Apartment Review for Almadura Apartments - Memphis, TN

First, I will say that the building is very quiet and I have always felt safe here. I have lived here for two years. I moved here initially because the apartments seemed charming and I wanted to live in a taller building. The Almadura makes verbal promises it doesn't keep. If you do decide to move here, I suggest that you get it in writing as part of your lease. The Almadura tries to talk you out of adding verbal promises to your written lease, but unless it's in writing, the promises won't be fulfilled. I have heard the same complaint from several residents. And actually, even before I moved here someone told me the same thing but I thought that the experience had probably been their's alone. In my own experience, there have been several things that were verbally promised, and when I've asked them to be done, I'm told that "it's not in the lease" and the Almadura doesn't have to do it. For example, the previous tenant of my apt had moved out quickly and left the walls half-painted. I was verbally told that I would see a rent discount because of this. Not only was I not given a rent discount, but I paid $70 for primer and was not reimbursed, in addition to the money spent buying paint and the labor hours required to paint the apartment. When I asked for reimbursement, I was actually told my the manager that the Almadura had "let" me paint the apartment. It's a bit hard to explain the condition of the walls in this review without sounding as if I'm just complaining about nothing. I wish I had a photo! It was terrible and even the maneger acknowledged as much when she verbally offered to give me a rent discount in exchange for the almadura owners not having to repaint it themselves before I moved in. I just assumed I'd be given the discount and also I'd just be able to paint it however I wanted. I was not given the discount and it took 2 coats of primer in 3 rooms to get the color to neutral. Another example is the bathtubs. I was promised that they'd be refinished and they never were. The bath tubs are quite old and are not kept up. After about 6 months the coating on the inside of the tub cracks and flakes away. Shortly before I renewed my lease I was promised that the tub would be refinished. When I asked afterwards, I was told that they did not have to do it. It's gross and I am embaressed to let guests use it when they sleep over. When my mother saw the bathroom she said it was "a dump." This might be understandable if the rent were cheaper.. however my rent is $700.00 per month! and in the winter, it is $900.00 per month. Do yourself a favor and go live at the Kimbrough or the Gilmore for the same price. For the same amount of money you'd spend here, you could have something far far nicer somewhere else. The list of amenities is a bit misleading. One example is the dishwasher. The dishwasher has never worked. When I asked for a dishwasher that worked, I was told that it was just something I'd have to put with in exchange for "the charm of living in a historic building." There are many charming buildings in midtown, however. The Almadura apartments seem to me to use the word "charm" as an excuse not to fix things in your apartment. Another reason I wouldn't suggest moving to the Almadura is the high cost of heating that still leaves your apartment quite cold in the winter. You must have a space heater in the winter. The heat is turned on at the Almadura's discretion. The apartments are heated through steam radiators that I believe must be powered by gas. The rent price that you are quoted does not take into account the "rubs," or building utility costs that you must pay every month in addition to your rent. You'll find that in the winter you'll pay $200.00 for building utility heat, on top of your $50-$60 MLGW utility bill, and will still be quite cold. There honestly were days last winter when it was warmer outside than inside my apartment. I suggest you look elsewhere to find an apartment with "charm." This building is just not worth the price you'll pay.