Residents in a D.C. apartment building are demanding answers after they say their heat went out on Sunday and property managers aren’t fixing the problem.
Property managers of the Todd A. Lee Senior Residences at 809 Kennedy St. NW did provide space heaters, but now some are concerned about potential fire risks.
A rattling sound was the last thing one renter, who did not want to be identified, heard before the heat went out.
“They don’t care, but they want your rent money on time,” one renter said. “[It’s] pure hell. It seems like there’s no consideration for my well-being or my safety. The temperatures have been in the 20s and the teens, and it’s unacceptable.”
We've got the news you need to know to start your day. Sign up for the First & 4Most morning newsletter — delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.
Neighbors including Lois Scott said it’s a familiar story inside the building.
Scott also lost heat on Sunday and was given a space heater to keep warm.
"They keep the apartment warm, but I don’t think they’re really safe to keep in your apartment. You have to make sure you put them some place where it won’t catch on fire," she said.
Scott said she's gotten no explanation on what happened or when the heat will be fixed — and she said losing heat is just the latest on a long list of maintenance issues.
“It’s infested with rats and mice,” Scott said. “You can’t really describe it because the smell is so bad. I mean, it’s really bad, and sometimes you be there and you hear them up in the ceiling. I mean, it’s really frightening.”
It's gotten so bad that she wears a mask in most of the common areas because of a foul odor, she said.
News4 reached out several times to representatives for the property management company, Faria Management. By Wednesday evening, we had not received a response.
“I just hope we don’t have any fires; that’s what I’m afraid of,” Scott said.
She added that the heating problem was reported to the District, and someone came to check it out on Wednesday.
Another resident said his heat had returned Wednesday evening after being out for three weeks.
If you believe your landlord is not making needed repairs or not providing winter heating as required by law, or if you believe your health and safety are in danger, you can request an inspection from the D.C. Department of Buildings online here or by calling 202-671-3500.
CORRECTION (Jan. 18, 2024, 2:18 p.m.): An earlier version of this story contained outdated contact information to request a housing inspection. It has been updated.
