University Ridge Apartments. Murfreesboro, TN.

It's the beginning of July! This means fireworks, cookouts, and, oh yeah...my rent is due!

Let's get some background here:

I've lived at Campus Crossings South (Murfreesboro, TN) for about four years now. I wouldn't say they were good to me -- besides the maintenance staff, those guys are my buddies -- but I suppose they made my stay, well...livable.

Just two months ago, my apartment complex was purchased by a new company. New company, new name: although I haven't moved, I now am a "happy" resident of University Ridge Apartments (Murfreesboro, TN). Campus Crossings was never very professional -- I mean, how professional can you be with a staff chock full of ignorant, lazy college students [who couldn't care less about me and the apartment I live in], right?

Well, I've had my fill of untimely maintenance "fixes", pain in the ass neighbors, and the inconvenience of "apartment inspections" of which I am supposed to be notified of in advance but, of course, never am.

So, it goes without saying, I was decently excited about new owners, new property managers, and even a whole new staff. Maybe they've actually hired friendly, competent, and efficient individuals to be the face of their apartment complex!

Rent is always due on the 1st of every month, with a four day grace period: i.e. NO LATE FEE if you pay your rent anywhere from the 1st to the 5th of the month. Now, like I said, I've lived here for four years, so I know, from experience, that if the 5th falls on a Sunday (when the office is closed), I can still pay Monday (the 6th) without penalty.

Well, the 5th wasn't a Sunday. It was a Monday. So, me, being the procrastination QUEEN that I am, strolled up to the office only to find myself slamming my head into the front door.

It's locked.

I look at the time on my phone. 2pm. Pretty sure the office is always open until 6pm, except on Sundays.

Double check my phone for the date. Yup, it's definitely Monday.

At this point I am confused. I return to the vehicle, where my friend is waiting, "They're closed." He also has that look of confusion on his face as he glances over at the office door.

"It says OPEN right on the door!", he exclaims.

I follow his eyes, "Wow. Just wow." There was actually a sign on the door, indicating the office was "OPEN" in HUGE BLUE LETTERING.

"Well, I heard a lot of places are closing today because the 4th of July fell on a Sunday.", he shrugs.

Most. Ridiculous. Thing. I've. Ever. Heard.

Why the hell would you close on a random Monday simply because the Sunday before was a holiday? Need a longer weekend? Well, news flash, University Ridge: you're running a business here, where residents depends on you being there! This isn't just some family-owned restaurant where you can do whatever you want and it doesn't really affect your customers THAT much. UGH!

I am irritated. But go about my day anyway, knowing it's fine because I can just pay it on Tuesday. After all, they were closed the past TWO DAYS, one of which was just so that the staff could have an elongated weekend.

Tuesday, July 6th. 1pm.

I walk into the office, credit card in hand. Three college students, one of whom has worked there ALMOST as long as I have lived here, are at the front desk pretending to look busy and accommodating.

I smile and greet them, collectively. Finally, one of the guys asks me what it is I need. I tell him I need to pay my rent. The other guy, [redacted], is helping another resident; and as he takes her check, he says, "Well, you have to pay the late fee now."

I dart my eyes up at the guy helping me and say, "You guys were randomly closed yesterday, so I couldn't pay it. You ARE waving the late fee, just for today, right?" Almost in unison, all of the employees say, "No."

Nope. I have to pay the late fee.

As I am explaining to the guy that I had no reason to assume they'd be closed on a Monday, another female employee walks by. I involve her and ask if they'll wave the fee. She understandingly nods and says, "Yes, they said they'd wave the late fee if you pay rent today." I look at the other three, dumbfoundedly. Why the hell did they not know this crucial information that this woman acts like is common knowledge?

Whatever. I get over it and hand them my card.

"We don't take credit cards.", the guy helping me initially says as dry as possible (just in case I thought he was a friendly employee there to help, he clearly wanted to ensure I knew that wasn't the case).

"What?", I blurted out, "I've lived here for four years, since when do you not take credit cards?" I looked over at [redacted], the employee that "knows me" and has worked there for a while longer than the others, hoping he could help clear this up.

[redacted] shrugged lazily and said that I could pay my rent online now using a card, but would be charged a fee of $15. Then, he instructed me to go to Walmart and purchase a money order, because it was only 50 cents.

"Oh, you can buy a money order with a credit card?", I asked. [redacted] assured me you could. I thanked him for his help, for him saving me ~$14, and left, making my way to Walmart.

Get in line at the MoneyCenter. Waiting...waiting...waiting...finally! My turn! I tell them woman I need a money order and for how much, and I hand her my card.

"Okay, now type your pin.", the MoneyCenter cashier says to me.

"Uhh, this is a credit card. Not a debit."

"Oh, we don't accept credit cards for money orders."

D'oh.

"Okay, thanks anyway." Cool, [redacted]: they accept credit cards. Appreciate it, dude.

Back to the office I go! This time, I am greeted by a smiling female who wasn't there earlier!

"Can I help you?" she asks, before I have to ask her myself.

I blurted out that I couldn't obtain a money order and have to pay with a card, so I guess I have to do it online.

"Oh, you can pay with a card, let me get you the sheet to fill out."

Just like that? Before I even say they told me I couldn't pay with a credit, she offers it as an option. Well, why the hell did they tell me that i COULDN"T pay with a card earlier? This information would have saved me a lot of time and effort.

So, she gets the form. Tells me to fill out my name, apartment number, and credit card information and that's it. Then they can run it and...VOILA! I've successfully payed my rent with a credit card [like I have umpteenth times in the past]!

So, I'm filling out the sheet and as I hand the finished copy to the very nice female who helped me, I see the guy (not [redacted], but the guy who "helped" me before) sitting at the back desk.

I'm kind of annoyed that I was misinformed and sent out on a scavenger hunt for a money order that I couldn't obtain anyway, when all he had to do was give me this sheet, so I make the decision to confront the lying jerk.

"Hey, why did you guys tell me you didn't take credit cards?"

"We don't."

I hold up the sheet and nod at the female, "She just gave me this sheet to fill out so that I can."

"Oh, that's taking a sheet, not taking a card."

Smug. Only look that can describe that imbecile's face at that exact moment. Smug.

I can not BELIEVE he just said that to me. I stared, awe-stricken, for about five seconds until I turned around, thanked the girl (seemingly the only competent person in that office) who ACTUALLY helped me, and walked out.

I was irate! Not only did the moron LIE to me, but he had the nerve to mouth off as well. Wow.

University Ridge Apartments, YOUR SERVICE STINKS!

You've received a ServiceStinks rating of...1 finger out of 10!

Congratulations!

(Told and written by Jamie)