Broken Arrow woman frustrated by alleged rat infestation
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — A Broken Arrow woman turned to NewsChannel 8 for help after she says efforts to get her security deposit back from her landlord over her living conditions were going nowhere.
"I thought it was a great deal and a great snatch and I wanted to catch this offer," Lataisha McKeithen told NewsChannel 8 was the reason she chose her duplex.
She said the neighborhood seemed nice and fell within the Broken Arrow school district, which she believed was a great option for her kids.
McKeithen said that things seemed normal when she toured the duplex with the realtor.
She said she signed a one-year lease starting in March, but when she started to move food items in she noticed some issues.
"I noticed, I heard like a scratching sound a little bit and I thought I'm just exaggerating," said McKeithen.
McKeithen said she later learned that the scratching sounds she described were likely mice.
"My kids were absolutely scared," said McKeithen. "They were afraid to walk in the house. They don't want to live in a place that has mice."
Mckeithen said she noticed that it appeared something had gotten into her food and that there were mice feces and urine on her floor.
"When you walk in you'll be able to smell the scent of pee and urine," said McKeithen.
McKeithen said that when she noticed the issue she reached out to her landlord immediately, letting him know that she could not stay there due to health concerns and that she wanted her deposit back.
"He told me over the phone that he would give me my deposit back," said McKeithen.
Mckeithen said the landlord and his wife then called her back and walked back the verbal promise.
"[They said] we've already paid the realtor $800 and we paid $500 to put a garage door opener in your unit, therefore I'm not giving you your deposit back," said McKeithen.
McKeithen said she did not originally want to escalate the situation and involve NewsChannel 8, but her inquiries with the landlord to make things right were going ignored.
"I just want them to make things right," said McKeithen.
NewsChannel 8 called, texted, and visited the landlord's home Tuesday for comment.
He told NewsChannel 8's John Hayes that he did not have anything to say.
A phone number, NewsChannel 8 confirmed belongs to the landlord, did reach out to McKeithen Tuesday saying that because she reached out to NewsChannel 8 the landlord would not refund her deposit.
NewsChannel 8 also reached out to a lawyer who has been covering landlord and tenant law for more than 30 years to get advice on how McKeithen should proceed.
"She needs to make sure she has sufficient proof that the vermin infestation cannot be remediated," said Blaine Frierson. "I would definitely get an extermination company a licensed one over there to look at the situation and advisor and I'd also have more than five of her family and friends come over then and be witness to the vermin droppings or whatever evidence she has."
Frierson said at that point McKeithen should contact a lawyer to put a letter together to potentially rescind the lease before escalating any legal action.
McKeithen told NewsChannel 8 Tuesday evening, hours after an interview, and attempting to make contact with her landlord, that his wife did stop by the property to have it checked out.
She said she received confirmation that there is a problem at the residence that will have to be addressed before a tenant can live there comfortably.
As of March 26, Sunday, McKeithen told NewsChannel 8 she got her deposit back after having an inspection done and threatening legal action.