Lark Baton Rouge — Local services in Baton Rouge

I wish I could give it less than 1 star. When we signed our leases our only request was to not be placed on the 5th floor. As soon as our room assignments come around, we not only get placed on the 5th floor but they also tell us that we are required to pay an extra $20 in addition to our rent. As soon as we moved in, we found numerous problems with our apartment and they continued to get progressively worse throughout the duration of our lease. The first issue was in the kitchen, one drawer broken (and still is) and another one ripped completely off the cabinet. That same night, I go to wash clothes and come back out to the kitchen to find water had leaked from the washing machine all the way to our front door. I immediately attempted to throw my clothes in the dryer, but yes, of course, that was broken too. After using all of our towels in the apartment to soak up the water, we put in a maintenance request right away. After about a day maintenance responded to us and very nicely explained that there is a hole in the drum. He said he would check with his supplies downstairs, finds that he has a replacement drum, and would replace it within 2 days. After about a week without any response we decide to call and ask why they never came to fix it. Within a span of 3 weeks we called several times to find an answer on when they would come fix it. Only after I called with rage did maintenance finally knock on our door. When my roommates opened to let him in, they were greeted with him yelling at our unit for calling too much and because he claimed he told us that it would be at least 2 weeks before he could fix it (he didn't say that - 2 witnesses). Finally, after a month of no washer or dryer, they fixed our laundry unit. Again, only after a very angry call did they finally take action. Next, our A/C unit "froze up" because we "put it too low" (67 degrees) and then the ice melted all over our entrance and kitchen. Next, They turned off our apartment's electricity and couldn't figure out why it went off. They said it was because we didn't pay the bill - it was paid. Turns out they had the meters labeled wrong and shut off the wrong apartments electricity. We were out of electricity for over 24 hours and we had to sleep and bring our food elsewhere for the night. They take so much precaution to seem like its secure by needing magnetic keys to get in all the doors when in reality half of them break or someone props it open or someone could just wait by the door until a resident lets them in (could be a friend of a resident or his key wouldn't work). Then, all the keys stopped working, so no one could get into the complex with their key so they had to wait until someone came out then they propped the doors open. My floor's door had the magnetic part taken out after this so you could just walk in. They replaced the magnetic part and it didn't work for my key so I had to wait for someone to leave to get in. First couple of weeks after move in, there was about 5-6 break ins. In addition to these break ins, I had to call the police on a girl being attacked outside of my apartment door. Once sterling hired new maintenance, there were several break ins. Our door would be conveniently left unlocked after any request was completed. This happened to several people. I can hear the cars in the parking garage from my apartment. The elevator is outside my apartment, and i can hear when someone gets on it because the walls are so thin. I can hear peoples conversations when they walk down the hallway as well. The elevators are broken half the time too so you have to take the stairs, which are not often cleaned and have feces all over. They do not clean the hallways often either, there was a dropped smoothie on the floor of mine for at least 3 weeks. Right now there is dog poo in the hallway. Sometimes the apartment's entire wifi capability goes out for multiple days at a time, the whole complex's fire alar has gone off after midnight 3 times so far. DO NOT LIVE AT...

