after living in this complex for a year i've seen the place gradually go downhill. what initially seems like a quaint wood shingled group of buildings is actually a relic from the 1980s, and not in a good way. makes you wonder how they can charge the same rents that a far superior, newer complex down the street charges.

units seem as though they've been rented and never remodeled or updated for 25 years. along with outdated kitchens, baths and old musty carpets, there's constant litter (and even throw up that was never even cleaned while i lived there!) on the stairways, hallway lighting constantly blinking on and off, a dirty laundry room, and an ineffective staff (i was without heat for over 3 weeks -- in winter!). and start getting used to shady looking characters roaming the parking garage on weekend nights (security is a joke).

and be prepared to pay over $70 a month for water and sewer on a single-occupied junior one-bedroom, i don't know how they come up with each month's amount considering they have no gauges in place to calculate each units use. i've owned homes with roommates, and even watered lawns and washed my car and still didn't pay $70 a month for that amount of use.

initially upon signing the lease, i was assured by mitch, the property manager, that their policy was not to 'nickel and dime' tenants when they moved out. if that's the case be prepared to lose over half your security deposit when you do move out.

i spent an entire saturday afternoon cleaning old carpet, old kitchen appliances and old bathroom fixtures and was still charged $25 for 'light cleaning' (the place was spotless when i was done cleaning). they also charged me $50 for touch-up painting even though i filled all the holes with plaster and asked the maintenance guy for touch up paint so i could paint over the filled holes (he never brought me the paint). keep in mind they also charge the vacating tenant $75 to clean carpets which i assumed was a normal part of wear and tear and should be paid by the landlord each time a tenant moves out.

add all these 'nickel and dime' charges and half my initial $500 security has vanished. this has never happened at any other rental i've ever lived in before.

deduce what you want from my experience but my suggestion is to do yourself a favor and avoid this complex if at all possible.

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/29/2008
unbelievable. I never have understood how these places can take the water bill for an entire building and divide it by the number of people on the lease and get away with billing people for "their share" of a common utility. Do they do bed checks at night to know exactly how many people live in a unit? And what if you spend half the month traveling with your job? I question the legality of it - and I think the reason these complexes keep doing it and getting away with it is because no one has attempted to challenge it in court. Someday someone will and it's going to open the door to alot of refunds I bet. It's one thing if your place is metered, but in these places that are not individually metered, add the cost of the utilities to the rent. I thought one of the advantages of renting was that you didn't get hit with bills for water, garbage and sewage. Hell, I live in a condo and my HOA dues cover all those things - the only thing I get billed for is my PG&E. I remember looking at a place at Park Place years ago and I thought it looked dated then. I can imagine what it must look like now. The I remember dark and depressing hallways. These places that advertise "walk to downtown" kill me. Give me parking, trees, birds and quiet streets anyday over a place like Park Place that backs up against the freeway. You probably end up with black lung after living there five years. If I were renting again, I'd be looking to rent a condo from an individual owner versus a complex because I honestly can't think of one complex in Walnut Creek that is managed and maintained well where they don't rip you off. Unfortunately, right now because real estate has tanked so much, it's a landlord's market so these complexes will be screwing people even more than already do. An individual owner is going to be a little more concerned about who is living in their place and will want to keep a good tenant instead of gouging them.
From: Anonymous	Date: 02/29/2008
I agree with every point you make. I also got hit with the monthly water charge at Park Place and there's no meter to determine how to calculate the rate. Sounds like a lame attempt at a rent increase without having to advertise your monthly rent as such. Keep in mind that the $1200 a month rent does not include an additional $70 in added water/sewage charges. True rent $1270 a month.
From: Anonymous	Date: 07/11/2009
I have a one bedroom (700 sq ft) and my water/sewage only comes to $45. However, it is still ridiculous that overnight they can decide we will be paying for it. Like the other guy said, it is a lame attempt at a rent increase and that should not be legally allowed.

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