OKLA. CITY – Katrina Lambert says she and her four children are living in miserable conditions.
She says they haven’t had heat or hot water in months.
There’s a hole in her kitchen ceiling, a bug problem, and her stove and refrigerator stopped working.
Two of Katrina’s children have serious health problems.
She keeps putting in work orders and even sent a letter certified mail demanding repairs.
“They keep saying they’ll send someone out or they say, ‘It’s not an emergency,’ because they only have one maintenance man,” Katrina said.
We know the company that runs the property is out of Kansas City.
The sign out front says new management.
An agent at the leasing office told us they were aware of pending work orders, but she wouldn’t tell us much more than that and instructed us to call the company’s regional supervisor.
Katrina doesn’t know how much more her family can take.
“Not being able to cook and provide for my kids every day,” Katrina said. “It makes me feel like I’m failing as a mom,” she said. “I think that’s the hardest part.”
Katrina’s been receiving legal advice from Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma.
She withheld her rent for January.
In Oklahoma if your place isn’t livable you can withhold rent until repairs are done, but there are certain requirements you must meet first.
We’ll keep you posted on the family’s situation.
We left several messages for the company’s regional supervisor, but so far we haven’t heard back from her.
Check out your rights as a landlord or tenant here.
