Renters have long complained about how landlords’ descriptions of an apartment—and the prices they charge for them—rarely match the product being offered.
Back in February, a TikTok user complained that her apartment, which she says charged “luxury prices,” hung up her mirror with painter’s tape. In August of last year, another user complained that her rent was being increased by $350 a month while garbage piled up outside of her window.
A few months later, a user documented an apartment in New York that contained enough room for a twin bed as well as a sink, a mini fridge, and a cabinet. There was no bathroom, and the landlord was asking for $1650 per month.
Now, another creator on TikTok has sparked discussion after sharing her own experience with “luxury” housing.
In a clip with over 37,000 views, TikTok user Mina (@ninaminaa) claims that, after filling her sink with water, it collapsed beneath the countertop and into the cabinet below.
“For this to be considered ‘luxury’ student living—I’ve never in my life seen a sink fall through into the cabinet,” she says in the video.
@ninaminaa all I can say is im so blew😑😭. STUDENT LIVING IS A SCAM!!! #fyp #atlanta #georgiastateuniversity #poorconstruction ♬ original sound – Nina Mina
As the clip goes on, Mina notes that the fallen sink came close to an outlet that was under the sink, which she speculates could have been dangerous if the two made contact.
Following the incident, Mina says that she called emergency maintenance. She claims that maintenance told her she simply put “too many dishes in the sink.”
“When have you ever heard of there being too many dishes in the kitchen sink?” Mina asks.
“People are building these buildings way too fast,” she states. “They’re not utilizing resources well enough, or they’re going cheap. They’re spending way less money than they should rather than taking their time and building quality for ‘luxury’ living.”
Mina concludes the video by suggesting viewers avoid student living altogether, instead pushing viewers to rent an apartment.
In the comments, Mina reveals that maintenance eventually came to repair the sink after several days. Once they did, she says the sink was “shaking” and that she’s opted to call the city instead. She also noted that she had rental insurance to cover the cost of some of the issues.
The apartment in question appears to be located in The Mix in Atlanta, Georgia. While the complex has a decent rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Google, many of the 5-star reviewers appear to be referring to tour guides and the leasing process rather than the apartments themselves.
The reviews that actually do mention the apartments are often negative, with claims that the elevators are frequently broken and that tenants do not get what they pay for with their rent.
This was a feeling echoed in Mina’s comment section for not only The Mix but other student housing facilities.
“no literally, these ‘luxury’ student apartments be cute for display but the facilities actually be made so cheap when u start living in it,” wrote a user.
“That’s insane. I’m dealing with that in my current apartment in ATL,” added another. “These places boast luxury only to utilize the cheapest resources to build them.”
“I got me a regular apt,” shared a third. “It’s more of a hassle having to furnish it but it’s been worth it in my experience. They run the place wayyyy better.”
The Daily Dot reached out to The Mix via its website contact form and Mina via Instagram DM.
Update 11:44am CT June 6: In an Instagram DM exchange with the Daily Dot, Mina laid out some of the numerous issues with the apartment.
“…Poor plumbing, rushed construction, unreliable maintenance and security, and the managers just give you enough conversation to get out the office,” she explained. “5 days before Christmas, my car was broken into while I was parked in my secure garage, and all they could tell me is to replace it myself. [They] didn’t bother trying to collect surveillance for me.”
“[The fire alarm] goes off randomly and so often we as tenants don’t bother to evacuate or even rush to concern anymore,” she continued.
She also noted that she stays on the “cheapest floor plan” and still pays over $1200 for a single bedroom in a 4 room apartment, in addition to $100 monthly for parking.
“Imagine ppl paying over $1600 for a 1 bed just for random things to happen,” she noted.
As far as her sink is concerned, she says the building’s management offered a temporary fix.
“[Maintenance] ended up adding glue, butterfly bolts, and a piece of wood to place the sink back — but now I can shake the sink with my hand. The property manager told me if it happened again they would then contact a contractor to drill into the granite… which they should’ve done in the first place,” she detailed. “So now my sink is half done, and it’s a rushed job when they didn’t even come when they were supposed to.”
The true problem, she says, is the quality of the building—an issue she says is widespread.
“It’s not just here! These places are building these [buildings] way too fast to make their money,” she concluded. “The entire country needs to be aware it’s not just [Atlanta]; it’s all over, and it’s robbing students trying to pursue their future!”