Where do I Start?? When i FIRST move in, the people in the office were not the friendliest in my opinion. Answered questions as if they were having a bad long day, this is what you signed up for though. Moved into my room air vents had dust all around them, looked like mold. I had to go out of my way to stand on the desk to clean them myself. My bathtub had a black stain in it like they couldn’t fix it with a little paint. Including my bathroom mirror, multiple black stains on it. Looks like someone dyed their hair and dyed the mirror with it. As well as my toilet seat. Looked so trifling, i went to the store to buy my own. I did have to beg for them to do something about it and they came and replaced it. ALSO i had no blinds when i moved in. Multiple people did not, we were using sheets and curtains to not be seen. Now to the appliances, half of the stove works so we are basically out of 2 burners, left with 2. No matter how many maintenance requests you put in for things that cost a little more, they don’t acknowledge them. They are broke in real life. You can see the maintenance team out and tell them your concerns, they will tell you they will get it fixed to get you out of their face. Won’t come and do anything for you. They stand at the end of the street smoking cigarettes when there’s work orders PAST DUE. I have recently had a very loud and obnoxious roommate that does not comply by the rules. I’ve had to make MULTIPLE complaints for them to give her a violation. Nothing has changed. The first time i was told she sent a violation, came back to make another one her words changed to her telling me she only sent a warning. Finally sent out violences but no behavior changed. My roommate was very loud bringing multiple guest past the stay time, staying multiple days at a time as they live here. Leaving the door unlocked at 2am, 12am for friends. Passing her keys around. Also eating my food. I was very concerned about my safety due to the fact that our door is right next to the door everyone comes in and out of. Sometimes that door is even left unlocked with a can of paint for the public. No point to have a magnet key then. It got to the point to where i tried breaking my lease because i was so concerned about my safety and uncomfortable in my own home. I came money ready with everything i requested since that’s all they care about and i was told i can not break my lease unless i find someone who wants to stay in my room. 1. I am not the leasing agent, that’s not my job 2. If i absolutely hate it here, why would someone around me want to live here? So that unfortunately was not an option. People will come and sit by the parking garage with there hazards on waiting for someone who lives here to open the gate. When you make it in they rush in to park. To park in the parking garage you have to pay for a parking sticker. It’s not point, they say they will town your car if you park and don’t have one that’s a lie. So if you’re plan on going to a LSU game come park at the Lark. I park in handicap almost everyday because there is no parking spaces available because people who don’t have a pass nor live there goes to park in spots we have paid for. Pool parties are frequently thrown in the summer and the police they have sitting here to scare people are not good at what they do. The guest will find their way back here and come in through the door you should have your key to get in, door is always left open keep that in mind. The Lark is very lazy at what they do and i wouldn’t live here again if this was the last place on earth. Do not live here, you will regret it. They think since we are college students it is easy to walk over us. This is just my review, we are all entitled to feel how we want Lark so no need to reply...

I'll start from the beginning... We toured and everything looked great, and everyone was nice. We asked not to be placed on the 5th floor because we did not want to pay the extra $20 a month to live at the top. Beget our room assignments... we're on the 5th floor. So already annoyed because I have to pay extra. Here comes move in day... The oven drawer is broken and a kitchen drawer is completely off, and that night we go to wash clothes and the washer leaks everywhere - throughout the kitchen and close to the entrance. We call maintenance and they say there is a hole in the drum (how?). He said he would check with his stuff, but he thought he had an extra drummed would replace it within 2 days. It comes later than that so we call and ask why they never came to fix it, and they say they will talk to the guy then let us know. They never let us know so we keep calling because we need to wash clothes, and the maintenance guy comes up and yells at us for calling too much because he said he told us that it would be at least 2 weeks before he could fix it (he didn't say that - 2 witnesses). The light in my bathroom started leaking - maintenance said it was condensation even though my bathroom rug was soaked. 2 weeks later, it leaks again - maintenance comes back and then has to order a part. They finally come and fix it. About 2 months later, it leaks again!! Our a/c "froze up" because we "put it too low" (67 degrees) and then the ice melted all over our entrance and kitchen. (this happened 2 times, once in the fall and once in january). They turned off our apartment's electricity and couldn't figure out why it went off. They said it was because we didn't pay the bill - it was paid. Turns out they had the meters labeled wrong and shut off the wrong apartments electricity. We were out of electricity for over 24 hours and we had to sleep and bring our food elsewhere for the night. They take so much precaution to seem like its secure by needing magnetic keys to get in all the doors when in reality half of them break or someone props it open or someone could just wait by the door until a resident lets them in (could be a friend of a resident or his key wouldn't work). The gates are broken half the time. Then about 2/3 through the year - all the keys stopped working, so no one could get into the complex with their key so they had to wait until someone came out then they propped the doors open. My floor's door had the magnetic part taken out after this so you could just walk in. They replaced the magnetic part and it didn't work for my key so I had to wait for someone to leave to get in. They took the magnetic part off again, then replaced it and surprise! still doesn't work so I have to go find a door propped open to get in. First couple of weeks after move in, there was about 5-6 break ins. I can hear the cars in the parking garage so much from my apartment. The elevator is outside my apartment, and i can hear when someone gets on it because the walls are so thin. I can hear peoples conversations when they walk down the hallway as well. The elevators are broken half the time too so you have to take the stairs, which are not often cleaned and will have dog poo and human(!!) pee all over them. They do not clean the hallways often either, there was a dropped smoothie on the floor of mine for at least 3 weeks. Right now there is dog poo in the hallway. Sometimes the apartment's entire wifi capability goes out for multiple days at a time, the whole complex's fire alar has gone off after midnight 3 times so far. The only pro is that you can walk to gamedays and tiger land.

Long story short - don't live at sterling because you will regret it and count down the days until move...