Shirlington House

So to be honest i'm a little salty.

My overall experience has been good and I've liked my room. However there are some issues that I have real problems with. I'll start with the big one: A/C.

Bell partners markets the property as providing A/C (such as on apartments.com). What they fail to note is that they have an old boiler system that switches between A/C and heat. It is a time consuming process, and therefore they turn on A/C in May and turn it off in mid-october. This is kind of important... when you're renting in April, the temperature in your room approaches 80, and it makes it hard to sleep. I requested assistance (like a portable A/C, or something, you know, helpful). Well when I put in my request during a heat wave a few weeks back they sent a response saying it was fixed and they did absolutely nothing, no communication. I had to ask a manager what was going on and they explained that there was nothing they could provide and that the next few weeks would be "rough".....that was 3 weeks ago and we have another two weeks. That is absolutely unacceptable for an apartment costing $2.2k. I would not have paid as much as I have when I signed on a few years back if I had known that and if Bell Partners had been transparent.

This place has multiple times charged me twice for parking at random. It's frustrating that the few times i've checked on my rent payments they've made administrative errors.

They also have an extremely punishing termination fees (effectively 4 months between the 60 day notice and two month penalty). I understand it's a business but like.....at least give me a liveable space while you charge me those fees.

I've enjoyed my time here but these last few transgressions leave a sour taste. I cannot recommend this to anyone who doesn't fully vet out and research this place from top to bottom. Lee mas

On 12/17/2024 at 5:32 PM, I received an email notifying residents that pest spraying would occur the next day, 12/18/2024. This extremely short notice was unprofessional and inadequate. I witnessed spraying along the baseboards and on the carpets in the hallways, and when the technician entered my apartment, they indicated they would spray behind the oven and refrigerator.

However, I was shocked to see them spraying my plants, furniture, and even my Christmas tree and tree skirt! I immediately... told them to stop and leave my apartment. Following this incident, I sent an email requesting information about the substances sprayed on my belongings. It is now 3:00 PM on 12/19/2024, and I have received no response. This lack of communication is unacceptable, and I will be contacting the local health department or environmental protection agency to report this matter.

Additional Concerns:

Move-In Process: There are no Sunday move-ins, which is inconvenient for weekend movers. When I moved in, my apartment was filthy. While building cleaners were sent after I complained, the apartment should have been move-in ready.
Package Handling: Despite paying for a package service, none of the scanners work, forcing tenants to manually enter 8-digit codes—an unnecessary hassle, especially with multiple packages.

Temperature Control: Many tenants, including myself, face unreasonably high temperatures. My apartment has reached 82°F since the air conditioning was turned off in early October. The discomfort lasted for two months, and I dread what March and April will bring.

Parking and Accessibility: The distance from the parking garage to the apartments is excessive. As an out-of-state mover, I was not informed about this inconvenience beforehand.
Safety and Cleanliness: The surrounding area feels unsafe, with frequent sightings of dead squirrels (possibly poisoned) and bird droppings from large flocks of crows. Additionally, public housing next door exacerbates my concerns about walking my dog at night.

Unit Quality: I pay approximately $2,450/month for a one-bedroom apartment with parking, but the building's age and poor renovations do not justify this cost. Specific issues include:

Peeling flooring

Dishwasher requires multiple cycles to clean dishes.

Old, inefficient ventless dryer that takes hours—and days to dry a single load.

Given the way the pest spraying issue was handled (or not handled) and the numerous ongoing problems, I have decided not to renew my lease. Lee mas

I lived at Shirlington House for 3 years and enjoyed my time there. Building is older, but updated in many areas. Apartments are good size and electricity as well as gas are included in your rent (Water bill is the only variable cost you are responsible for and billed with your monthly rent.) Rarely heard my neighbors above or beside me as this is a concrete building. I was in a studio with no washer/dryer but laundry rooms are located on each floor. Due to shared vent systems throughout the... building, occasional cooking/smoke smells would enter the apartment. This building uses a boiler/chiller system so AC is only provided after May 1st through the beginning of October and heat is the only option from October 15th through April. The AC did break a handful of times while I lived there, so be aware! Maintenance is quick to respond to requests and very friendly. The leasing office turned over about three times during my time, but most everyone was friendly and able to help with the minimal issues I had. Lot parking was $75.00/month (garage parking is available) and Trash fees were $20.00/month. Building does offer a freight elevator for move-in/move-out that can be reserved as well as a convenience store located on floor 3 which has everyone one may need. Great/Safe location with easy access to I-95 as well as shops and restaurants within walking distance. Lee mas

This property is located in a beautiful neighborhood and very convenient location. Many things to do near by. The property is old and a lot of things break often (elevators / air conditioners)

The worst part is you dont control ypur own AC and the temperature of your apartment home and when you get heat or cold air conditioning. Is managed by the property. And they turn it on at a certain time of the year and turn it off at a certain point in the year as well. This is hell right now with... temperatures around 80-90s degrees and no air conditioning.

When you ask when they are going to turn it on, they are disrespectful and wanna seem very smart and jokesters and say “Sometime during the first weeks of May”. Imagine me telling them I’ll be paying my rent sometime soon during the first or second week of May…. Lee mas

Just a terrific place to live. Great neighbors, great neighborhood, great location. You won't find a better value in the area.