Aquatic Ashby - Berkeley, California

Sky S.

Avoid Aquatic Ashby at all costs. Aquatic Ashby is by far the worst building I have ever rented for a multitude of reasons:

- During the leasing process, it took over two months to get a lease agreement sent over after paying an application fee and a $500 deposit.
-No communication about the security deposit was made within the 21-day legal requirement under California Civil Code §1950.5. Only after a demand letter was sent did they offer a partial deposit without a statement of deductions or receipts, which is also ILLEGAL under the same code. Be prepared to take them to court to recover your deposit.
-The in-unit dryer was broken when we moved in and was not replaced until more than 6 weeks later.
-The fobs to access the building were consistently broken, locking residents out.
-Delivery drivers from USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, and more were not given building access codes. Packages were unable to be delivered unless a management was on site, and thus often delayed.
-Management was consistently missing during the day, or "on vacation" for extended periods of time. The building also seemed to change managers every month, and there was never one single manager to refer to throughout my 4-month tenancy.
-Stacker parking broken for days, locking cars in and preventing cars from entering. Would have to park on the street during downtime, which is not always available and not ideal in this area. No concessions or credits were offered despite this parking being $150/month.

Rent here at your own risk.

Ruben V.

So far living at the aquatic’s been good overall. I appreciate the constant ventilation available in the bathroom, it’s nice to be in a place that is working against mold and mildew development.

I appreciate that there is a property manager on site usually on a weekday daily basis from 9-6pm. When I first moved in, Brenda was very welcoming and helped out on my move-in date. I asked if she could get me a copy of the acknowledged/signed inventory and condition form to fill out when inspecting the property, and she was able to support me on that.

Oman has been around the past few months and has also been very helpful. He’s been able to assist me with questions that I’ve had, even now in the middle of my lease.

For some slight issues, there does tend to be difficulty for delivery drivers to come in especially during early morn and late night hours, but during normal hours, the locker system is safe and convenient and if the driver has issues, the manager on the property, like Oman, has been able to help them out and get packages safely put in the lockers.

I did read all 70+ pages of the lease before I signed and everything does look istandard for a new commercial real estate property (a property containing more than 4 units) apartment complex.

This is my first time living in a complex that is owned by a conglomerate like Greystar, so getting all the apps and websites like the Resident Experience and Bilt app helps a lot to quicken the process when moving in and to stay on top of documents and rent. Get that auto-pay going.

For new tenants, reminder to take pictures and videos of all the issues seen in the unit, fill out the inventory and condition form appropriately, and submit the work orders to get them fixed ASAP. This provides protection for us tenants.

When I first moved, I did notice there was difficulty to keep up with the work of showing possible tenants the spot vs getting the support to be a new tenant, like with getting work orders processed and getting the lease documentations. For repairs, it did take several weeks, so I do hope there can be more support and staff hired for the Aquatics.

I’m thankful for all the amazing work the daily technician/repair guy does for the buidling.

With the design of the building, one major issue at the beginning was the noise of the vents through the walls. But the solution is on the pre-built Honeywell, to always keep the fan on, rather than automatic. I believe the noise I was hearing was the fans turning on and off with the program.

And for wifi, I got AT&T and i have the cheapest plan and it’s been great for me, even when working from home. I used the pre-installed AT&T modem and router with no issues. Gotta install 2 different AT&T apps though for it.

Also the bike room is easy to use.

Keisha T.

I had the experience of customer service excellence during an apartment tour with Thalia. She listened to my concerns and addressed every one of them. She also followed up with me to discuss options for my needs. Thalia was also a great hostess opening doors for me and explaining the details of the application process. She was also very patient with me, and the property is absolutely beautiful and well kept.

Nikki E.

I recently took a tour and loved the place! They were responsive and helpful in the office and I’m excited for a follow up tour with my partner soon. As we narrow down our decision it is going to come down to how we felt and the staff did not disappoint to make me feel heard, respected, and cared for.

malcolm W.

Thalia Aguilar took advantage of me, sent me on the run-around, mismanaged my paperwork for application and then told me I couldn't afford a unit which I knew I was more then capable of qualifying for BY MYSELF. Disrespected me by trying to have me downgrade to a 1 bedroom and then when it was time to get back my deposit because I had found another unit because she mismanaged my application they took my 500 dollar deposit...Don't not move here bunch of scam artists. Will waste your time and treat you like you don't belong.

Brian Y.

Listen to the 1 star reviews please and don’t get scammed like me.

