This property does not deserve 4 stars. The positive google reviews for this place have to be fake. Lived here since 2022 and it has gotten worse and worse every year. Fredrick has the most accurate review so there isn't much more i can add outside my first hand experiences. Pool breaks during peak summer, gym is one of the filthiest apartment gyms i have ever used, the elevators break at-least once a month, and the hallways wreak of weed almost 24/7. I swear, windsor properties purposely neglects this location. I have never seen anything like it. The current residents are passing around a petition against the poor maintenance of the amenities of this complex. I will def be signing it. Currently consulting legal help to find a way out of my lease too. It’s that bad!
Frederick Taylor
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August 08, 2024
I was a resident since February 2022 and recently moved out July 2024.
Cleanliness: The property is filthy. The cleaning staff does not clean past the first floor, which is blatantly evident by the animal odors throughout the halls on floors 2-6, the animal hair littered throughout the carpets, and the exterior of the building needs to be power washed. It's not uncommon for there to be vomit, urine, and feces left in the elevator for an extended amount of time (and if it happens during the weekend, it's there until the cleaning crew returns on Monday).
Elevators: Aside from the filth, the elevators at this property are (1) slow and (2) minimally operational. If you're using the non-freight elevator (which most residents utilize), it's not uncommon to have to wait for several minutes before it picks you up/drops you off. This may seem trivial, but when you're running behind or generally on a schedule, the wait alone can set you back several minutes (and even longer if there are other stops on the way). That's not necessarily the pain point though. The main issue with the elevators is their unreliability since they are constantly (CONSTANTLY!) out of order. One of the elevators will be inoperable at least twice a month every single month. It never fails, and management is very slow with calling a tech out to fix the issue. Oftentimes, a part needs to be replaced, which only further extends the outage timeline. And do you think management will even consider a rebate or some sort of compensation for the inconvenience? Well, if you said no - you're absolutely right. I actually witnessed the current property manager laugh in a residents face when they asked if this would be something they'd consider during the most recent outage. Keep in mind this building has 10 floors (including the underground garage floors + the ground floor). I lived on the sixth floor, so when the elevators were out, I had to walk all those stairs up and down.
Inexplainable fee: There is a monthly fee that's essentially a property upkeep + extracurriculars fee that "covers" maintenance, resident events, beautification, furniture replacement, etc. I lived here for over two years and can count on one hand how many resident events were held (three). Based on my previous comments, it's clear the fee wasn't going towards the property's upkeep - otherwise I wouldn't have constantly had to inquire about power washing the exterior walls surrounding the pool area, when floors 2-6 were scheduled to be cleaned and vacuumed, when the elevators were going to be replaced due to their frequent outages, etc. None of that was accomplished in the time I lived there.
Staff: I will say the staff at this community is very kind and caring. The maintenance team is top notch and completes requests almost always within 24 hours. The only issue I have is with the property manager. She is clueless. When having a discussion about something that was promised to take place that didn't, the current manager (Amy) victimized herself and passed me off to her manager to finish the conversation. Her incompetence simply knows no bounds.
Electricity: When the wind blows too hard, expect to lose power. This property's power is always being knocked out during weather episodes, and it's going to take several days to restore. During Beryl the property was without power for over a week. The kicker? The building's water supply runs on ELECTRIC pumps, so when it loses power, it loses running water. You'll be hot, unclean, dehydrated, and uncomfortable.
In short, Windsor Shepherd is in an amazing location, but that's about it as far as the positives go. It is NOT worth the (load of) money to sign a lease here and you'd be better off shredding your hard earned dollars that signing on the dotted line. There are far too many comparable properties in the same community to settle for this place. Please: RENTERS BEWARE. This is not somewhere you want to call home for the next 12-15 months. You can find better - SO much better (as I have just six minutes away). You've been warned.
Kierra Pickens
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September 01, 2024
I’m a current resident and wish I would’ve gone with my gut feeling and NOT moved here. Every new resident I’ve communicated with feels the same.
There was a break in on the property with which makes me feel unsafe. Especially since a key fob is needed to get on the floors.
When the power goes out, the water does too. There is no backup generator so the apartment was not livable for over a week for both the hurricane and the tornado.
There is ONE slow operating elevator for the whole building as the other one is always broken. It is so slow that I have been late to appointments and meetings waiting on the elevator to get in and out of the building. Since the freight elevator is always out, residents have to use the only operating elevator to move in and out which makes it inconvenient and crowded.
The hallways smell like cat and dog pee. I’ve personally seen pets defecate and urinate in the hallways and it doesn’t get cleaned. It’s super embarrassing when having guests.
The leasing office takes days to respond and no one is on the same page when giving responses.
The pool and gym are nice and parking is okay if you don’t get home too late. The location is also close to everything.
