Review for Chatham Court Apartments/ Reflections Apartments

My roommate and I, students and UT Dallas, lived at Chatham during the fall 2008 and spring 2009 semesters. Our 2-bed 2-bath apartment was in clean, reasonable condition when we arrived minus a great deal of standing water under the kitchen and second-bathroom sinks. Chatham worked with us and got the leaks fixed within 2 or 3 days. There were enough less-significant problems -- the kind you can live with now but you'll get charged for later -- for several dozen digital high-resolution photos.

I strongly agree with a previous reviewer that Chatham's accounting system is seriously flawed. In our case, we appear to have *gained* some $60 to our move-out deposit refund check through screwy accounting, so yay for us. However, the check itself still hasn't arrived a full month and a half after move-out. After contacting Chatham staff 4 days in a row, I was finally informed that the check hasn't even been CUT yet! The explanation given is that the company is "waiting for its 'independent' accounting division to receive the next month's rent so that they have the available funds to write our check, and there's nothing we or Chatham can do." Wow!

Chatham's complex itself is great for UTD students, since it is serviced directly by the free UTD shuttle. Plenty of shopping and businesses in the area. Not too noisy (Chatham enforces a late-night noise ordinance!), no serious crime that I am aware of (2 random gunshots during our 9-months stay), and grounds clean and neat with decent but not great outdoor lighting. Great rental rates for the apartment size. The staff can be grumpy -- but only given a reason! If you're nice, they're nice...no problem. Chatham is DEFINITELY the best complex on the block! (Take a look at any other on McCallum Blvd. and see if you don't agree) :)

My one warning before considering Chatham is this: DOCUMENT EVERY POSSIBLE PROBLEM UP-FRONT VIA A LINE-ITEM LIST WITH DIGITAL PHOTO REFERENCES, AND TURN IN A SIGNED, ORIGINAL COPY WITH YOUR MOVE-IN CONDITIONS ACCEPTANCE LETTER ON YOUR SECOND OR THIRD DAY AFTER MOVE-IN. Do the same when you move out, and also if anything breaks that isn't your fault. Chatham cannot argue with neat, thorough photo documentation. You don't have to print the photos, just parenthesize the image filename at the end of each line item -- e.g. (PIC002.jpg) -- and stick them all on a CD that you attach to the report.

If you're reasonably careful with your apartment during your stay, you won't get charged a single dime at move-out. Actually RECEIVING the $500+ move-out deposit refund check in a timely manner is another story!