The Laurels Apartments — Local services in Gainesville

I lived here for a year. We could have came back but wanted more bang for our buck.

From 4-5 years of being in undergrad/grad living. This is my honest and humble view of the Laurels. New management cares more about making extra coin off of new rules and fines. They had the audacity to get mean and nasty with two of my separate neighbors when they asked them about the charges. I couldn’t believe it but they had so much negativity from the community that they took away the fee. I’m glad I didn’t visit beforehand.

Funny thing is, they charge us for valet trash but have random vendors come out and do it. Multiple times they never showed and we had to bring our stinky hot trash can back into our place. Bugs and all types of outside live attach themselves to your garbage can. A huge flaw in the new rule.

Also, with all of the money taken from rent and amenities cost? You’d think they’d get a more secure gate by now. It’s a “gated” community unless someone decides to just remove the plastic barrier and drive right through. I can’t tell you how many nights I could just ride right through because a guest or resident decided to move the plastic barrier.

They also charge for yard work and maintenance but quite literally, they just chop some grass and go home. No leaf pickup, no stem pick up, they show little to no signs of care when blowing your porch so you might have a few things knocked down. It’s not the lawn peoples fault that expectations aren’t in place.

They also removed the basketball courts, why? For a half made dog park and a pickle ball courts, I’m sorry but basketball is a top three sport in America and I understand a pickleball court getting added but why remove other amenities??

I lived here when the last management was here and to now’s management. Last management were nice but didn’t do jack but also didn’t too much. This management is doing way too much and not in good faith especially with so many flaws of an older apartment complex.

The best thing here is the nature and maintenance team. The guys are always on time and friendly. One of the nice things about living here is that the maintenance guys will go above and beyond for you. You don’t get that offered usually.

It doesn’t excuse the five feet of wet and dead leaves that surrounded our apartment. When it rained, it flooded my porch and walkways every time.

Whether it was roaches, water bugs, moths, spiders.. all snuck inside of the poorly maintained apartment structure. We couldn’t go a week or two without it being pest sprayed but that should never be the case in a place you pay 1800+ for.

For what they charge, you can find a much better and well kept community in the UF area. I hope this management finds some ways to improve the neighborhood cause the nature is gorgeous. The extra star is for their rockstar...

We've lived at the Laurels for about 6 months now, not too impressed. First with the positives. The general neighborhood is comfortable, mainly young adults. Doesn't have much of the college vibe, which is what I prefer. Hard to find that around Gainesville. The gym is wonderfully equipped, plenty of weights and machines to use. Also the complex is in a good location with easy access to I-75. Our unit is a 3 bedroom, has a pretty good amount of space to it, although the kitchen could be a bit bigger. The maintenance staff are pretty responsive whenever we've put in a request. Now to the negatives. The pool has been out of service and getting renovations since the start of March. It is now the second week of June in Florida and still no pool. Our neighbors are extremely loud at all hours of the day/night. Music is almost constantly bumping through the walls. We've called the office about it once or twice and also spoken directly to our neighbors. Not much, if anything has happened to remedy this. Typically the music/TV is turned down at that moment, but nothing permanently. It's 11 pm right now as I type this, I can hear them through the wall. The trash is "supposed" to get picked up everyday, but it only gets picked up maybe 2-3 times per week. With trashcans outside like this, they start to stink and attract critters. There's a raccoon that's constantly getting into my neighbors trash, leaving food and refuse all around our units (my trashcan is a heavy-duty can, so the raccoon can't tip it). My neighbors also leave that trash sitting around outside on the ground, and I imagine the inside of their apartment can't be much better. So they're attracting roaches, which I've found a few in my apartment now. The gate out front isn't down every night like it's supposed to be. There's plenty of parking for most of the units, but in my section there are 3 three-bedroom buildings in a corner. Almost all of the spots are taken all the time, especially because there are multiple cars (around 3 or 4) that haven't moved in months. Not sure why. The units come with washers/dryers which are old and not energy efficient, and we aren't allowed to switch them out with our nice new models. So we have to keep them in storage. Most of these things aren't a huge deal, but put together they start to add up. Overall the place is just okay, we don't love it but we...

I’ve lived here for a year and a half. Around a year ago, management changed. Once that happened, the garbage guy that picks up trash started to not pick up my trash. I’d go up to the front and ask why and it’d be a ridiculous answer. After a while the garbage boy didn't bother with an excuse. Why bother right, if management doesn't do anything. Eventually, after I complained consistently for months he got my garbage once last week. Then, today I get an email about how I’m supposed to tie my garbage bags, fined $25 and was threatened with a violation. I always tie my garbage bags. The garbage boy untied my garbage bag just so he could pretend I didn’t tie it and he could keep targeting me. He opened it all the way so it looked like I just threw it on my porch. Management sides with him, of course despite his behavior of deliberately targeting me to the point management didn't have an answer. It’s a very odd situation. Why would some complete stranger target another complete stranger? When no event triggered anything. I've never spoken to the garbage boy didn't know he existed. Little did I know he was watching me with pure hate. It won't be surprising to hear that I’m the only white person in this equation. The garbage boy attempts to make my life hard, while I'm gone or asleep in a shocking display of cowardly behavior. Management has let it continue with full knowledge and he is still coming around to get garbage. Now my truck tire has an obviously man made gash in it. Big shocker. Garbage boy singled me out simply because of his hatred for white people. Management has been 100% complicit in this. Now they’re sending me threatening emails after their "trusted man of integrity" claims I just left my garbage bag wide open for animals to scatter on my porch. That's a bold face lie. He untied it himself and management took an opportunity to exercise their disdain for white people and attacked me. Do not come to this apartment complex. The cowards here will attack you unprovoked while you're gone or asleep. This is the most shameless and disgusting group Ive ever seen. Obviously I'm in contact with Collier Company as my main objective now is to remove the current management. Look at the photos I attached. $25? Garbage bag wide open.... unbelievable. Shameless cowards. The situation speaks for itself. Don't sign...