Montecito Pines Apartments

"The apartments themselves are nice, but, the staff is horrible. They seem to pick favorites and have double standards for different tenants. They also hire people to leaf blow starting at 7AM, this doesn't stop for hours. Rent is also consistently raised"

"Moved in during the start of COVID. Our apartment was supposed to be clean, and if one just walked in and took a brief look around, you'd think ot was. Unfortunately, walls, fixtures and other things needed cleaning and touch up paint. Because staffing was hard to obtain, we made an agreement that I'd clean and get a small break on my next rent. Annoying, but not the end of the world. But then there was the parking issues- never enough spots. Guests (those without a sticker) take up spaces tenants could use. The alleged rules - which are not posted anywhere say a guest can park in the lot except from 10pm-7am. They park 24/7 and that rule doesn't really help someone tired after coming home from work looking for a place that isn't down the street. Then there's the garbage cans. People continually put furniture and ither items in the recycling, or abandon mattresses, etc next to the bins. There's a security cam there, but it doesn't seem to be used to enforce any rules. The rear parking is a party spot- a cam would be nice to have there. There are often beer cans and trash laying around there. I worry about parking there. The laundry card machine is constantly broken and rather than upgrade to something that you can go online to replenish, weeks go by where you can't load the card to do laundry. We had a leak in our ceiling from the rains, that started to mold. After begging for someone to come dix, I had to take measures to kill the mold so I could sleep in my room. Eventually someone came, but they just slapped some Kilz over it and never came back to patch. They eventually repaired the roof, but missed the gutter over our stairs that has pretty big holes eaten through it and drip rain water on you when its wet out. Though a non smoking property, its pretty common to smell cigarette smoke. Its pretty hard to enforce. Management was decent when we moved in, but has since changed and seems pretty useless. Other than these negatives, I like my place, its spacious and pretty. Rent is fair. The grounds are pretty. And its fairly quiet most of the time."

"Love this place"

"Considering Montecito Pines Apartments for your new home? Read this first: I was a tenant here for 4+ yrs & finally moved out Spring 2019. During my time there, I paid rent on time, was quiet, respectful, didn’t ask for much. All & all, I was a self-proclaimed good tenant. Past reviews have negative comments about former mgmt (Rebecca, etc) & some positive ones about the new mgmt (Kelly & Nena). Having lived through both, I’d caution you that the new mgmt team may not have come to save the day. While they present themselves with a smile & promise of good intentions, I found they used evasive & pacifying language when it serves their purpose, only to ultimately show complete disregard for their tenants. Based on my understanding of CA Law, I strongly believe they wrongfully withheld money from my security deposit. They even wrote me saying that they were ‘legally required to charge’ me but refused to cite the law they were referring to (mainly because it doesn’t exist). I spent hours cleaning my apartment to leave it as clean as it was when I moved in (if not, arguably, more clean) & to the specifications of their move out check list (not something provided at move-in or in lease). Yet, they still hit me with cleaning charges. When I asked what they cleaned, they would not tell me. They were evasive & took several days to reply to any emails. They refused to directly or clearly answer nearly all of my questions or requests. Instead, of continuing the he-said-she-said battle, I decided to share my experience with others. Aside from the above, here are some other disappointments I experienced over the years: ~2018/2019 Incessant & often aggressively written notices left on everyone’s doors. ~2018 Dumpster fire almost burnt down my garage. A neighbor texted me a picture of my garage burning. When I got home, Kelly was meeting with potential tenants & opening mail. I asked why no one had contacted me, she said they called but didn’t have time to leave a message. ~Outdated units - appliances, cabinetry, flooring, & general state of being. ~Showers are made for people 5’5”. Tall? Learn to squat while showering. ~Pest issues periodically cropped up - wasps, ants, & possibly rodents ~My deck looked rotten. My downstairs neighbors & I reported it as it looked unsafe & bowed when I walked on it. They said it was fine. ~Internet connectivity was bad, regardless of the speed paid for. Comcast & AT&T installers both independently said the issue was that building cables were too old. ~2018 Tub faucet leaked blue stuff. After I pleaded, they sprayed new sealant in the tub which left a spray-paint-like dust on virtually every surface of my apartment. They didn’t clean it. ~2017 Pipe broke in ceiling & water leaked through my closet. They fixed it but didn’t clean it or patch the hole so there were jagged cut marks on the ceiling from then on. ~Washing machines & dryers are terrible & break constantly. Don’t bother asking for refund. FYI mgmt won’t refund money left on your card when you move out. BONUS: Neighbors told me they find drunk high school kids passed out in the laundry room early mornings. ~Advertised as a nonsmoking property, but everyone seems to smoke. ~Hot tub rarely works (no heat or jets). Mgmt never replies to requests to fix it. ~Pool area restrooms are disgusting. Rusty, wet, splatters on walls, never/rarely cleaned, & all sink faucets are broken. ~Montecito Blvd is loud & has heavy traffic at school start/end times. ~Dog poop…don’t play in the grass. Renting in CA can be hard. Its expensive & competitive. Don’t make it harder on yourself by getting involved with Montecito Pines. I’ve rented several homes & apartments throughout CA & have never felt so insulted by a Lessor’s lack of good faith & willingness to work & communicate with me as a renter. To the dedicated reader who got the end of my review, I leave you with this final recommendation: Get a place that is worth you money, has amenities it promises, reinvests in its property & is managed by trustworthy people. Get a place that is anywhere but here."

"Beware of this place. They will raise your rent as often and as much as they legally can."