MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Now that the cold weather is over, thousands of people in the Mid-South are finding out that their air conditioners don’t work.
She said, “It’s unbearable to come in here and sleep in the heat all night.”
For two weeks, Davis told FOX13, the air conditioning in her Frayser apartment building has not worked. But her landlord just put in new air conditioners, and building crews were seen working on the property.
She said, “It’s really hot in here.” “My breathing is bad. It’s so hot in here that we can hardly breathe.
FOX13 has said many times that renters in Tennessee do not have the right to air cooling. A landlord must provide essential services according to the Landlord-Tenant Act. However, these services are only defined as “gas, heat, electricity, and any other obligations imposed upon the landlord which materially affect the health and safety of the tenant.”
Cindy Ettingoff, owner of Ettingoff Law and Mediation, said, “It has been a worry for a long time.” “It’s a worry since Memphis is so hot.”
Ettingoff told renters that they should keep paying their rent even if they aren’t getting this important service.
“They can kick you out if you don’t pay,” she said.
Michael Working, an attorney, agreed that the rule should be changed to protect renters better.
Working said, “It’s likely time for us as a society to raise our standards for the health and safety of people in their homes.”
