Berkeley Apartments – Berkeleyan

What an unprofessional organization! Put an application in months ago, got a call from one of the reps (left me a message) to schedule an appointment to come in. Have left 4 phone messages, sent 2 e-​mails explaining nature of my call — -no response from anyone!!! Why did
they bother calling if they never return calls/​e-​mails? Guess they don’t need the business–
RUDE!!!

Update: I have now called the Berkeleyan and spoken to «representative» a whopping FIVE times asking when I’ll get a corrected security deposit cheque and every time I’ve been told «oh you need to speak to _​_​_​_​, I’ll have them call you back» «I can’t help you with this but _​_​_​_​_​_​can, I’ll make sure they call you» and I have yet to receive so much as an email from anyone at that building. Every time I call, I have to explain the entire situation over again only to be reassured that _​_​_​_​_​will call me back, which has not happened yet. Completely unacceptable.

Idk why they have such bad reviews. I’ve lived here with 3 others since August and the office and living situation is great! Milinda is the person to go to whenever you need something; she gets everything done with a since of urgency and is helpful at all times. I love how they accept your packages for you so you don’t have to worry about missing packages or being home. AND they text you when you receive a package. I am renewing for 2015 – 2016 and love the convenience of being across the street from campus

The biggest mistake I ever made.
Management is a nightmare. The other reviewers describe it very well but I’ll also add that you need to check EVERY bill that comes from them. There will be random charges that when you go and ask them about they’ll tell you it’s a mistake and they’ll remove… honestly I don’t know how they do business.
The delay with the security deposit is very accurate. Had the same issue.
Anyway, I wouldn’t recommend them to an enemy but if you absolutely have to then just be VERY WARY.

Tons of partying. If they try to give you the fourth or fifth floor don’t live there.
They say they are smoke free but you will find weed, cigarettes, booze, and other substances everywhere. Management hasn’t done anything.
If you call security you have to go all the way down and let them in. Hyper frustrating.

Absolutely despicable. First, I’d like to say the rooms are not worth the money but what’s even worse is the management.
It’s been almost a year and our security deposit still hasn’t come. My roommate has asked about it consistently throughout the year but each time, they give us another excuse. I just finished up leasing an apartment on Southside and the security deposit came in within a month.
I called them day and they immediately hung up the phone once I told them I was a former resident. I tried calling back several times but they never picked up.
Please, trust the other reviews. Do yourself a favor and avoid Equity Apartments at all costs.

Don’t do it.
I signed in specifically to warn fellow students like myself against the frustration and headache that is dealing with Berkeley Apt Management. There are also serious issues with the apartment (distance, size/​$) but my biggest grievances are with the deceitful, lazy and otherwise fake-​helpful nature of the management team.
Let me give you just a few examples:
1) They will lie to you, one way or another: My roommates had our first encounter with Berkeley Apt. Management when one of the female managers was doing a showing around May. We noticed some construction being done outside and were concerned about the possible noise pollution. The manager told us, verbatim that — «They’re just tearing down an old building to build a parking lot, they’ll be done by the beginning of next semester.» What they were actually building, which she knew, was the Helios Research Facility and it took almost 2 years. 2 years of 7A-​5P machine-​heavy construction. It wasn’t even a subtle lie, she just took advantage of some naïve first year girls.
2) They’ll surprise you, in the worst way: We got a letter in February (7 months prior to moving out) that we needed to make the decision to move out with in the week (WEEK for 5 joint apartments @4 people each) or pay a $ 100 «extension fee.» What does that even mean.
3) They’re either really stupid/​really lazy: It’s been 5 heavenly months since me and my roommates I moved out, but there’s one thing missing — our security deposit that was supposed arrive 21 days after our move out. After 5 months my roommate for our check and 5 months of «forgetting to call-​back,» «Negotiating contact with our accounting in Georgia,» «UPS losing our check.» Not even the IRS with all it’s bureaucracy could be this slow, obviously Berkeley Management only prioritizes debt when it’s owed to them. I got fed up and went in personally and relentlessly DURING MY FINALS WEEK — the check is going to arrive in Berkeley on the 21^st. Not… unfortunately, soon enough to cash it as I’ll be gone home by then. I guess I’ll forget those nice christmas presents for my family — thanks Kevin from management.
Do yourself a favor, just live on southside where you can actually have your own spacious room for ~$ 500, you’re close to the student culture/​life, have access to cheap food and your manager is just some old indian couple (No, not Raj) who don’t want trouble.