After living in a 1 bedroom apartment in Westbrooke Commons for three years, I am ecstatic to be leaving. When I first moved in rent was $675. As of this year, they have upped the rent to $725 for a 560 sq ft, ground level apartment. I have had nothing but issues with the apartment complex since moving in in 2010. \r
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The Cabot Group has succeeded in removing themselves from any personal disputes by insuring all communications go through a convoluted bureaucracy. The individuals in the office, who seem to have no empathy for their tenants, deflect any inquiries or requests in defense of the Cabot Group.\r
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The maintenance staff was the most helpful and considerate, but often had problems fixing issues. As Steve B. suggested, this is likely an issue with communications between the main office and the maintenance staff. I have had trouble with my garbage disposal, shower, toilet, sink, and even water from dripping down from the apartment above! In addition, during the beginning of this summer, I had to call a total of 5 times over the course of three weeks to get someone to turn off the heat to our apartment. I was forced to have the heat on during 80-90 degree weather and was assured every time they would come out to fix it that day.\r
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As a ground level apartment, my bedroom and living room window are facing directly into a parking lot which allows for inconsiderate neighbors to shine their headlights directly into my apartment at all hours of the night. The walls are thin and I can hear the slightest tap on the wall from the unit next door and the bass from my neighbor upstairs. The front door the the building usually doesn't lock and the buzzer hasn't worked since we moved in.\r
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As a struggling college student, it is frustrating that the Cabot Group sucks every penny out of their tenants. When I moved in three years ago, there was a $50 fee for any late rent checks, which was understandable in my opinion. Three years later, there is a $75 fee for being late and after three days, regardless of my communications, they begin the eviction process and charge another $275 in attorney fees. Essentially, if I do not have rent by the 8th, I am forced to pay 150% of my rent cost. I have called to inform them that I will have rent and their late fee in within a week of the 5th, yet they attempt to evict me constantly, making it even more difficult to afford any kind of living.\r
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This is my last month in this nightmare and I am very excited to be moving 5 minutes away to a bigger, $635 apartment that is not a managed community. I was $30 short for rent this month because of the costs of moving (application fee, deposit, etc.) and informed the office that I would have rent in addition to the $75 fee by the next Friday when I get my paycheck. I stayed true to my word and turned in a money order for the full amount on the 13th. A week later, I receive a notice in my mailbox that eviction process has begun and I am being charged $275 attorney fee in addition to the amount I had already payed. There is absolutely no reason the Cabot Group needs to begin the eviction process when my lease expires in three weeks, particularly after I expressed my disdain for this process.\r
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The organization and its employees are unprofessional, inconsiderate, and impolite. I have learned my lesson to avoid any manged communities and the Cabot Group in general.
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