Should have just listened to the reviews on here and not bothered with this place, but unfortunately I tried my luck and now the management won’t even respond to me when I ask for my holding deposit back. The reviews here are definitely accurate in saying that the management is incompetent, unprofessional, dishonest, and have zero priority for tenants/future tenants.

I submitted my application to this place on 9/30/24 with a set move in date of 10/22/24. I did not even receive an approval of my application until 20 days later on 10/19/24. On 10/21/24 the management had still not even sent me any kind of lease or documents to sign. How would I even possibly move in on 10/22/24 if I don’t even have a lease To add on to that they say that the unit I want isn’t ready to move into and they’re switching me to another unit. At that point I just decided to not go forward with this place anymore.

Now I'm asking the management to return my $500 security holding deposit and they are refusing to return it to me despite their own legal documentation stating that they are supposed to refund me. On their document in section 5 it states “Your Application will be considered "disapproved" if we fail to notify you of your approval within 10 days after we have received a completed Application.” And to follow that in section 7, “If you or any co-applicant is disapproved or deemed disapproved under Paragraph 6, we'll refund all holding deposits within 21 days of such disapproval.” My application was approved TWENTY days after my application was completed. I emailed them telling them this and now they won’t even respond to me. This place doesn’t even follow their own legal documents. Mind boggling.

Regrettably I gave this place the benefit of doubt despite the poor reviews and now I’m either going to lose my $500 or have to go to a small claims court to get it back. Please listen to the 1 star reviews and save yourself the headache. I guess the only saving grace is that I won’t be moving in and have to deal with this place any longer.

Lily C.

Decent Apartment, But the WORST Service – Be Cautious Before Signing a Lease

If you're considering leasing at this property, please read my experience carefully. These are issues I've faced, and they could easily happen to you as well.

1. Move-In Day Postponed
I signed a lease in mid-April, with a move-in date set for May 31, 2024. I arranged my move carefully, taking time off work and asking friends for help. Everything seemed fine until the day before my scheduled move, when the leasing office informed me that my unit wouldn't be ready for another two days. This was a huge inconvenience—I had to scramble to reschedule help and find a temporary place to stay. What's worse, I had toured the unit two weeks before and was assured it would be ready. Make sure to carefully read your lease because they include a clause stating they're not responsible for any delays. So if this happens to you, don’t expect them to take accountability.

2. Key Fob Issues
Last month, all residents dealt with issues related to the key fob system. The building entry fobs were delayed in opening, and the garage door sensor was completely broken. This forced residents to manually open the garage door by entering the building—extremely inconvenient, especially when trying to leave in a hurry. It took them a 2 weeks to resolve this issue, during which we received no compensation or apology.

3. Stacker Parking System Malfunction
Recently, the stacker parking system broke. Since parking is limited in the building, I pay $150 monthly to use this system. When the stacker broke, the leasing office instructed residents to retrieve their cars but provided no alternative parking options. I was told to park on the street, which is risky in our neighborhood. The choice was between street parking or leaving my car trapped in the stacker until repairs were made. When I asked for temporary parking elsewhere, the leasing team said there were no alternatives and no compensation would be provided. I’ve had to pay for Uber rides to get to work for three days now, and despite multiple emails to management, I have yet to receive a response. The leasing office, when approached in person, continues to deflect responsibility, saying, “We’re just the leasing team, not management.” So where are residents supposed to turn for help?

4. Excessive and Unclear Utility Charges
Not only is rent expensive, but utilities are also overpriced. Through RentCafe, I’ve been charged over $200 per month for a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit—and that doesn't even include electricity or internet! Worse still, the charges are lumped under "Utility Reimbursement – Other," with no breakdown or explanation. When I asked the leasing office for details, they said they didn’t know and directed me to email the manager. It’s been three days with no response from management. At this point, I’m starting to wonder if the apartment even has a manager.

Overall I regret choosing this apartment for my senior year of college. The poor service and lack of communication have been incredibly stressful, especially during midterms. Living here has significantly impacted my quality of life. I sincerely hope they address these issues, but I cannot recommend this place as it stands.

Updates: leasing office team now have Branda and she is super friendly and helpful. I appreciate all the help from her and it resolves many issues that I’ve
been experiencing and arise my quality of life at Aquatic Ashby!!

E A.

Made an appointment for in person showing with leasing staff. Received an email hours before the appointment that it was canceled without any reason. I had already taken off work and traveled to the area. I went to the appointment anyway and the leasing office door was locked. Leasing office staff could see me trying to open the door but looked at me and ignored me. I learned all I need to know about the management employees at this building.