PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Residents at Beacon303 at Olde Towne got no relief Friday from the heat with the lack of air conditioning there.
Residents told 10 On Your Side they are frustrated and fearful they could suffer from heat exhaustion or, potentially, heat stroke.
Drake Milstead is concerned about his health and the health of his neighbors.
“In the middle of the night, I woke up,” Milstead said. “My bed was covered in sweat and I was sweating. It was very uncomfortable.”
Elizabeth Davis, a staff attorney with the nonprofit Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia, which specializes in tenants’ rights, said the landlord has a responsibility “to maintain a fit and habitable premises.”
“They do need to provide air conditioning, and that is considered under the law a condition that would threaten the health and safety of people, especially in the heat,” Davis said.
Once a written complaint is filed, its community support team will begin an investigation.
“I think it’s fair to say in this heat, without any air conditioning, if the landlord’s not fixing that promptly within a few days, or providing you immediately with fans, a window unit, something to get the air going,” Davis said, “then you could file something called a tenant’s assertion. You do need to be current on rent and you pay your rent into the court.”
If you are a tenant and you need help concerning air conditioning or any other conditions, contact the community support team at Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia. The number is 757-827-5078.