The Fields of New Durham 1823 River Drive, Westville, IN 46391

"I lived at The Fields for 5 months (moved out due to buying a house) and overall had a positive experience. Maintenance is nice, very friendly guy. Cleaners/whoever flips the apartments were pretty terrible and as they had to come back out a few times to do simple tasks like cleaning out the dishwasher and bathroom cabinets (kitchen cabinets were also filthy upon arrival) BEWARE if you move in or next to building 1895 there are a TON of strays/kittens. Anywhere from 5-7 on any given night. Not necessarily a negative thing (personally) as I love animals but hurts the heart to see them out there in the rain/cold. I did feed them regularly while living there (and no - me feeding them is not what made them stay around, according to neighbors they had been there for months prior to my arrival) I ended up rescuing and adopting 2 of the cats (vet visits were well and they adjusted effortlessly). I HIGHLY recommend to management some kind of animal control. Cats can birth upwards of 4 times a year, you will never control the cat population without atleast TNR in place. Doesn’t seem like management seems to care about that though. It’s not uncommon in 1895 to see dead mice - possibly from the lake due to the cats killing them but we saw them on more than one occasion. People leave their animals outside pretty regularly. Cats and dogs on the bottom floor. I haven’t seen any mass texts that they send out about it so I guess it’s not that huge of a deal for them. They throw community “events” but they are cancelled or pushed back more times than what I would consider normal. Never attended any but I saw the updates via mass canned text. I believe they just use a “FN, message” method. Wish they would only do one per household but none the less we got the updates. I learned fairly quickly their cameras are for show after placing a complaint (neighbor leaving her animal Harley outside in 19 degree weather) and being told basically they couldn’t see anything. Thankfully the owner no longer has him - hoping he’s in a better place! However other than a slap on the wrist didn’t seem like they took much action against her for such a cruel act. I mean it was FREEZING. Not that I excepted much from the PM, she can only do what she can but corporate should have stricter rules with leaving pets outside for DAYS. It was to the point we thought he was a stray and trapped him for care. Julie (tentative PM) is the best part of management. I believe she works as the actual PM for another property and is so great they asked her to split her time between two. While I did not personally have any altercation with Amy it was very apparent she was a ticking time bomb the first time we spoke. I really enjoyed Elizabeth (halfway) through my application process however she was gone before I moved in or finished the move in process (signing the lease) (with Amy as the PM that was not a shock) Pretty average apartments. Nothing luxury or special, but spacious. Paid 1205 after pet fees (2) in a 2BR/2BR but I could never see paying above that price (aka rent increases) to live there. Rating for Julie: 5/5 Rating for The Fields (cleanliness, animal control): 3/5"

"We’ve lived here for three years, and I feel like it’s gone down hill within the last two.. When we moved into the three bedrooms is when our experience plummeted. First: instead of fixing things that make the apartment worth it (I.e. garbage disposal & ceiling fans), if it breaks they just take it out instead of replacing it, that’s what they did to our garbage disposal. So if you see a function listed with the apartment double check it’s actually there. Thankfully our fans didn’t break during our time here because they really save your electric bill in the summer when you’re on the second floor(your AC will be running all day in the summer, but your heat won’t be needed in the winter since your downstairs neighbor will be heating your apartment haha). If it’s something they do replace, it’s likely you’ll actually get downgraded in model, that’s how it went for our dishwasher when it broke…we went from a digital, more modern model to an older analogue one. at the very least get the same model as before, we pay enough in rent to cover it. Second: the noise. If you end up in a unit in the 1984 building good luck because all you’ll hear is semi-trucks engine braking & locals racing down 421 all day & night. If you’re a light sleeper, you’re going to hate your life. I have for the last two years. This isn’t the complexes fault, but be aware if you end up with a unit in that building, you’ll wanna sound proof your windows more! Also in terms of noise, the air conditioner (at least in my second floor apartment) is the loudest thing in the unit. You’ll have to blast your TV to hear anything over it. Poor placement is the issue. Third: if you have a dog and live on the second floor be careful when you walk them. People who live on the first floor tend to think it’s okay to chain their dogs up unattended & pretend the complex is their back yard. So be prepared for unsupervised dogs & lots of poop. It’s always been the worst around the pond in terms of dog doo. The people who work on property are awesome, especially maintenance. They’re pretty quick to respond to work orders. However, there have been multiple occasions where I’d try to go to the office and no one was there, and then I’d come back at the time they listed they’d be back only to have the time pushed back which is annoying to say the least. There’s also been a revolving door on people who work in the office so be prepared for that. All in all there’s nothing that makes this place stand out against the other complexes. a pool, computer room, mediocre game room that at this point minors can’t use without a parent being with them and a small fitness center. They talk about the “market price” on the unit’s but I just don’t see how the units are worth that listed price. we went from paying about $1200 the first lease in our three bed to them wanting to raise to $1600 for the same unit this year. Don’t get me wrong, they have the potential if they want to invest the money but as of right now, You can find better places for cheaper."

"I have rented at a lot of places and this is by far the worst. The apartments are nice and better than I was expecting so I will give them that. Halfway through my lease there they increased my rent. I also had issues with the management staff there. Amy was incredibly rude to me and condescending. I have never experienced something like that before, she spoke to me as if I was a child and treated me very poorly. I never had a problem with paying my rent and taking care of my place, but they terminated my lease anyway. My boyfriend had a medical emergency so 911 was called, and they accused me of having him live there when he wasn’t, they gave me only 30 days to leave while someone I care about was going through a medical crisis. I lived alone. They we’re incredibly rude, specifically Amy. I think they terminated my lease because they wanted to make more money off of having a new tenant move in for more than I was paying for rent. They are charging far too much for something that is in westville. It’s not even worth that much. Also, if you do move here, expect multiple mass text messages to be sent out threatening people with fines constantly. Customer service is hostile there, and if you have any issues with your place, expect to get the same exact treatment. You won’t get your deposit back either and they WILL charge you hefty “cleaning” fees when you move out as well."

"I have really enjoyed our move to Westville. Coming from deep south coastal Texas it has surely been a shock to my system! However, the staff at The Fields have been helpful and kind through the entire stressful process. Deena in the office is great and Adam, the Lead Tech in Maintenance, is a treat to have responding to requests made; personable and very knowledgable. I love the online ease of payment and maintenance requests, the easy availability of recycling, and good attention to snow removal. As we move into Spring I look forward to enjoying our view of the pond that has mostly been iced over these past couple of months! A quiet complex despite the nearby highway...I rarely hear a vehicle or other noises at night. No place is perfect, but the staff certainly try to make it as nice as possible and seem to be working on improving the property. Country complex within easy distance to Valpo, LaPorte, Michigan City, and across the street from Purdue NW."

"I'm thrilled to be a new resident of the Fields! The staff was friendly and accommodating and very clear about the application process. I received a tour, sent in my application online, and was approved all in less than 24 hours! They worked with my schedule and held my apartment for me until I was able to move in. Even during this pandemic they have answered every question I've had and have put my mind at ease. I received a wonderful welcome basket the day I signed my lease. It was such a nice extra touch and let me know that they will go the extra mile here for me. My apartment is clean and feels almost like brand new. I think I'm going to love it here!"