Overall, not worth the price with the poor management. You can get better. Don’t stress yourself with this property.
Boimah Sambola
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May 25, 2023
**Non-resident. I am only rating my apartment tour and leasing agent**
I toured here recently with Amy, and WOW. This place is extremely welcoming. It feels luxurious, from the leasing office to the carpeted hallways. Nice colorful touches add some liveliness. Cool arcade, nice pool, amazing gym & business center. Small outdoor terrace area. The only concern I would have had (based on Google reviews) would have been parking lot security - leasing agent noted that a quick-close system is now used. The ONLY thing keeping me from leasing here was simply that I chose a different part of town, but this is an excellent location very central to the hip happenings - and I recommended to a friend.
Tripp Pollard
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July 18, 2024
Edit: this building does not have a backup generator / on-site generator specifically for the pumps, which means that you lose power, you lose water, which is a complete no-go in Houston. The other reviews are good but please bear in mind that this will put you in a really terrible position. Both times over the past 6 months when the derecho and Hurricane Beryl came through, I lost power as a resident here for far longer than any of my colleagues. I was actually the last person to get power in my entire office after the hurricane. I strongly advise finding a place that is much more resilient to extreme weather.
The management here also handled the situation poorly, as after many residents had already left because we were days into no power and hadn't heard anything, they started asking us to turn off the water and take out the trash. This was not possible for many residents, as many residents who have families left in haste because they really needed a place, and I found myself homeless for a week and unable to return to the building because I needed to work.
I've had pest and noise issues, and for a building with 6 floors of residents, there are only two elevators. This means that I am often waiting 5+ minutes multiple times a day for an elevator. Plus, anytime there is severe weather, the faster elevator stops working and maintenance on it takes weeks at a time.
On the plus side, the kitchen is nice (except for the pull out tray on the stove, which gets jammed and I no longer use it, as one time when going to open it it flew out and slashed open my ankle.
Also, be aware of the ridiculous trash pickup fee that is baked into your contract and that you CANNOT get out of, even if you take care of your own trash each week. Regardless of this, many residents are lazy and just drop their trash by the chute or put their bags in the chute and jam it by not pushing them down the chute.
Noise is another issue, as the glass in the bedrooms is single-pane, which means you here EVERYTHING going by on Shepherd Drive, which is a noisy road, even at night. The bar nearby doesn't make things better.
On the plus side, the staff here are pretty good, but the really good manager just moved to another complex, and I expect management to go downhill. Additionally, the West End coffee shop beside the apartment is one of the best cafes in Houston.
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This property does not deserve 4 stars. The positive google reviews for this place have to be fake. Lived here since 2022 and it has gotten worse and worse every year. Fredrick has the most accurate review so there isn't much more i can add outside my first hand experiences. Pool breaks during peak summer, gym is one of the filthiest apartment gyms i have ever used, the elevators break at-least once a month, and the hallways wreak of weed almost 24/7. I swear, windsor properties purposely neglects this location. I have never seen anything like it. The current residents are passing around a petition against the poor maintenance of the amenities of this complex. I will def be signing it. Currently consulting legal help to find a way out of my lease too. It’s that bad!
I was a resident since February 2022 and recently moved out July 2024. Cleanliness: The property is filthy. The cleaning staff does not clean past the first floor, which is blatantly evident by the animal odors throughout the halls on floors 2-6, the animal hair littered throughout the carpets, and the exterior of the building needs to be power washed. It's not uncommon for there to be vomit, urine, and feces left in the elevator for an extended amount of time (and if it happens during the weekend, it's there until the cleaning crew returns on Monday). Elevators: Aside from the filth, the elevators at this property are (1) slow and (2) minimally operational. If you're using the non-freight elevator (which most residents utilize), it's not uncommon to have to wait for several minutes before it picks you up/drops you off. This may seem trivial, but when you're running behind or generally on a schedule, the wait alone can set you back several minutes (and even longer if there are other stops on the way). That's not necessarily the pain point though. The main issue with the elevators is their unreliability since they are constantly (CONSTANTLY!) out of order. One of the elevators will be inoperable at least twice a month every single month. It never fails, and management is very slow with calling a tech out to fix the issue. Oftentimes, a part needs to be replaced, which only further extends the outage timeline. And do you think management will even consider a rebate or some sort of compensation for the inconvenience? Well, if you said no - you're absolutely right. I actually witnessed the current property manager laugh in a residents face when they asked if this would be something they'd consider during the most recent outage. Keep in mind this building has 10 floors (including the underground garage floors + the ground floor). I lived on the sixth floor, so when the elevators were out, I had to walk all those stairs up and down. Inexplainable fee: There is a monthly fee that's essentially a property upkeep + extracurriculars fee that "covers" maintenance, resident events, beautification, furniture