MA
Mehruss Jon Ahi
Jul 16, 2026
I am writing this review to share my experience trying to rent an apartment at Town Center Apartments in Lafayette. My wife and I were initially drawn to the property because of its location near BART, but the entire application process turned into one of the most frustrating rental experiences we've ever had.
The first red flag was communication. We were never able to speak with anyone at the leasing office by phone. Every interaction was either through text messages with someone who wasn't on-site or with an overseas representative, making it nearly impossible to get straightforward answers.
After our self-guided tour, we decided to apply for a two-bedroom, one-bath unit. Right before submitting our application, we were informed that the unit we wanted was not renovated. Nowhere on the website was it disclosed that some units were renovated while the available units were not. The apartments shown during the tour gave a completely different impression than what was actually available, which felt misleading.
Despite that, we moved forward with the application. Because I am self-employed, I was repeatedly asked to provide additional documentation that was never listed as part of the application requirements. Every time I submitted what was requested, another request followed. It felt like the requirements kept changing as we went along.
We spent nearly a month going back and forth with Rajshree, submitting document after document, even though we clearly demonstrated that we were financially qualified, including current bank statements showing well over ten times the monthly rent in available funds. I repeatedly asked to speak with someone by phone so we could discuss the situation and find a solution, but those requests were ignored.
Eventually, we were told we needed a co-signer, but even then the requirements were never clearly explained. The same cycle continued, with vague requests for more documentation and no clear guidance on what was actually needed.
After wasting nearly a month, paying over $180 in application fees for three applicants, and getting nowhere, we finally gave up and rented elsewhere.
When I eventually spoke with Rajshree by phone, there was no apology or acknowledgment of how poorly the process had been handled. Instead, she claimed they had called us and that we never returned the calls, which is simply not true. We genuinely wanted to lease here because of the location, and we made every effort to work with them.
What I still can't understand is why a property with multiple vacant units would choose to turn away applicants who were financially qualified, willing to sign a one-year lease, and even willing to pay the entire lease amount upfront. Instead of working with us to resolve what should have been a straightforward application, they allowed the process to drag on until we gave up. It left me questioning whether their priorities are really centered on filling apartments and providing good customer service, because that certainly wasn't our experience.
To make matters worse, it took approximately six weeks to receive our deposit refund, and we had to follow up multiple times before the check was finally sent.
Don't let the recent positive reviews fool you. If this is how difficult it is to communicate with management before you've even signed a lease, I can only imagine how frustrating it would be if you actually became a tenant and needed help with an issue.
Save yourself the time, money, and frustration. There are far more honest, professional, and responsive apartment communities in the area that actually value prospective residents. Based on our experience, I would strongly encourage anyone considering Town Center Apartments to look elsewhere.