Two stories of inadequate living conditions have recently gone viral, bringing attention to the issue of corporate landlords not taking care of their properties or people who live there.
Donny Skipper, a 33-year-old TikToker, has shared his experience of living in a so-called 'luxury' apartment building in upstate New York. For $1,879 a month, he was expecting a one-bedroom apartment at The Lofts at Harmony Mills in Cohoes, only to find broken elevators, doors, mysterious flooding and even bats in his building. Moreover, the landlord planned to increase his rent to $2,004 before his videos took off.
The TikToker reported that the leasing office that was managed by Lincoln Property Company in Dallas, TX was dismissive of his requests for repairs. The landlord promised a "unique combination of luxury, style and convenience" according to the website, but TikToker claims he has been awoken some nights by bats in his HVAC system. His landlord allegedly informed him that his lease would not be renewed in May, leaving him no less than three months to relocate his family.
In another story, cabin owner Bjorkman of West Virginia discovered an infestation of 58 flying squirrels living in his cabin. He called a humane wildlife removal expert who safely trapped the animals, then sealed the hole they'd chewed up to get in. In warmer months, animals such as raccoons may also be looking for a snug place to have their babies, as was the case with a Toronto homeowner who found a raccoon and her five kits in the bathtub. I
Humane removal is in everyone's best interest due to the dangers animals may cause, such as squirrels who can chew through wires and cause fires. The removal specialists will assess the situation, operate one-way doors and, in some cases, use scents that animals don't like to encourage them to leave.
The TikToker, Donny Skipper, is in the process of organizing his neighbors with the goal of taking a class action lawsuit. He claims that Lincoln Property Company has been linked to Rent Pricing Software from RealPage called YieldStar, which has come under fire for accusations of artificial rent inflation. He hopes to hold corporate landlords accountable for raising rents and not taking care of properties or the people who live there.
These two stories highlight the importance of tenants being aware of their rights and of corporate landlords being responsible for the conditions and the safety of the properties they own.