Apartment Review for River City Apt - Richmond, VA

I've rented from River City for almost 2 years. The first year I didn't have any problems and to be honest I couldn't see why everyone I talked to hated them. Yeah, the old apartment was a little run down, but I attributed that to the old building. My roommate even got caught with an unauthorized cat and they worked with us. However starting in April 2008 I began to see River City for what they really are. I moved into a new place on 811 N. Boulevard because River City said they would apply my security deposit from the old place on Grace to the deposit on the new place. When I went down to the office to pay, they told me, "Oh, we JUST changed the rules, I'm afraid you'll have to pay the entire deposit for the new apartment." I was a little suspicious, but I didn't think too much of it. Then in October the INSANE bills started coming in. I had adopted 2 cats from the SPCA, and seeing that I was in school and worked full time I wasn't able to get down to River City as soon as I adopted them. Next thing I know I'm getting bills every other day! I tried to call them in the midst of all these bills but of course no one answers the phone down there. I had to drive to their office downtown to straighten the issue out. I was there with my checkbook and ready to pay for my cats but they told me, "no, we have to recalculate your bill, just wait for the new one." But they were charging me while I was waiting! Not only that, but they tried to EVICT me for having 2 cats (which is not grounds for eviction in the lease). I have paid my rent on time the entire time I've rented from them, and some of the "reviews" I've read (obviously from River City people) call their tenants 'losers', 'deadbeats', 'slackers', etc. WHAT NERVE!! RENTERS HAVE RIGHTS TOO AND RIVER CITY IS JUST ON THE RAZOR'S EDGE OF LEGALITY. I have read so many complaints...if everyone gets together to put a stop to this we can run these awful slumlords out of town. They take advantage of young people with their cheap rent and central locations. DON'T BE FOOLED THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU THEY JUST CARE ABOUT $$$ AND THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU. My rent went from $540 to $610...$35 a month PER PET for a pet fee?!? RIVER CITY IS AN ABSOLUTE RIPOFF. The apartments are unhealthy, the maintenance staff are sketchy perverts, and the realtors do not care about you or your safety. THERE ARE BETTER PLACES TO RENT IN RICHMOND THAT ARE STILL IN YOUR PRICE RANGE. Do yourself a favor, ban River City and rent independent. That's what I'm doing.