Before renting at 137 University Ave W, Waterloo — I wish I knew this
I normally don’t like writing negative reviews, but I wanted to share my experience because I think it may help someone who is considering renting here.
I lived at 137 University Ave W for about 10 months. Unfortunately, most of the problems I experienced started almost immediately after I moved in. The apartment was supposed to be inspected and properly maintained before I moved in, but that wasn’t really my experience.
During the winter, I went almost three weeks without heating. There were also problems with the dishwasher, and the shower wasn’t working properly.
Throughout my time there, I always tried to be reasonable and solve the problems rather than complain about every little thing. I contacted management whenever something needed to be fixed, gave them time to address the issues, and tried to work with them whenever possible. Unfortunately, after dealing with one problem after another, it eventually became too stressful.
Another issue for me was privacy. The windows are very large, and because of the concrete ceiling, it was extremely difficult to install proper curtains. This made it difficult to have the level of privacy I expected in my apartment.
The location was also stressful for me. There is a homeless shelter next to the building, and I frequently heard police and fire department activity in the area. At night, there were sometimes people yelling or making loud noises, which made it difficult to relax and sleep.
I also had Amazon packages stolen multiple times. I reported the issue to management, but unfortunately, I didn’t feel that much was done about it.
Near the end of my stay, the microwave started sparking and catching fire. I contacted management several times and asked for it to be replaced, but unfortunately, I didn’t feel that my concerns were taken seriously.
After dealing with these issues for months, the situation became very stressful for me, and I decided that I couldn’t continue living there after about 10 months.
When I decided to leave before completing the full year, I was also told that I had to pay back a month that I had received as a promotion.
I want to be fair and make it clear that this is only my personal experience. I understand that other tenants may have a completely different experience.
However, after everything I experienced, I personally would not choose to rent there again.
I also feel like I was treated unfairly throughout this experience. Is there any way I can pursue this or get some compensation for what happened? If anyone in Waterloo/Ontario has dealt with a similar situation or knows what my options are, I would really appreciate your advice.
I’m not looking to cause problems or attack anyone. I just want to know if there is a reasonable way to address what happened and make sure I’m not being taken advantage of.