Paul Langley Company

My review is less for the apartment complex and more for the property manager, but I will touch on both.
1. The apartment itself is a nice size (considering the price and location) for a 1 bedroom. Although they are not the newest built complex, renovations have been made and all units I have seen are quite nice. The complex is small (probably less than 25 units) so you get a better feel for who SHOULD be coming and going and who SHOULD NOT. This is important to me.
2. The property is not in the BEST of the best neighborhoods (just off El Cajon blvd) but it is a small property, which allows the property manager to attend to in a really personal manner. I can say that as a female, I have never felt threatened or scared inside the complex. Though not in a residential area, so to speak, there are many residences and other apartment complexes in the area. For it’s close proximity to El Cajon Blvd it stays relatively quiet.
3. The property manager. Here we go. He is the best! B (I’ll keep his name out of it for now since I didn’t tell him I’m writing this) has been nothing but helpful from the first day I met him. I needed to move in a HURRY (literally 24 – 48 hours) and he was SO accomodating. There was paperwork to be done, personal changes to the apartment that I requested, etc, and all of it B never complained or argued, he simply delivered.
Since I moved in, I had a small run in with some issues, but he always handled it professionally, punctually and without blame to me. He ensures I am taken care of, reimbursed if damage was incurred, and he does it all with minimal help. I almost always have my issues corrected by him personally, not some other person, and he is SO good about keeping me informed or calling ahead of time to let me know what is going on in or around my place.
I have every faith in B and I have never had such a respectful, attentive property manager. Seriously, all my friends/​family are jealous when I tell them about the great service he provides, as some of them never see their property managers.
If you want to live somewhere that you can feel like you are getting fair treatment, this is the place. B will handle all your service/​maintenance requests quickly and well. Even though it is owned by Paul Langley Company in San Francisco, I have never felt like I had an issue that couldn’t be resolved locally.

As a busy individual, with many plates to keep spinning, I recently was totally delighted by Mischa Langley of the PLC. I needed a small (on my list anyway) plumbing matter looked at in my apt. I was in the east bay running errands and Misha phoned to find out a good time for the plumber to come. I reluctantly offered my availability anticipating having to deal with «plumber issues». Turns out, plumber came, removed toilet, fixed toilet, left the room as clean as I left it this morning. The problem to me just vanished. By the time I got home it was all taken care of. I LOVE that. Thank you to the PLC staff for so seamlessly taking care of your property. I offer 100 GLAM OUR points to Mr. Mischa Langley. Thank you, Carlton Paul

Recently I was doing a school project involving real estate, especially property management. I came across Paul Langley Co and Vincent. He was very polite, professional and courteous. I highly recommend him to anyone who is looking for help with property management, for school or not. Thanks Vince!

I used to live at the same building too as well. I loved the place because the location was great (minus the drunks and homeless sleeping outside your door). I agree with everything that the other 2 tenants described. Especially the move in «AS IS». After moving out, I came back from time to time to see friends that still live there. I would pass by my old apartment and noticed that the front door was never repainted, even though, we were charged for it. Basically, the company would take the deposit money from old tenants and tell the new tenant «Move In AS IS». I find it funny that Brian G. came on to Unilocal and rate his own company. Unilocal is the place for customers to come and share their experiences, not for company to come and rate themselves. If that was the case, every business would come on here and give themselves a 5 stars. So instead of spending time writing this review, maybe the company can spend some time looking at the way they treat their tenants and make some improvement. RUN… is an understatement.

