Complaint Review: E&J Management - Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

I lived in an E&J apartment from August 2014 - July 2015. The rent was $825 for a one-bedroom apartment in Squirrel Hill. I was paying primarily for location, although comparable apartments in the area seemed to be either cheaper, or had more amenities (dishwasher) for a little more. There was actually an identical building owned by another company next door that was updated with a dishwasher and newer kitchen for $50 more a month. 

The building is older, so there is a lot of noise when people are moving around. You often hear people walking around, talking, slamming doors, etc. I lived below a family with children and the children were constantly running around. The mailboxes in the lobby did not lock at all, so your mail was always unsecured. The lights in the hallways typically turned on long after it was dark out, making it difficult to see. The intercom system for the secure front door also did not work, so when you had visitors, you always had to go to the door and let them in.

Inside my apartment, I did like all of the windows, and my large living room/dining room area, but the bathroom was in desperate need of repair. The bathtub was very rusted and the frame around the window in the shower was buckling from water damage. In the shower, I often had to dodge out of the water because the pressure would die off for a few minutes and turn freezing cold. When the pressure returned a few minutes later, it would be scalding hot before getting back to normal and repeating the process a few minutes later.

The kitchen was outdated. There was no garbage disposal or dishwasher. The countertop was old, stained and scratched. The stove and oven were compact size and the hood over the stove was caked in grease. 

Almost all of the power outlets in the entire apartment were only two-pronged and needed three-prong converters. The heat in the apartment was included in the rent, but you have absolutely no control over the temperature or when the heat is on, so it could be on days when you didn't need it and off during periods when you did need it. Often times I was freezing in my apartment. There was also no air conditioning, so you could either rent a window unit from the complex, or bring your own. 

Two of the biggest issues I had were from maintenance and from management. My sinks often backed up. My kitchen sink got stopped up really bad and reeked once. When maintenance came to fix it, the guy was on the phone and I heard him blaming me for the backup and calling me names when clearly I was not at fault. My toilet often got clogged too, which required a plunger.

In March, I was laid off from my job. I communicated with management about this and I provided them with a payment plan showing them the amount I would pay and the date they would receive payment, which was every two weeks and they would be fully paid by the end of my lease. This was fine for three months. I heard nothing from them and told them in my initial email that if they had any issues to let me know so something else could be figured out. A woman named Mary, whom I had never seen or spoken with before called me in June and she was very combative and rude telling me this agreement was no longer OK and I had three days to pay my balance or face eviction. She acknowledged the agreement and acknowledged my comment about if there was a problem to contact me, but could not articulate why there's a problem now, when it was fine for three months. She blamed the owners, but admitted the owners weren't aware of the situation or payment plan and she wouldn't tell them. In other words, she was just looking for a fight. Since this was towards the end of my lease, I am guessing she was hoping I wouldn't be able to pay my rent and would be forced to forfeit my security deposit. When I did get my deposit back, there was a $75 deduction for "dumping" at the trash dumpster, which I did not do. Others had done so, and I assume they charge this to everyone moving out around that time to maximize their profits. This is highly unprofessional and unethical. People from the apartment often came in my apartment unannounced, particularly after I told them I was not renewing my lease. They had several tours without giving me any type of notice. I had a lock on the inside of my door that could not be unlocked from the outside, and luckily I always used that lock as there were times when they stopped by and I was in the shower.

Beyond my encounters with the maintenance guy and Mary, the primary person I had contact with was Katherine. I believe she is an agent for the company and is their representative in Pittsburgh. I think the management team is outside of the Pittsburgh area in another state. Katherine was nice and polite and she is the only reason I gave this review two stars instead of one. 

If you can find a better place in the area, I would definitely do so. I would not recommend this company. The only pluses were Katherine and the location of the apartment.