IRVING, Texas — The aftermath of last week's extreme weather has left many Texans still without water. Irving resident Candice Canterbury hasn’t had consistent running water for over a week.
In the first couple of days without water when snow still covered her porch, she collected all she could and filled her bathtub. She’s been using the remaining water to flush her toilet.
“This past week has been stressful,” she said Tuesday afternoon. “It hasn’t been easy trying to get a one-year-old to understand, it’s going to take me take me 30 minutes to get your bath ready.”
It’s taking her that long to set a bath because the water trickling from her faucets for the last two nights is very cold.
She lives at the Summerwood Apartment Homes in northwest Irving and says some of the buildings in her complex aren't getting the slow trickle she only gets at night.
“These conditions are not livable, no one should have to pay rent and not have consistent running water,” said Canterbury.
According to Canterbury, the complex’s management claims they’re working to fix broken pipes that are causing the problem but on Tuesday she and her neighbors hadn't seen crews working to fix the issue.
Sandy Rollins, the executive director of Texas Tenants’ Union, said landlords must respond to these kinds of issues within a reasonable period of time, which is considered seven days under Texas state law.
Rollins said renters like Canterbury who are without water need to give written notice of the repair request in accordance with the notice requirements in their lease agreement. Rollins recommends sending the request via certified letter.
“It’s very important that you document everything,” said Rollins. She said the written notice you send to your landlord is crucial because it sets in motion the rights you have as a tenant.
Rollins says if renters give notice and haven’t received a response from their landlords within a week, involving a lawyer might be the next step.
Canterbury said she’s knowledgeable about her rights as a tenant and will take legal action if the water problem persists. She said management is telling residents at the complex that it could be another five days before the problem is fixed.
Rollins says water is considered an essential need and if tenants follow the correct steps, breaking a lease without penalty is possible.
“We're not an ordinary circumstance. I know plumbers across the state are being backlogged. There aren’t enough in the profession to deal with the crisis at hand,” said Rollins.
Rollins urges tenants to be their own advocates.
“If you want to terminate your lease, you should look up section 92.054 of the Texas property code,” she said.
Texas Tenants’ Union welcomes those with questions or concerns to call their information hotline at, 214-823-2733. They can be found on Facebook and Twitter. You can also view YouTube videos on tenants’ rights. Those who need help due to the storm can check out www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 TTY.
If you have an interesting story or an issue you’d like to see covered, let us know about it. Share your ideas with DFW Reporter Lupe Zapata: Lupe.Zapata@Charter.com