The Rice — Local services in Houston

Resident update after 4 Months: When I first leased here at The Rice, I gave this place 5 stars. I received exemplary service from my original leasing consultant, Alaina. She really did a phenomenal job highlighting the property and the neighborhood. Unfortunately, she was/has been the only staff member that has ever been that impactful or helpful. I typically don't complain because I have worked in PM myself and know how arduous a job it can be. Due to the egregious service that I have received lately, I felt compelled to share my story and hopefully prevent any future prospects from experiencing the same. I will start with stating the building is beautiful: great amenities, prime location, and free valet service. This is what initially pulled me in! It's not the property; IT IS THE LEASING TEAM! The previous leasing agent I had is no longer working here, and she took the great work ethic with her. The most pressing issue is the outdated appliances! I have placed MULTIPLE requests regarding the dryer in my unit, only for it to be replaced and still present the same issues. Each time, I am told to clean the filter(which I do and HAVE TO DO after EVERY CYCLE) , but I still have to use multiple cycles to get my clothes dry. Mind you, I don't even wash a heavy load due to this reasoning. Imagine how elevated my energy bill is and has been due to this. I have contacted the leasing office A TOTAL OF 10x to get this issue resolved. I have spoken to the manager, Jenny, the assistant manager, Destiny, both new leasing agents(one is Angel and the other is a guy with a nasty attitude). The reason I know the names of the entire staff is because I have spoken to ALL OF THEM for months at this point regarding this issue, only for the manager Jenny to lie in the beginning stating I would receive another dryer and to continue to ignore my calls, visits, and requests for a follow up. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE and abhorrent behavior. For the manager to do this really displays why the staff provides such abysmal service. There is also very low water pressure in my unit and minimal coverage with the internet service in the unit; these entities are manageable but the lack of follow up and correspondence regarding the dryer moved me to write this review so that whomever is reading this will understand: don't lease where the leasing staff has no respect or care for the residents. It does not make living here pleasant. I can see from the other reviews other residents have updated their reviews also and are echoing these same sentiments regarding the staff. YOU HAVE...

In 2014 there was a 24 hour concierge service that was there to help you in emergencies. That no longer exists. It is now 2020. I accidentally locked my keys in my car. I had a hard time getting outside the garage without my fob ( which was on my key locked in my car). Finally, I caught someone entering the gate. I walked to the front and luckily someone was entering the building. No concierge to help me get my key to my apartment and no valet. The valet would have been helpful because I had an extra car key in the valet. If we still had a 24hr concierge, he could have accessed my valet key too. I called the emergency maintenance hotline and they could not help me because a "lock out" is not an emergency by law. The answering service lady was rude and despite my efforts in pleading with her to call someone due to a health concern...without cursing, without raising my voice...she continued to hang up in my face everytime I called.

I called a locksmith. $85 to come out. Unfortunately, I didnt have enough at the time.

In 2014, I left my keys at a friends house and was locked out. I placed an emergency work order, the concierge verified me as a resident, and let me in my apartment.There was a $50 fee added to my rent bill for the "lock out" which was fine since I didn't have the cash on hand at the time. Those were the good days. If things were like that now, I could have given a better review.

Nevertheless, the good thing is that I was not stuck in the garage or outside. I had to sleep in the lobby. I was also glad I didn't have to wake up early for work the next day. The office doesn't open till 9am.

As a tenant, I pay alot in rent here. I just expect more. I forgot to mention that two neighboring high rise apartments, I found, has 24 hour concierge and a system to aid residents in case of a lock out.

The other thing I dislike is that the valet staff changes frequently. I have a personal parking spot I pay $100 for every month. Even though my spot has a number, the new valet can't find it. They end up parking my car in any random spot then, when I have to leave early in the morning, before they arrive, I have to hunt for my car. I have learned to avoid using the valet for myself as an amenity.

Other than that, I have enjoy living here....the other amenities are great. I just wish they would invest a little more into handling emergency situations and invest in a 24hour concierge along with paying at least one of the valet workers extra for...

Here is my very honest review after living here for a few months👇

Staff: 5/5 I’ve had no problem with staff, they’re all very nice and want to take care of you and help out. Can be a bit strict from time to time.

Maintenance: 3.5/5 The maintenance staff themselves are great and very helpful, but I’ve had a few issues with the washer when I first moved in and took them pretty long to come by. Had to go downstairs and find someone. The building itself definitely needs some love too. When you look at the beautiful woodwork on the windows I think it’s a shame that they’ve painted over them so many times. There’s also some parts of the halls and just cleanliness within the floors that I think are neglected and needs more love. Other than these my apartment was in a pretty decent condition when I got in and didn’t have any weird smells.

Noise: 0/5 If you’re a light sleeper you’re pretty much screwed. There’s at least 2 bars that play music into the street Thursday - Saturday on the loudest possible setting. People also love racing on these streets and for whatever reason, and they race at 11pm - 1am. The sound of the exhaust reverberates up through the buildings, no way to escape it. I’ve had to get a lot of different earplugs over the course of the months.

Design potential: 5/5 If you get a unit with exposed brick there’s so much potential with all that you can do. If you’re on a higher floor the natural lighting is absolutely crazy. Some of the new units have the bricks covered, which idk which genius voted to cover such beautiful piece of history. Definitely worth finding a unit with bricks. One thing that sucks is, again, the over modernization of some of the new units with too much gray but there’s plenty of options. I hate these new build apartments where you walk in, island, living room, bedroom to right. The layouts at this building have a lot of personality and are super unique.

Vibes: 5/5 Super easy to chat with people, friendly neighbors, and have had 0 problems in that regard. The concierge & valet are pretty chill. The bar downstairs is also nice. There’s a sense of community here at The Rice you don’t really get at other buildings/apartments very often. Overall good vibes.

Overall: 3.7/5 Definitely a great spot if you’re single or young and are looking to have a fun phase or a good living experience. It’s also close to Buffalo bayou so if you work in the city you can just bike there...