Associated Students launched their Rate My Landlord website on Feb. 6, allowing users to anonymously leave reviews for landlords in Isla Vista. Users can rate their landlords on various criteria, including pricing, responsiveness and cleanliness, among others.
Reviews are 100% anonymous and are calculated via a five-star rating system. Nexus file photo
Reviews on the website are 100% anonymous and allow users to leave reviews on landlords, property managers and individual properties within I.V. Reviews are calculated via a five-star rating system, with the option of leaving a written review. Users can also leave specific tags on a property or independent landlord, with descriptors like “clean” or “responsive.”
The website is akin to Rate My Professors, which allows students to leave reviews on particular professors across different colleges. According to Associated Students (A.S.) External Vice President of Local Affairs and third-year political science major E.J. Raad, whose office conceptualized the website, the project has been in discussion since “at least post-COVID.”
The website was primarily developed by three students, fourth-year computer engineering majors Bruce Huang and Stanley Guo, and fourth-year applied mathematics major Daniel Sanchez. Raad said they created a “very well-made website” and have been easy to work with.
Raad added that there is a council that oversees the website, composed of the three developers, Raad and his housing coordinator, fourth-year political science major Shane Stewart. Since the developers will be graduating this coming year, A.S. is looking to fill the council with additional members who will have autonomy over the website in the following years.
Users must register via email to submit a review and can only submit a particular number of reviews in a limited time frame to prevent spam reviews. There are also precautions to prevent private or sensitive information from being revealed, with reviews including the specific unit of an address, personal contact information or tenant names being taken down.
Raad said these precautions are in place in order to protect tenants from repercussions, such as landlords refusing to extend a lease.
As far as the reviews currently on the website, Raad described them as a “pretty good mix.” He said issues include “typical I.V. things” such as mold, poor maintenance or lack of responsiveness from landlords.
Regarding features that may be added in the future, Raad said he’d be interested in allowing users to respond to reviews. Additionally, they’ve discussed adding reviews for individual landlords who work for specific leasing companies for increased transparency.
In order to market the website, Raad’s office will be holding a water filter distribution drive, where students can receive a free water filter if they leave a review on the website.
Raad said he hopes the website will give residents a resource that “has not existed before” by allowing tenants to be informed on their landlord before signing a lease.
Additionally, Raad hopes this website will “apply pressure on landlords in a way that hasn’t been previously.” He elaborated by saying there hasn’t been a platform where landlords are held “directly accountable,” and that by having negative feedback, they may be encouraged to improve their units’ conditions.
“I think long term, as we pick up users, it’s going to be a really, really valuable tool for not just UCSB students, but Isla Vista residents,” Raad concluded.
A version of this article appeared on p. 5 of the Feb. 19, 2026 edition of the Daily Nexus.
