TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — A local mother and daughter are tramutaized after ceiling fell in on them at Ashbury Apartments in Temple.
- Mother and child are out of hospital
- The apartment roof expected to be fixed in a week
- Tenants will have rent deducted
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"Very, very disgusted, very hurt, very upset the fact that the leasing manager and the corporate company basically told us that they couldn't do anything," Sherion Davis said.
Davis was in her apartment with her two-year-old daughter when the ceiling came in.
"What's crazy is the bedroom caved in a week and a half ago — thank God we weren't in there at the time," she said.
Sherion showed her bruises after she and her daughter spent a couple of days in the hospital.
In a statement, Crown Property Management says the apartment had a previously unknown roof leak — which was made worse when a tornado struck in May.
Plus, more water damage happened when storms rolled through the area during the roof repairs.
Throughout the entire situation, the on-site manager has been in constant contact with tenants despite dealing with her own medical issues.
"Guy in corporate basically told us that they can put me in a different unit but I don't want another unit because the whole apartment complex is in the same state they haven't fixed anything," Davis said.
The complex says it's their understanding that the roof should be completed within a week — most displaced tenants have notified management they plan on returning to Ashbury apartments.
Tenants can expect adjustments to rent, but help isn't coming for those who did not have renters insurance.
"I have to basically start over, I've lost everything," Davis said.
Sherion has created a GoFundMe to help pick up the pieces, even though she feels that she should not have to.
"Brand new clothes, brand new toys all that ruined and y'all have the nerve to tell me that y'all can't do nothing when this negligence is on y'all hands and me and my daughter got hurt," Davis said.
Renters can file a consumer's complaint online through the Texas attorney general's website.
In short, state law says renters have the right to peace and quiet, health and safety, and security devices.
If your landlord won't make repairs, you have the right to end the lease, have the problem fixed, and deduct the cost from your rent or file suit to force the landlord to make the repairs.
