If you listen closely in Blake Skelton’s apartment, you’ll hear the sound of fans — lots and lots of fans.
“It wasn’t too bad, really, until this past weekend when we got that heatwave,” he said. “100 degrees outside, it was 90 degrees in here.”
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Despite the fans and blackout shades, there’s no stopping the heat without working air conditioning. It’s become a problem for the single father and his 11-month-old son, Kayden.
“I’d say it was miserable. Like me and [Kayden], we went for a drive just to get some air conditioning in the car. He couldn’t even take a nap because it was so hot,” the father said.
Skelton says his A/C hasn’t been working since April. He says he’s submitted several maintenance requests to The Meadows at Town Center in Thornton.
“They had someone come yesterday. I wasn’t home, I was at work, and all they did was change the air filter. And that didn’t help at all,” Skelton said.
Contact Denver7 reached out to the apartment complex for comment but hasn’t heard back as of publication.
Associated attorney William O’Donnell says renters should be aware of Colorado’s Warranty of Habitability, which lists health and safety issues covered under the law for renters.
“The warranty of habitability actually doesn’t cover A/C here in Colorado,” he said. “If the current climate continues to heat up, the Warranty of Habitability may be addressed.”
O’Donnell says there’s always the chance laws could be changed, but says the best thing renters can do is keep track of all of their correspondence with a landlord.
“It’s all based upon the terms of the lease,” he said. “You’re entering into a contract.”
A/C is not mentioned in Skelton’s lease; however, he says all he really wants is a home that stays cool during the summer.
“That’s just not good for a child to be in that kind of heat inside an apartment,” Skelton said.
If you believe a problem makes your home unsafe to live in, experts suggest you check the Warranty of Habitability list, which covers issues ranging from broken windows to mold and pests.
Experts say the first step is to report the issue to your landlord or property management company. Landlords must respond within a day and, if it’s an emergency, begin repairs that day.
If that doesn’t work, experts say you should contact the local health department or government agency to file a complaint, as well as send a second notice to the landlord.
Finally, if those options fail, experts say it may be time to seek legal help.
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