The Cottages at Wells Branch

I have lived at the Cottages at Wells Branch for almost a year in March. I love it here! The staff is amazing and ALWAYS available and when I put a work order in (only have needed 2 for minor issues) they come that day and fix it! The pool is nice and never crowded and the gym is just right with some great equipment! Just signed another year lease today! The ICARES team (Ian & Abbey) are the sweetest couple and host a ton of events every month for the families and kids. My daughter and I look forward to the monthly events. We can’t wait to see what the next year holds at the Cottages! HIGHLY recommended, and their rental prices are GREAT for Austin, Texas :)

I’ve been living at the Cottages for six months, and I love it here.
The complex is very quiet, parking for days, and the apartments themselves are very nice for the price. The utilities seem fair, but I have to admit that this is the first place I’ve lived in since moving to Austin, so I can’t compare to other places. If you’ve been reading the other reviews, one major thing you have to note is that the complex has gotten a huge overhaul as far as I can tell. I’m sure that is in-​part to do with the new managers of the complex. The main leasing office has Kelly, whom is simply awesome at her job. She’s probably the most helpful apartment manager I’ve ever had.
The maintenance crew is top notch, and they’ve helped me as soon as possible whenever I’ve had an issue. They’re the best. Long story short, if you’re looking for a place in north Austin, this is the place to go. It’s excellent.

If I could leave no stars I would. I lived here between 2012 – 2013. The office staff was so rude and unresponsive. Every single time I called or emailed to ask a question or get maintained, I NEVER got an answer. Even now, I am trying to get ahold of the office staff and nobody ever returns phone calls. There were roaches and mice in my apartment as well. I would hate for you to try it!

This WAS a genuinely nice place to live when we first moved in. The complex was sold short after we moved in, and that started 4 – 5 months worth of non-​stop «improvements» to the outsides of the buildings. Management and the office staff are not even remotely helpful or friendly. Their «emergency» maintenance line is an answering machine. Do not plan on renewing our lease when it ends.

If you’re looking for a cheap place to live, you’ve found it. The Cottages take cheap to a whole new level!
This has been a terrible place to live. No A/​C for the first month and a half here (they claimed it was just so hot outside that the unit couldn’t cool the place down). When they finally replaced it they scorched my carpet and left holes in the wall. My living room ceiling leaks and has since I moved in. I’ve been here 6 months and they’ve never done anything about it. My washer leaked into the downstairs apartments and I had to report it several times before anyone came. They never told me if they fixed it or not, and the office’s solution was for me to flood my neighbor’s apartment again to test if the staff had fixed it or not. The covered parking was knocked down and they left it blocking apartments and parking spaces for two weeks. They never replaced it; they just stacked it in a pile next to the parking lot. There is a constant water leak in the parking lot, which all of the residents are paying for each month. Water is turned off frequently, so I’m boiling all the water I use for safety reasons. I can’t wait until my lease ends!

I signed a) month lease and they changed owners about my second month here. They messed up my first payment by telling me I owed what I had already paid. My next month they told me I owed a different amount that I have been paying this whole time and turns out it was wrong and now I have to give them a check to make up the deference. I asked when my lease was up they gave me the wrong date (a month later) btw the apt is infested with those huge water bugs I had to plug up all sink drains and input of washer and dryer holes and have them Spay every week for three months to get rid of them. Bottom line they just don’t know what their doing. I had the office call me asking me why I had a door on my patio I told them I didn’t and she argued with me about so I went in after work and she said o ya sorry wrong person. Wow they really don’t know what there doing. The pool is gross!

I moved here in 1998 and it was very nice. I moved out in 2000, but not due to lack of maintenance or any other thing. I broke the lock off of the hot-​tub controller many a drunken night. But they did hassle me about my moped on the back porch. If you are reading this, you love retro-​Austin stuff. Saw Tommy Lee at Stubbs.

Terrible customer service! We had a late fee and in stead of sending us a notice they came into our home and took 2 TV worth $ 1000.00 (the late fee was 130 bux) There is a rotten tree with branches breaking off on our roof and they refuse to repair! It has been two months since my first complaint!

resident for over 3 years — progressively gets worse. see reviews at
and you’ll see the truth. The only positive reviews are generally from the ghetto people that have moved in here and made this place trash (you’ll recognize them by they numerous typos)

When I originally inquired at The Cottages, I requested the «Avenue» floor plan– a smaller, lower priced unit. Despite my request, I was told that I would be put into a Belevue, that it was better, and it was «only $ 625, which is nothing!» It seemed that, coming from Los Angeles, I was expected to accept less than another potential resident and pay more for it, based on what I’d gotten in a higher cost-​of-​living city. That said, I’ve lived in cities in the Midwest for as many years as I’ve rented in L.A., and I do know what I should expect to get for my money here in Austin.
There were numerous problems upon move-​in with the «Belevue» floor plan apartment I was given.
Besides moving in to filthy carpet and cigarette ashes on the bathroom floor, there were problems which included exterior window screens ripped, vents that are either broken or unable to be adjusted, electrical outlet plugs not functioning, and landing window blinds missing on top, among other things. These things have not, after approximately four months as a «neighbor» in this «community» been repaired.
I understand that «repairs of problems resulting in mere discomfort or inconvenience are not covered by the statute» [Residents, Rental Housing & Texas Law, TAA] and many of the reported problems fall into this category. However, not receiving maintenance on basics that should be functional in a complex that advertises itself as «Austin Luxury Apartments» seems mendacious. Any business claiming to be of «Luxury» quality that can’t provide adequate window coverings should be embarrassed.
Based on the numerous posted notices that this property’s payment is overdue, it would seem that a tenant who consistently pays on time, if not early, would be treasured. Anyone would wonder why a business would disvalue a reliable consumer like myself.
Raising rent, even a dollar, after just 6 months in an apt that is not completely functional is inappropriate. If the non-​functional items in my apt were to be fixed or replaced, I would consider a rent increase of $ 10 – 20 reasonable. But as it stands, I intend to move-​out when my lease is up.
Ignoring everything I’ve said previously, who could afford to live somewhere that increases rent $ 85 every six months?