Imagine waking up for almost a week without running water – a basic necessity we often take for granted. This is the harsh reality facing residents of The Sutton Apartments in Madison, Alabama. For six agonizing days, they've been living without this essential service, and the situation is only getting more dire.
Adding to the residents' woes, the apartment management has been virtually unreachable, leaving them and the utility company, Madison Utilities, desperately seeking answers.
Madison Utilities reported to WAFF 48 that the water was shut off on Thursday morning. According to General Manager Emory DeBord, the property owner, Lurin Real Estate, promised to settle the water bill by Thursday morning, but the payment never materialized.
"Unfortunate for the residents that live there, but the management company has failed to do their responsibility for their tenants," DeBord stated. "They’re just between a rock and a hard place. They’ve paid their rent — which includes their utilities — in good faith, but the management company has not held up their end of it in paying their service."
DeBord also revealed that this isn't the first instance of late payments from the property owners, but this time, it's different. The utility company has been unable to contact property management since the water was shut off, leaving them in the dark about when, or even if, the payment will be made.
"We’re in the same boat as most of the residents. [Lurin is] non-communicative," DeBord explained. "It’s frustrating for us too, because it’s very rare that this happens. It’s an anomaly that probably hasn’t happened in the last 10 years, something this significant."
But here's where it gets controversial... With no immediate solution in sight, there's a glimmer of hope for the affected residents. The City of Madison has announced that Legal Aid Services will hold a meeting on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Madison Meeting Hall (1282 Hughes Rd) to provide legal assistance to the tenants.
WAFF 48 will be covering the meeting and providing updates as they become available.
What do you think? Do you believe the property management company should be held accountable for the lack of communication and the residents' suffering? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
