This winter an apartment managed by Meridian Group near the UCSB campus had visible mold growing on the ceiling due to a long term leak. After repeated phone calls and failed promises from Meridian Group staff over 3 months, part of the ceiling fell into the living room. The material was black and smelly. The tenants were out of the apartment for a week during repairs, in the rain with no place to rest, sleep or cook and with no transportation.\r
\r
Mr. Robert Kooyman, president of Meridian Group, informed the tenant (19 year old student) that; there was no dangerous mold/mildew in the apartment (not true), she should have been more pro active (how??), she should have requested a mold test (very very expensive) and it was her fault for not purchasing renters insurance to cover her additional living expenses (not true-no money is available when the damage is due to long term neglect).\r
\r
Mr. Kooyman also informed us that the contractor had failed to order materials to repair the area and there was rain....hence the delay. After all was said and done, the damage and lack of housing was the fault of the tenants and the contractor, not Meridian Group!\r
\r
Mr. Kooyman, with a UCSB degree in political science felt secure in giving unsupported medical, environmental and insurance information. He took no responsibility for the problem. He did not even apologize.\r
\r
I must, however, add that one gentleman in the office was very kind and tried to be helpful though “his hands were tied'.\r
\r
If any parents have students at UCSB thinking of moving into a Meridian Group apartment, think again. If there is a problem, your student will also be out in the cold and the rain.\r
Pros: Cant think of any
Cons: Very uncaring
more