MARIETTA, Ga. — A single mom and nurse says the last two weeks have been torture at her Marietta rental home.
“I hear them all night and I am terrified of rodents, so this has just not been a good time at all," Joy Luna explained.
The renter said she started to notice damage and hear rodent activity in her walls after a hole opened up in her chimney following a bad storm. She explained it's now been two weeks since the hole formed and the rodents appeared, and she hasn't been able to get her landlord to fix it.
“I’ve seen them. They’re not like little mice. They're large rats and I kind of just hide in my living room," Luna said. "I can’t even enjoy my own house that I pay for."
Luna believes she wouldn't have a pest issue if she had been able to get the hole repaired sooner.
“I see in my lease agreement where they don’t cover pests, but you do need to fix the giant hole in my roof where they’re coming from," she said.
Attorney Tom Salata said that too many metro Atlantans like Luna are living in unacceptable conditions.
“The landlord has an obligation to make the premises habitable," Salata explained. "In Georgia, they have to make sure it’s in a livable condition and they also have the obligation to repair the premises so that it doesn’t become non-livable."
Salata said renters do have legal rights and recommend they document all communication and maintain a cordial relationship with their landlord. He also explained that in Georgia, renters can hire their own contractor to fix a structural issue and have it deducted from their rent.
Progressive Residential, the company that manages Luna's property, shared this statement with 11 Alive following Luna's claims.
Our residents are our top priority. We are researching the concerns shared by the resident and are committed to working with them directly to ensure any issues are resolved.