pristine condition of the show room. 3. Maintenance: Apartment not to satisfaction upon move in? File a maintenance complaint that takes about 2 weeks for the staff to come and fix. Upon move-in my shower did not work (due to said ponytail holding it together) nor did 2 burners on my stove. It took 2 months and numerous calls to the desk staff for maintenance to fix my stove. 4. Maintenance Nightmare: After living at the Reserve for a few months, the lock on my door stopped working. I needed this fixed immediately for safety. Maintenance staff was called but they had no other way to enter the apartment than to break in to my second story window. Upon entering they removed the lock, then all 3 maintenance staff + the maintenance manager spent 6 hours trying to fix the door. When it became 8:30p.m., I asked to have the apartment pay for a locksmith come to fix the door, because staff did not know how to fix the problem and the front office was closing at 9p.m. The office staff told me not having a lock on my door would be "no big deal" overnight, they had to deal with it for 5 days because the locks are based out of Florida. I refused this response and asked to speak to the property manager. The two girls working the front desk laughed at me and told me the property manager was not available because she was in class. A Masterlock bar was put on my door overnight, which is a safety hazard as I cannot leave and if there were a fire, fire fighters would not be able to get in. Corporate had to be called the next morning when maintenance did not show up until almost 10:30am to fix the lock. 5. Property Manager: The property manager, Whitney, is unconcerned with any and all concerns of residents. Do not expect her to remove herself from the office or answer any phone calls in regard to resident grievances. Staff: I had a positive encounter with one staff member while living at the apartment complex and I wish I could remember his name, because he deserves good feedback. As for the rest of the staff members, they are unconcerned. I had a maintenance member yell at me and slam the door because the repair to my shower head had not been properly done and I asked him to come back. 7. Move out: Upon move out in December, I asked for an early move out, to which the manager scheduled a move out date and time and stated that the keys to my apartment and my amenity pass must be handed over and everything must be removed from the apartment. . I received an email in writing of the early move out date, but 2 months post moving out I have received a bill for utilities for the remainder of the month of December. I have no proof if they moved someone else in after my move out on dec.9th nor do I know if they ran the electric bill up in the apartment, but I can't fight it, it's my word against theirs. I want to prevent others from moving into this apartment. I will be contacting corporate. I hope this review serves as a good descriptor of the lack of professionalism and standards this apartment complex and...

It's truly a shame that apartment complexes like The Quarters in Columbia, Missouri, choose to prey on students through manipulative practices designed purely to extort those who sign leases with them. Their lack of concern for anything beyond extracting money from tenants is disgraceful.

Our concerns began when I decided to transfer from a 3x3 apartment to a studio so my husband and I could live together. When the move-in date finally came, The Quarters seemed completely unaware of our transfer, even though they had given us the date themselves. We were forced to call them almost daily, practically begging for updates, until we eventually moved in. Even after we finally moved in, the parking lot they assigned to us wasn't even meant to be assigned to anyone. On at least three occasions, I received threats that my car would be towed, despite only parking in the spot they had given me. To add insult to injury, we didn’t even receive a proper lease—just a one-page signed paper—yet they expected us to be bound by its terms. It was clear from the beginning that professionalism and organization were not priorities.

What is even more infuriating is the ridiculous bill we received after moving out. We were charged a fee for a water stain on the stove—a stain that was already there when we moved in. We wiped down and cleaned the stove thoroughly before moving out. A water stain is not something we caused, nor something we could remove. But that didn’t stop them from charging us. They also hit us with a cleaning fee for the washing machine, which had a smell that was there from day one. Their maintenance team must have been aware, but we were still blamed for it.

The charges for the bathroom were the most outrageous. Yes the bathroom looks "disgusting" because of mold, but the truth is the bathtub was poorly constructed. The caulk turned black and mold grew between the bathroom tiles, despite our efforts to keep it clean. The structural flaws made it impossible for the grout to dry properly, and no amount of scrubbing with cleaning spray could resolve the issue. What did they expect us to do—re-caulk the bathtub ourselves? Maintenance should have addressed these problems when we first moved in, but instead, we were unfairly penalized.

After receiving their inflated bill, we reached out to dispute the charges. It took weeks to get a response, and even then, they dodged most of our questions. They eventually explained that their property insurance only covers damages to the property, not the fees they charged us, something we were never informed of. We were forced to pay for this so-called insurance every month, without even having a proper lease that detailed what we were paying for. When they finally responded, it was clear they had no intention of resolving our concerns, leaving us in a bind where our credit could be damaged if we didn’t pay their bogus charges by their deadline.

It’s shocking how apartments like The Quarters operate, prioritizing profit over ethics, transparency, and tenant well-being. They are quick to smile and welcome you when you move in, but their only goal is to find ways to drain you financially. It's a shameful, disappointing scam that students should be wary of. Avoid places like The Quarters if you value your peace of mind and...

I have lived at the Reserve for the last 6 months in a one-bed Premium Studio apartment. My experience here has been great. Of the many apartment complexes I have lived in while attending various colleges, the Reserve by far has the best gym and workout equipment. The treadmills and cardio equipment surpass that of even most private gyms and they have a great half-court basketball facility which is loved by the other residence here. My one-bed apartment has everything I need to live comfortably and there is very minimal noise from my neighbors. One of the best aspects about living at the Reserve is the daily shuttle system. The shuttle is the most prompt bus in the US, always arriving and leaving on time (every 15 minutes). I have a car but I only drive it on the weekends since the bus as been a perfect service for me. I will be resigning again to live here next year simply because the bus service is so great. The shuttle runs from 7am-10pm Monday-Wednesday and goes until 2pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. They also allow guests to travel on the bus with you if you are going to a Missouri Tigers football game. This saves you from walking the 2 miles to the stadium or $20+ for parking.

Another aspect about the Reserve that is great is that most utilities are included! I don't have to make additional payments for cable, water, or garbage. I pay electric only and in my one-bed studio this runs typically between $35-50/month, even during the winter months. For the price, I pay ~$800/month for everything which includes electric, rent, amenities, the shuttle, wifi, and cable (with HBO). Not to mention that the reserve is only 1.5 miles from campus! If you are more inclined to walk to and from campus, it is only about a 25-30 minute walk to get to the center of campus.

Additionally, the Reserve just began allowing pets in apartments which is great. Pet rent is $25/month. Allowing pets at the Reserve has been a great decision and now that they allow pets, my girlfriend and her dog have moved in with me and we love it here.

Aspect of living at the Reserve that could be improved are the key-card access ports to get into apartments. The Reserve utilizes key-cards, much like at a hotel, for apartment access. It typically takes me 3-10 swipes to get into my apartment since the key-cards and card-readers don't work that efficiently. At least I know that my apartment is safe if it takes me a few minutes to get into my apartment! So that could be spun as a positive.

Overall, signing to live at the Reserve was a great decision. I signed without touring the apartments as I lived in Tampa, Florida and did not travel here to look for apartments. I am really happy with my choice. Highly recommend any graduate student to look into living here. The Reserve is the perfect place to live for graduate students.

-Doctoral Student at The...