On August 1, 2023, Zyah Angela (@zyahangela) shared a harrowing video on TikTok documenting her experience with a newly purchased ‘luxury’ apartment complex in Austin, Texas, quickly transforming into a nightmare. The video, amassed over 278,000 views as of this writing, has ignited a wave of concern and legal action amongst apartment renters, with many encouraging Zyah to pursue legal remedies to break her lease.
Zyah, a Texas woman, described the initial problem as occurring before she even received her keys, stating that two days prior to move-in, a leasing agent unexpectedly called her, raising her suspicions. She reported that the agent later told her the apartment was receiving a brand-new A/C unit before move-in, a significant and unsettling development.
Delivering news to countless inboxes since 1999, Zyah explained that the A/C unit worked during her initial cleaning, but malfunctioned the following day. She contacted the leasing office, but maintenance did not immediately resolve the issue, according to her account, which continued for several days. She reports that her movers eventually arrived while temperatures outside approached 100 degrees.
“I was sitting doing nothing, and I was sweating,” she stated, “I felt absolutely horrible.” The woman spent her first two nights at her parents’ house because the apartment had no working A/C. Maintenance eventually installed a window unit as a temporary solution, but she found the unit only cooled her bedroom.”
She says the A/C problem also created another headache because the woman works remotely. She said maintenance workers repeatedly arrived without giving her adequate notice, she reports that on one Monday morning, the leasing office called to say A/C technicians had arrived.
“I’m actually 20 minutes away from home,” she reported telling them, asking if they could wait until she got there. The leasing employee responded with an attitude and told her the technicians could not wait, despite their arriving at 11 a.m. on a Monday without notice.
According to the TikToker, the A/C technicians eventually discovered a broken coil. However, the complex could not simply replace it because the manufacturer no longer produced that specific part. That meant the complex had to order a new coil, wait for its production, and then schedule another installation.
While she waited, another problem emerged. The woman says she noticed that her dryer filled the apartment with hot, humid air. She says maintenance inspected it and immediately spotted an issue.
“The aluminum vent isn’t connected,” she reports the maintenance worker telling her.
She says she searched online and learned that an improperly vented dryer can create a serious fire hazard. A gas dryer could also create carbon monoxide concerns if it lacks proper ventilation, she said.
The problems continued after maintenance connected the dryer.
Her clothes still would not dry properly, she reports. She says another inspection revealed that the exterior dryer vent had been painted shut. The TikToker says maintenance eventually used a broom to force the vent open.
Meanwhile, the A/C coil finally arrived. She says the apartment temperature reached 76 degrees when it was supposed to be 72, even after workers installed the replacement part.
She also said the constant maintenance visits have stressed her dog, who dislikes strangers entering the apartment. Now, she wants answers from the leasing office.
“I don’t know if I should ask them to break my lease,” she said. “I don’t know what to do.”
The Texas Attorney General recommends consulting an attorney before taking those steps. The Texas Property Code presumes seven days as a reasonable repair period in certain circumstances. If the landlord still fails to make a diligent effort, the tenant may have options, including lease termination, a court-ordered repair, or other remedies. She should not simply stop paying rent or move out without following the required process.”
AllHipHop reached out to Zyah via TikTok direct message and email. We will update this story if she responds.
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Source: AllHipHop
