I rented a house from Ms. Attaway in July. At the time I rented the house it appeared only to need 3 light fixtures because bear wires were hanging from the ceiling in the L/R, D/R and the bedroom light fixture had no place to put a bulb. She promised repeatedly to have the fixed by the next weekend. I trusted and believed her and had no reason to doubt what she said. So I moved in. The house was suppose to be cleaned before I moved in and it wasn't so I had to clean before I could move anything in. Everything was nasty, trash everywhere especially in the utility room and garage. More than 4 OKC 90 gallon trash carts, full and stuffed to the max. But that was only the beginning of my year of pure h*l with Ms. Attaway.
Right away I started seeing areas in the carpet, after I vacuumed that were pulled out. And over time it got worse to now I can't vacuum except with the hose. I have already burnt up one vacuum cleaner because of the fibers pulling out of the dry rotted carpet and winding up on the roller. And breaking the belt or burning up the motor.
The kitchen and bathroom is painted with a none washable paint. Something like an oilbased paint, I think. I can not wash the cabinet doors or bathroom walls. Whenever something is splashed on the walls or cabinets it immediately soaks into the paint and you can't get it off. Now the walls and cabinets look horribly dirty and I can't get them clean.
The central heat did not work properly all winter. I asked several time for it to be repaired and it never was. I had no to very little air all summer. Still no repairs. All the while paying my $500.00 per month rent and never being late with it. Still no repairs were ever done on anything.
And along the way things break or wear out and still have never been repaired except for what I had to repair myself at my expense. About the end of April, the first of May. I noticed white stuff on the red siding. And each day it seemed as more of the white stuff was there. Well come to find out it is mold growing on the asbestos siding. Still no repairs have even been done on that. I have contacted the health department as well as neighborhood services. I mean I have massive amounts of mold growing on my house as well as bare electrical wires hanging inside my lving room and dining room. That has been almost a month ago I contacted the health department and all, still no repairs. Isn't this against the law or something? What about people's health? Not only mine but neighbors, mail carrier etc?
And all the while trying to deal with all the needed repairs and my health issues, I recently had cervical spine surgery and I have nerve damage in my left arm. I am losing the use of it. Ms. Attaway would have the nerve to call me around the 20th of every month, and leave messages such as "Here it is the 20th and I don't have my rent yet". My rent is not even due until the 1st. And her calls would always come before the rent was even due. And she would always call when she knew I wasn't home. Once she even had her mother call me for the rent, stating that Ms. Attaway was sick and could not come get the rent, and could I bring it to her. Ms. Attaway called about 2 hours later and was out of town. Some recovery wasn't it?
I have tried to be kind, understanding and patient about this entire matter but I am tired of paying for something I am not receiving. My rent has never been late (except for August will explain in a minute), I have not damaged the property in any way (only done needed and necessary repairs that she refused to do) and she still refuses to do any repairs. I sent a demand letter in June and my attorney has also sent a demand letter, still nothing, no repairs or anything except demands for rent.
So being fed up with all the bull etc., I held the rent in August, trying to get her attention about the repairs. Still nothing except a trip to eviction court. Ms. Attaway outright lied to herself, the judge, my lawyer and me. She continually said I caused all the damage, even the mold etc. Which common sense would tell anyone that I didn't. She even told my lawyer and the judge that I didn't pay rent at all. But she had the rent before she ever filed for the eviction, more than 2 weeks prior to going to court she had it. My lawyer sided with Ms. Attaway and I paid for representation that I didn't get. The judge put the case off until September 6 (original case was August 28). On her way home from court, where she swore under oath that she didn't get the rent, she cashed the rent check. I really would like to know how she cashed something she didn't have? Anyone have any ideas about that? I do, she had it all along.
I agreed in court to mail September rent on September 1st, so Ms. Attaway would dismiss the case before the 6th. I mailed the rent as promised in court. My attorney called me on the afternoon of the 5th stating Ms. Attaway said she hadn't got the rent yet. My attorney said that I need to hand deliver another check to Ms. Attaway to avoid going to court again. I just happened to be at the doctor office just up the street from Ms. Attaway's house and my bank (I didn't have my checkbook with me) so I just went to the bank and got a money order and took it to Ms. Attaway's house. I told my attorney that this was against my better judgement to do this, that I knew for a fact that Ms. Attaway had received the rent check and that she would cash it as well. My attorney gave me her personal guarentee that Ms. Attaway would not cash the check and she would return it to me as soon as she received it. I knew better than this and told the attorney that. Well to make a long story short she cashed both the money order and the check. Casuing my bank account to be overdrawn. (I live on a fixed income and only get paid once a month, actually every 28 days). Now I have to go with no money from the 8th until the 29th when I get paid again. I can't even buy milk or bread. The attorney has not even tried to make it right but the firm she is employed by has tried (and they are still working on it). Look for the posting about the problem with Ms. Tracy Zahl, my so called attorney.
My problem now is, no money, no repairs and a worthless attorney. I am going to try to post pictures with this posting so the general public can see a little of what I have had to live in for the past year. Yeah everyone can say well just move. That is easier said that done. I am disabled, I can barely care for myself much less move. I have no money in saving or anything and live payday to payday. It will cost me a minimum of $1,000.00 to move and I just don't have it. So I wish everyone would say why don't the slumlord fix the place. Since I have paid rent, never late except once, for 13 months. Not having the money should not be the problem for her since I have paid her over $6,000.00 in rent this past year. If she would have just done a little each month it would not be such a big problem now. But she chose to party and have fun on the money instead. While I paid rent, on time each and every month, and lived in squalor. We as citizens of the United States need to do something to protect ourselves from others such as her.
So just remember if you hear the name Keli Eve Attaway or Attorney Tracy Zahl, run just as fast as you can in the other direction. Please take my advise and have no dealing with them what so ever. They present themselves to be kind, caring people and that could not be more furthur from the truth.
Thank you for listening, at least letting me have a place to vent my anger. And it might even keep someone else from going through what i have.
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