RICHMOND, Va. -- Families are frantically trying to find a new place to live, after another building at the Flats at Ginter Park was condemned.
That brings the total to three buildings condemned since CBS 6 first reported last week that many families in the complex on Old Brook Road had been living without hot water for six months.
Starting Tuesday families can no longer sleep in their apartments and are searching for a new place to call home.
The city has offered to help some former tenants with a voucher to stay in a hotel for one week as they figure out their next move.
“My entire house is packed up, I’m ready to go,” said one tenant who wanted to remain anonymous.
A letter from code enforcement to the management, shown to us by a tenant, listed 11 code violations, including no hot water. It was dated June 21.
Martin D. Wegbreit, Director of Litigation, with Central Virginia Legal Aid Society said such conditions are illegal.
“No tenant should have to go without hot water for six months or six weeks or even six days,” Wegbreit said.
He said its best for tenants in similar situations to get the court involved as soon as possible.
“You can and should sue your landlord for damages but your recovery is going to be based on how you can prove your landlord knew about the damages during the previous months, weeks or years,” Wegbreit said.
Legal experts said something like that could hold up in court as evidence that management knew there were issues and did not fix them. Families could potentially get part or all of the money back that they paid in rent.
Developing.
