Southwood Vista — Local services in Atlanta

My move in day was 8-12-2017. Allegedly the place had only been vacant for a week and half until I moved in.It has fresh carpet and paint, so on the surface everything looked good.There were small dead gnats in the refrigerator that I wiped out with no problem because, maybe that would be the last of my issues.The bathroom is disgusting. There is human hair on the walls. The blinds were filthy.The top of the doors in the bathroom and bedroom were so dirty.When I began cleaning in the bathroom there was so much human hair coming off that I immediately became disgusted and stopped.The windows in the bedroom have water damage and black mold around them and I was told that they inspected for mold before I moved there. The windows in the living rooms have the same.The ceiling fan in the living room is extremely dusty.The kitchen's bottom cabinets are not clean. There is evidence of a leak and black mold underneath the sink.I am extremely allergic to dust mites. The ac units filter hasn't been changed for years.I can see the dust coming through the door when it's closed.This isn't good for the unit or for the environment.The first night I did not stay here.The second night, I drove 30 minutes away to go take a bath at my old apartment. Did I mention my apartment has a moth infestation? Did I mention my back patio has algae growing on it? Did I mention the weather stripping on my front door is worn out that it's not even funny? Did I mention that it doesn't look like the outside of my apartment has been cleaned for years.There are poisonous spiders, cigarette butts, and black dirt that cannot be removed by a broom surrounding my door. These apartments are beautiful on the surface and it is a shame that they are being maintained so horribly.I don't care how filthy the last tenant was. I'm new. I shouldn't even have known there was a last tenant that even lived here, this place should have been spotless. The floor panels in the bathroom are disgusting.UpdateI have been living here for nearly 2 months. The only filth they cleaned was from the HVAC unit, ceiling fan, and globes. My mama came up to help me clean the majority of the filth. The entire bathroom had to be scrubbed. She used 4 buckets of water on the stove alone.The balcony that had algae growing on it? My mother scrubbed and scrubbed, but that isn't why I'm writing a new review. The gnats have worsened.They are still coming out of the refrigerator and now the drain. I had first rectified the issue. I bought foggers, bleach, caught them with apple cider vinegar, etc. etc. None of this stuff is cheap. The re-occurrence came when I accidentally stumbled across their new hiding place, my dishwasher. I opened it up to use it the first time and noticed a lot of them inside. I immediately poured bleach on the inside and ran a cycle. They began flying around my apartment and I began sending emails to my leasing office, NO RESPONSE FOR A WEEK. It became intolerable, as they also reappeared in my refrigerator. I have to use unusual amounts of water (running the dishwasher 3 times and continuously flushing the drains). All the while, no response from my leasing office. I finally came up there, and had to get out of character for them to finally send someone to take a look. They sent someone to look at my appliances. The outside of my appliances. Why? The gnats are coming from the drains. This same person came to my apartment once more to look at my appliances again and to vacuum filth that was behind it from the previous occupants and to basically snoop around to attempt to put the blame on me. After all of my own resources being used and this leasing office making a half attempt to rectify it at the end, do they offer me anything for my wasted time and money? No, just BS and another visit by their pest control, which didn't do anything previously (hence, my purchase of the foggers). I have never been so disrespected in all my life. Gnats (fruit flies) carry diseases such as, "river blindness”, “Leishmania (Kala- Azar)”, “Oraya” and “Sandly” Fever, Carrison's...

In March 2021 I leased a unit. On move in day I turned the key to my apartment to find dirty floors. Filthy carpet and no washer/dryer and articles from the nasty previous owner behind. Damon expedited the final touches to my apartment and Regional mgr Jonathan Leakes accommodated me with pro rated rent as the apartment was in no way near ready for occupancy. Damon left and Lord help.I had to deal with Jaida who was un pleasant and passive aggressive to say the least. After our first couple of encounters it was obvious that I would just have to handle all things lease and maintenance related in writing. The security gate was inoperative for the duration of my stay at this property leaving the complex unsecured 100% of the time. They did make a few attempts to give the gated entry some attention but these failed and it appeared they’ve just given up on the access gate entirely.

Any time I attempted to call the office no one ever answered the phone so I stopped trying and would walk over to address issues. The first time anyone answered the phone for me was AFTER I moved out! Since terminating my lease manager Jaida has sent chastising emails requesting payment of 39.77 that I in fact do owe post move out. In my February 2023 notice to vacate letter I informed them of my relocation to Houston. Jaida’s advisement was that I was to physically return to Atlanta and make payment in person. This was funny and after reminding her that I live out of state she quickly provided the mailing address and threatened to send my balance to collections but stated she could “place a courtesy hold on your account so that it is not immediately sent to collections.”

If only I could have received this same attention and energy in response inquiries while I was a resident it might have changed my poor outlook on this property. I once waited three calendar weeks for the light bulb in my oven hood to be replaced. I kid you not. In conclusion,

No working gate access for excess of two calendar year and counting coupled with the poor attitude of Jaida Jackson lack of property staff availability and consistent noise lead to me terminating my lease. A new maintenance staff was introduced and maintenance requests became more consistent filled. The guys truly did their best to respond to requests timely. Jonathan Leakes was alway supportive but Jaida… steer clear of her at all costs.

The actual unit was spacious and the location is near the ATL airport and other major arteries but the noise and constant stomping from foot traffic and multiple dogs above me was completely unbearable( but is to be expected living in an apartment community

But dealing with the unprofessionalism of Jaida Jackson in their leasing office is like never ending nails on a chalk board.

If you can get past these issues then maybe this property could be your dream rental. If you’re looking for warm welcoming friendly service and a GATED community then save your self time and look else!...

I am writing to express my deep disappointment and concern regarding the unprofessional behavior exhibited by the property management and maintenance team at Southwood Vista Apartments. As a resident of this community, I believe it is essential to address these issues in order to maintain a positive living environment for all tenants.

Firstly, it appears that there is a significant lack of communication and oversight within the management team. Despite numerous attempts to bring attention to the ongoing problems with maintenance, I have found that Jada the property manager responses have been consistently dismissive, suggesting I put my concerns in email format. This approach has left me feeling frustrated and unheard.

Furthermore, there have been rumors circulating throughout the neighborhood regarding a potentially inappropriate relationship between Jada and the head maintenance man, Kevin. While I understand that these rumors may not be confirmed, the fact that they exist raises questions about the professionalism and impartiality within the team. It is disheartening to think that such personal matters could potentially influence the way this property is managed.

In addition to the interpersonal issues, the overall level of service provided by the maintenance team has been subpar. Work order requests have gone unanswered, leaving residents like myself in a state of frustration and inconvenience. To address this matter, I have taken the step of engaging legal representation to help investigate these ignored work orders. It is my hope that this will help shed light on the accountability and responsibility that should be upheld within this establishment.

Southwood Vista Apartments charges a significant amount of rent each month, and as residents, we expect to receive the level of service and professionalism commensurate with the fees we pay. Regardless of the location or demographic of the neighborhood, it is imperative that all residents are treated with dignity and respect.

I strongly believe that a complete overhaul and retraining of the entire complex staff is necessary to rectify these ongoing issues and restore faith in the management team. By addressing these concerns promptly and effectively, Southwood Vista Apartments can once again become a community where residents feel valued and...