Harrington Housing Red River

I booked a room tour on Sept. 14 and found the staff member Joseph to be rude and unhelpful; the experience felt rushed and I left without a clear answer about the room or pricing. I visited for a room tour in September. When I arrived I asked a few questions about the lease terms and utilities and the person showing me the unit, Joseph, spoke abruptly, interrupted me, and seemed irritated when I asked to see the closet and bathroom again. He gave short answers rather than helpful details and I left feeling dismissed and unsure about whether the listing matched what was shown. I’d appreciate a response from management about this behavior professionalism and clear information matter to guests.

I lived at The Hive in Austin for six months as an exchange student from Germany, and my experience was terrible from the very beginning. Booking Scam with Harrington Housing I originally booked a fully furnished apartment for $1,000/month through Harrington Housing. Ten days before my flight, they canceled my booking with the excuse of “building maintenance” (which was false). Forced to Pay 50% More A friend living at The Hive suggested I contact them directly. The Hive agreed to lease me a studio, but charged 50% more than the original Harrington price. Because I needed housing immediately, I had no choice but to accept. Apartment Delivered Empty When I arrived, the unit was completely unfurnished. I had specifically explained my situation (coming from abroad, relying on Harrington Housing’s “furnished” promise), but The Hive staff simply told me, “Sorry, we forgot to mention.” I ended up having to buy all my own furniture despite already paying significantly more. Maintenance and Living Conditions The heating system didn’t work properly at the start of winter. The kitchen sink would push water out of the dishwasher, even though I never used it. When I reported it, they took days to respond and then charged me a maintenance fee. Management changed midway through my stay. The second group refused to honor any promises made by the first. Security Issues One night at 3 a.m., a woman was crying outside my door, entered my apartment, and refused to leave for three hours. I called 911 — nobody came. The next day, Hive management told me: “We are not responsible. Security is in your hands.” Deposit Settlement At the end of my lease, I received three different versions of a final settlement. First, they said I would get part of my deposit back. Then they sent two more versions, with different amounts, even asking me to pay them money.

Pros: close to downtown, relatively cheap price, gated garage Cons: I experienced internet outages, AC outages (check that it fully works before signing anything), flooding (after the summer storms water came into the unit up from the floorboards), being locked in the garage (because of a faulty gate), and bug problems. The maintenance staff are friendly and hardworking, but the team is too small to effectively handle everything. Many of the problems stem from the age and weakness of the building so there’s a chance they will continue or worsen (and I imagine structural issues will affect tenants regardless of whether they rent from Hive or Harrington/Flatt). The Harrington House/Flatt staff are rude and unprofessional. The building manager Nathaniel Solomon is very nice until you ask him for any kind of help. Keep records of your payments as the payment portal often changes/stops working (the staff will sometimes ask you for proof of your payments. Is this incompetence or an attempt to trick people out of money?). Check that your space has a proper lock separating it from other tenants (it took over 2 months of constant calling and emailing on my part before they finally installed a lock). There’s a chance that the building manager will enter into your apartment unannounced to show it to future tenants. The building manager will give no notice when new tenants move in, so don’t be surprised when you run into them or they lock you out accidentally. Atmosphere: people are friendly, but it is not the cleanest or most quiet of complexes. Expect to hear parties and loud conversations and smell everything that goes on because of the old thin walls. There was also a drug bust at the beginning of 2025 complete with swat teams and gunshots. Another reviewer said this led to the foundation above the garage being shaken and that the owner wasn’t willing to fix it (there is some flooding in the garage when it rains, but it is not too bad). I’m not sure what Flatt or the Hive staff did after the drug bust in terms of safety precautions. Legal question: one room type that Harrington House/Flatt rents out is a studio with a kitchenette and no sink. The tenants use the sink in the bathroom in a separate room. It may not be legal to have a kitchenette with no sink in the same room. If it isn’t legal, I wonder what liability the Hive has. The Hive office staff always reply to these reviews to distance themselves from management problems that Harrington House/Flatt tenants have, but ultimately, the Hive rents the units to Harrington House/Flatt which in turn divides them into “co-living spaces.”

I have stayed here for almost a year and I have literally seen this complex go through 3 different property managers lol. So I have seen the bad and the good I feel like at the Hive and with the new team (Charlie, Megan,etc) I believe you all will truly thrive here. Charlie, the new property manager, and Megan are both great and are willing to work with you. They are truly starting to head this complex into the right direction and I know it will be something great in the coming year or so. Now in regards to the property, it is an older building, however the units are mostly remodeled and I would say they are quite comfortable. The area is really nice and there is so much to do around here, with easy access, like there is a fenced in dog park, pizza place, 2 corner stores, an HEB, and a liquor store literally all walking distance away from The Hive. I honestly feel like this place can be what you make of it. When me and my girlfriend signed the lease we instantly regretted it because we realized how bad we wanted a 2bdrm, but after not being able to get out of this lease we had to make the 1bdrm we signed for work and to be honest I am not mad about it. The property and OUR unit served our purposes very well and was a perfect fit. Only downside was the overpriced rent and all the extra fees, BUT like I said the new team (Charlie and his crew) has been making a LOT of changes and have been reducing the rent and even taking away and reducing a lot of those extra fees, so I say this is a great place to look into if you want something close to UT Campus and Downtown but still out of the way of all the traffic and close to the freeways!

I've absolutely loved my time at The Hive Red River in Austin. From the moment I moved in, it's felt like more than just an apartment—it's a community. It has a charming vintage character that feels uniquely Austin, and it's just a short walk to the UT Austin campus, which has been incredibly convenient. What really sets The Hive apart, though, is the on-site staff. They are friendly, responsive, and genuinely care about the residents. Any time I've had a question, concern, or maintenance request, it's been handled quickly and professionally. Special shout-out to the on site leasing/management team and maintenance crew—they always greet you with a smile and go above and beyond to make sure everything runs smoothly.The vibe here is creative and welcoming, making it a perfect spot for students, young professionals, or anyone looking to enjoy the best of Austin living.