Period: November 2008 through February 2009
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MEANINGFUL SCORING: STAR RATING vs RAW vs ALL
Each category, question or landlord has a star rating that reflects how they compare to ALL surveys for the current date period. For example, a landlord may score a RAW average of 4.54 but that will not necessarily yield an excellent 5 star RATING. The star RATING reflects the comparison of the RAW average to the average of ALL surveys using some fraction of the standard deviation. For example, if the ALL surveys average is 3.5662, with st. dev. 1.4082, you actually need a RAW average of ~4.63 or higher for a 5 stars RATING.

Basically, you should interpret the RATING as Poor, Fair, Average, Good or Excellent based on 1 to 5 stars. For example if the rating is Good (4 stars), the landlord has a good score compared to others surveyed.

Centra Associates Ratings based on 13 surveys, 5 comments
	RATING	RAW	ALL
Overall (average of all 32 questions):		3.64	3.56
Landlord / Tenant Relationship:		3.35	3.36
Apartment / Property Quality:		3.83	3.68
Repair Responsiveness:		3.17	3.37
Landlord / Tenant Relationship My Landlord...
	RATING	RAW	ALL
is concerned with my satisfaction:		3.00	2.85
uses a lease written in language that I can understand:		3.92	3.77
can be contacted easily when necessary:		3.23	3.42
provided me with emergency contact information:		3.07	3.31
communicates in a prompt, friendly, and professional manner:		3.00	3.22
keeps promises made in the lease:		3.53	3.42
maintains the property in good condition:		3.07	3.19
makes professional repairs:		3.46	3.22
handles finances (e.g. rent, fees, security deposits) quickly & accurately:		3.84	3.82
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Apartment / Property Quality Condition of rental unit
	RATING	RAW	ALL
I feel safe in my living space:		4.07	3.95
Doors & windows are intact, secure with working locks:		3.76	3.77
Fire safety features are adequate and in working condition:		3.53	3.70
Building noise levels allow me to quietly enjoy my home:		3.76	3.49
Walls and ceilings are in good shape:		3.92	3.46
Carpet / flooring is in good condition:		3.69	3.51
Appliances work:		4.00	3.83
Electrical wiring is adequate:		3.76	3.83
Hot water is sufficient:		3.92	4.05
Heat is sufficient:		3.69	3.79
Plumbing is free from leaks:		4.23	3.79
Paint or wallpaper is in good condition:		3.76	3.68
Space is free of rodents, roaches, bedbugs, or other pests:		3.53	3.35
Containers and instructions are provided for trash disposal:		4.07	3.72
Containers & instructions are provided for recycling:		3.23	2.70
The space was clean prior to move-in:		3.76	3.50
There are smoke detectors which, when tested, work:		4.23	4.03
Outdoor lighting in the front/rear/side areas is adequate:		3.84	3.74
Exterior lights come on automatically when it gets dark:		3.69	3.56
Lighting is adequate in common areas, hallways & stairwells:		4.15	4.06
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Repair Responsiveness Optional questions when repairs were needed (response time)
	RATING	RAW	ALL
Minor repairs? (i.e. small wall cracks, broken hinges):		2.62	3.08
Major repairs? (i.e. broken appliance, safety and security, bedbugs):		3.00	3.12
Emergencies? (i.e. plumbing, heating, broken doors/locks):		3.66	3.89
Comments (5) User submitted feedback for Centra Associates. Stars below reflect only that user's rating.
2008-12-08 Centra Associates runs my property (which I assume means all of their properties) in a highly professional manner. Emergencies are addressed promptly and repairs are adequate. When they proposed a rent increase that seemed too high for my budget, I talked with them and they agreed to halve the proposed increase to keep the apartment affordable for me.. The space is great; fantastic living area in a great location for the $$. Back to top
2008-11-26 Our apartment had a mice problem. Exterminators were sent many times (days after we would request it) and they would only throw down traps, one even refused our request to look for holes to close up to better address the problem. Finally, five months after we moved in, they sent in a crew to look for holes behind our kitchen cabinets. In order to do this, they had to give us a new kitchen, which was nice, but they really should have done this BEFORE we moved in, since by the time they addressed the problem we had a newborn baby and the kitchen was old to begin with. As a result, the mother and baby had to leave the house for a week due to the dust the kitchen repairs would cause, which would be too much for a baby`s fragile immune system. They had to leave at the expense of the tenant, not the landlord, although the landlord had dragged their heels in addressing all our problems. Also, loads of laundry are $1.50 per wash and $1.50 per dry, which is more than what I`ve paid in other places in the city. The front door does not close on its own, so unless you pull it firmly shut, it will stay open... which at that particular address is not necessarily comforting. Instead of replacing/fixing the door, management just posts signs reminding tenants to make sure the door is closed. That would be fine, IF the door were not defective. Lastly, at the time we were expecting the birth of our baby, we had a mite problem, which took FOREVER to fix. First, the exterminator they sent was totally unprofessional, having parked with ten minutes of legal parking to go for his spot, despite supposedly having been told what the problem was in advance. He was more concerned with getting out of the apartment and not being towed than addressing our problem. He told us that WE should fill in the cracks by the window where the mites were coming in and when we asked him to spray the floors and window to kill the mites while we did that, he just ignored our request. Again, at this point, we were expecting the birth of our child *any day,* since the mother was past her due date - this was something that the exterminator was supposedly told before coming to fix the problem and was totally apparent by the mother`s appearance. These are just the worst problems. We`ve also experienced many little problems along the way - too numerous to recount here. Back to top
2008-11-19 I have had a good experience with Centra. I think it`s one of the more reasonably priced studios in Center City. Back to top
2008-11-19 As soon as we notified the landlord that we would not be renewing the lease they completely disregarded our lease agreement for 24 hours notice before showing the apartment, and even gave a termite fumigation company access to our apartment on a Saturday morning without any notice at all. We discovered they they were there when we saw an stranger walk through the interior apartment hallway at 9 a.m. through the open door of our bedroom. Subsequently, they tried to withhold a portion of our deposit and required us to provide proof that they were wrong for a long series of excuses, such as, we underpaid rent 10 months prior (which was impossible since we had set up direct withdrawal and the landlord was paid automatically each month). Overall, once we were not viewed as a potential customer, we were treated rudely and our lease was violated, but there was no opportunity for compensation. Back to top
2008-11-18 Landlord does a good job but the building is terribly old. Hardwood floors have popping nails, walls have been covered with too many layers of paint. Also inadequate electrical facilities - half of plugs are not even grounded. Also units in this building facing Lombard St. are very noisy due to bus and truck noise on the street. Good things: All Centra units come with window A/C, garbage disposal, and dishwasher. Back to top