When I read, «I happen to stumble upon Dan D’s review of the Paul Langley Company.» by Brian Greene — THE PROPERTY MANAGER and his talk about «real integrity». I can’t help but to write this review.
I lived at 181 Franklin Street for almost 3 years. When I moved in, I asked Brian G. to change the carpet and repaint the walls, but Brian Greene told me that it was move in «AS IS». It was a dirty old carpet and black marks all over the walls, (I have pictures.) Since I just took a new job and new to SF, I didn’t want to deal with the apartment hunting hassles. I settled with the Paul Langley Company (PLC).
I was a best tenant/​neighbor. Always paid rent on time, never have late night party, and very clean. I treated my apartment and the complex like it was my own home. Beside «the very active fire house» right down the street, the noisy elementary school yards next door, the busy car repair shop that open very early on Saturday, the old fridge, broken cabinet doors, and leaks during raining season, I did like the place. Though, I couldn’t afford the 2 bedrooms rent for long so I moved out after 3 shy years.
Little did I know, Brian G. decided to take 53% my deposit money.
The total was for these items:
Repaint the bedroom $ 250, (Brian G. said that the white paint that I used to repaint did not match the original color, which I spent a week to paint after consulted with the live in manager about the color.)
Prime and repaint 3 doors $ 225, (but on PLC final itemized list when I received on moving out was only for 2 bedroom doors.)
Professional carpet cleaning service $ 190, (Brian G. said that the carpet needed to be clean. I rented a carpet cleaner at Safeway and cleaned it before I returned the apartment and have a receipt to prove it.)
Reinstall (3) ceiling light fixtures $ 75.00, (I have installed two brand new light fixtures for the two bedrooms, and I also left the original fixtures behind with management, and sadly he didn’t even mentioned anything about these fixture in my PLC final itemized list.)
Supplies for repair $ 75, (I really want to know what was this for?!.)
In almost 3 years I lived in the house, the interior was never repainted and the carpet has never been cleaned. With normal wear and tear the interior paint of a house will have to be redone after 3 years. Since the fading and soiling of the paint is due to normal wear and tear and because I have moved in as «AS IS», the cost of repainting was PLC responsibility. NO, It wasn’t. I wrote to PLC and asked for my money back because when I left my apartment, it was clean and in good repair. Therefore, under the Security Deposit Laws (CCC Sec. 150.5 and SF Admin. Code Ch. 49), I am entitled to a full refund of my deposit. I was then making a demand for the return of my security deposit and told them that I would take them to the small claim court if I don’t see my deposit money within 10 days and that I will regard PLC keeping my deposit as bad faith and would pursue my right to sue them for the deposit and also for $ 600 in punitive damages (bad faith damages) as allowed by the law.
A weeks later, I received a letter from PLC, telling me that they wouldn’t care if I take them to court. They «had lawyers» to take care of my issue and with the letter was a refund check of $ 90.
I wanted to took them to court, but I was so busy with life, decided to let it go and believe that KARMA in the world goes round. But then, I also forgot about website like
a place for REAL people, REAL reviews and REAL integrity. Brian G. was a bully with no integrity. Dan D. gave PLC one star. I gave PLC a zero! Thank goodness for Unilocal and if you are about to do business with Paul Langley Co. Do take my advice. RUN!!!

After living at a PLC unit on Franklin for 2 years, we’ve decided all the firetrucks and the hassle dealing with management on building issues (or any issue actually) is not worth the headache of living here. In terms of issues we experienced — there was a leak from another apt that created moldy nastiness on our living room ceiling… we had construction on our balcony by an incompetent repairman over the course of a month while the neighbors below had their water leak plugged… when we moved in the walls looked like there was a war that had taken place in the unit — mgmt wouldn’t pay a dime to paint the walls and we had to pay out of pocket to paint the unit from top to bottom… we also had to replace faulty light switches, broken window screens, and bathroom equipment that was falling off the wall. …and of course we had our tires and eventually our bikes stolen from the garage while living there. Mgmt put silly fake cameras in, which were also stolen! Ha!
I’d never rent from PLC again and recommend you stay clear of this property management company unless you want a lot of craziness, don’t mind getting wet when it rains, and of course you like being nickled and dimed on parking.
UPDATE:
I got a letter from mgmt complaining about my review, threatening legal action (whoa) and reminding me that they actually changed the locks/​codes when all the cars were broken into and the bikes were stolen and the storage room broken into. True. Oh and they were also super quick to respond when I told them that the oven was a fire hazard. Like a chef who serves a horrible meal and at the end reminds you how great that warm bread was. Yum.
Changing from 2 stars to 1 for the (totally professional) legal threats.