Has anyone lived at Telegraph Commons before? I planned to maybe live there or at the Berk or Wesley House next year, but I read the Yelp reviews and am shocked.
Is this really how it's like there? Are these people exaggerating because they have axes to grind?
Some of these you have to click on "6 other reviews that are not currently recommended" to see them.
First review, 1/15/15:
I'm going to make this plain and simple: DO NOT LIVE HERE. EVER. Every single minute of living in Telegraph Commons was a nightmare. From the outside, it doesn't seem too bad, but don't fall for it. I lived here for only a semester and had too many negative experiences to count.
First, every month I had to go to the manager, Delany Gazaille, because of overcharges to my rent. She could not manage to correctly charge me or anyone for that matter. In my interactions with Ms. Gazaille, she was rude and impolite, aggressive, cursed at me, etc. In my first month of living there, the T.V. was broken for a month, we went without hot water for four days, and our refrigerators broke and everyone's food went bad. When I addressed this with Ms. Gazaille, NOTHING WAS DONE. She claimed it was he first time hearing about an issue, when I myself had informed her of issues at least twice. Management is horrible and unresponsive.
Second, we had a power outage (only due to electrical issues in Telegraph Commons), during which I noticed that none of the emergency exit signs or lights illuminated. Some other residents and I had the Fire Department come in and inspect the building. They found 10 major violations of Fire Code including: Expired fire extinguishers, an expired elevator permit, lack of a posted business license, breaches in the fire wall, and the fire alarm being set to SILENT MODE, etc. Basically the place is a death trap. Also called the Health Department and they found COCKROACH NESTS and a PETRIFIED RAT CARCAS. The place has smoke detectors ripped out of the ceilings with wiring exposed. Calling Telegraph Commons a terrible place to live is an understatement to say the least.
As for the building, appliances, and amenities, they match the atrocious management. The study room is a small, claustrophobic, intensely hot room. The only functional appliance in the kitchen is the microwave. The toaster, fridge, and freezer are always breaking down. The Wi-Fi is a joke, get your own router. The elevator is constantly breaking down, I even got stuck in it twice. Cleaning staff is also a joke. They never clean any of the surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom, or study room. The only thing they were helpful for was borrowing their vacuum and doing the work yourself.
Lastly, Gazaille charges FULL RENT for August regardless of how long you live there. On the first page of the rental agreement it says there's a prorated rent, but when I brought this to management, they claimed the contract defends charging full rent, which it doesn't. Bottom line, the place and the management is scummy and cheap, but still manages to have a really pricey rent. If you are stuck living here, watch your rental charges very carefully.
Bottom line: NEVER LIVE HERE. Or in any of Riverstone Residential's properties. I'd rather be homeless, seriously.
Thanks Telegraph Commons, for giving me insight into the crappy buildings and managers that Berkeley has available, and making my first semester of college one to forget!
Second review, 2/01/14:
YOU WILL NOT GET YOUR SECURITY DEPOSIT BACK. The manager illegally STEALS your deposit to pay for unspecified "cleaning" and carpet cleaning, when it is never stated in the contract and falls under "normal wear and tear." While I wanted to move out after the fall semester, my roommate signed a year-long contract and didn't move out over winter break. The room was never professionally cleaned, or even entered during break. They tell you to clean and vacuum your room before moving out, then they still charge you for it. A new person has yet to even move into my room.
It's amusing and pretty embarrassing that this place tried to bribe us with gift cards to write positive reviews on Yelp. The management is a JOKE. I watched the janitor "clean" and he basically mops up the floor and then wipes the toilets and counter tops with the black water and dirty rags. Definitely not a pleasant place to live and its clear by the fact that half the people on my floor moved out after one semester, while many had signed a full contract and had to stay. They let the showers get moldy and scummy, the trash ferment a huge pile all over the floor in the "lounges," but when it comes time to show potential new tenants the building, they clean the place up a little. I would give this place negative stars if I could. Don't be fooled.
Third review, 3/03/15:
Awful under SO many aspects. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. It's absolutely overpriced and the management is the worst and most incompetent I have ever encountered. I ran away as soon as I could - I legally ended the contract and I never got my deposit back. My best advice: don't ever consider living here, there's plenty of better housing out there.
Submitted March 19, 2015 at 05:00AM by seekingcalhousing http://ift.tt/1Esruzj berkeley
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