replacement, etc. I lived here for over two years and can count on one hand how many resident events were held (three). Based on my previous comments, it's clear the fee wasn't going towards the property's upkeep - otherwise I wouldn't have constantly had to inquire about power washing the exterior walls surrounding the pool area, when floors 2-6 were scheduled to be cleaned and vacuumed, when the elevators were going to be replaced due to their frequent outages, etc. None of that was accomplished in the time I lived there. Staff: I will say the staff at this community is very kind and caring. The maintenance team is top notch and completes requests almost always within 24 hours. The only issue I have is with the property manager. She is clueless. When having a discussion about something that was promised to take place that didn't, the current manager (Amy) victimized herself and passed me off to her manager to finish the conversation. Her incompetence simply knows no bounds. Electricity: When the wind blows too hard, expect to lose power. This property's power is always being knocked out during weather episodes, and it's going to take several days to restore. During Beryl the property was without power for over a week. The kicker? The building's water supply runs on ELECTRIC pumps, so when it loses power, it loses running water. You'll be hot, unclean, dehydrated, and uncomfortable. In short, Windsor Shepherd is in an amazing location, but that's about it as far as the positives go. It is NOT worth the (load of) money to sign a lease here and you'd be better off shredding your hard earned dollars that signing on the dotted line. There are far too many comparable properties in the same community to settle for this place. Please: RENTERS BEWARE. This is not somewhere you want to call home for the next 12-15 months. You can find better - SO much better (as I have just six minutes away). You've been warned.
I’m a current resident and wish I would’ve gone with my gut feeling and NOT moved here. Every new resident I’ve communicated with feels the same. There was a break in on the property with which makes me feel unsafe. Especially since a key fob is needed to get on the floors. When the power goes out, the water does too. There is no backup generator so the apartment was not livable for over a week for both the hurricane and the tornado. There is ONE slow operating elevator for the whole building as the other one is always broken. It is so slow that I have been late to appointments and meetings waiting on the elevator to get in and out of the building. Since the freight elevator is always out, residents have to use the only operating elevator to move in and out which makes it inconvenient and crowded. The hallways smell like cat and dog pee. I’ve personally seen pets defecate and urinate in the hallways and it doesn’t get cleaned. It’s super embarrassing when having guests. The leasing office takes days to respond and no one is on the same page when giving responses. The pool and gym are nice and parking is okay if you don’t get home too late. The location is also close to everything. Overall, not worth the price with the poor management. You can get better. Don’t stress yourself with this property.
**Non-resident. I am only rating my apartment tour and leasing agent** I toured here recently with Amy, and WOW. This place is extremely welcoming. It feels luxurious, from the leasing office to the carpeted hallways. Nice colorful touches add some liveliness. Cool arcade, nice pool, amazing gym & business center. Small outdoor terrace area. The only concern I would have had (based on Google reviews) would have been parking lot security - leasing agent noted that a quick-close system is now used. The ONLY thing keeping me from leasing here was simply that I chose a different part of town, but this is an excellent location very central to the hip happenings - and I recommended to a friend.
Edit: this building does not have a backup generator / on-site generator specifically for the pumps, which means that you lose power, you lose water, which is a complete no-go in Houston. The other reviews are good but please bear in mind that this will put you in a really terrible position. Both times over the past 6 months when the derecho and Hurricane Beryl came through, I lost power as a resident here for far longer than any of my colleagues. I was actually the last person to get power in my entire office after the hurricane. I strongly advise finding a place that is much more resilient to extreme weather. The management here also handled the situation poorly, as after many residents had already left because we were days into no power and hadn't heard anything, they started asking us to turn off the water and take out the trash. This was not possible for many residents, as many residents who have families left in haste because they really needed a place, and I found myself homeless for a week and unable to return to the building because I needed to work. I've had pest and noise issues, and for a building with 6 floors of residents, there are only two elevators. This means that I am often waiting 5+ minutes multiple times a day for an elevator. Plus, anytime there is severe weather, the faster elevator stops working and maintenance on it takes weeks at a time. On the plus side, the kitchen is nice (except for the pull out tray on the stove, which gets jammed and I no longer use it, as one time when going to open it it flew out and slashed open my ankle. Also, be aware of the ridiculous trash pickup fee that is baked into your contract and that you CANNOT get out of, even if you take care of your own trash each week. Regardless of this, many residents are lazy and just drop their trash by the chute or put their bags in the chute and jam it by not pushing them down the chute. Noise is another issue, as the glass in the bedrooms is single-pane, which means you here EVERYTHING going by on Shepherd Drive, which is a noisy road, even at night. The bar nearby doesn't make things better. On the plus side, the staff here are pretty good, but the really good manager just moved to another complex, and I expect management to go downhill. Additionally, the West End coffee shop beside the apartment is one of the best cafes in Houston.