'It's a mess': Tenants in north Harris County complex go without power and hot water for days

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- First, it was sewage issues. Now, tenants have no power and hot water at an apartment complex in north Harris County.

Life at the Palms on Rolling Creeks hasn't been ideal for several days.

"We figured maybe it was just an hour or two," Nikki Allen recalled. "Then, it's the next day. It's the next day. It's like..."

Allen has to keep doors and windows open to get light. Whatever was left in the fridge is gone.

The complex lost power on Saturday, and it's been even longer without hot water.

"It's a mess right now," Allen said. "We've been having issues with these apartments for a while."

Harris County took the complex to court over sewage issues earlier this year. On Tuesday, the county attorney's office said that the lawsuit is ongoing and that more complaints haven't been received since it was filed.

The latest issue is overpowering.

"We're just tired of suffering," Lamond Brown said. "We're out here, and we want somebody to tell us what's going on. That's all we want."

Eyewitness News pressed for answers. Mark Khalid, who identified himself as a supervisor, said a truck hit the pole.

Khalid said the goal is to restore power by Tuesday night and fix the hot water afterward.

"We are very sorry," Khalid said. "We apologize for the problems they are facing and we are working with management to resolve their problems."

Without utilities, some neighbors say they don't want to pay rent. Legal experts say you should.

"Generally speaking, even in a situation where you may not have power, you may not have utilities being provided to your unit; there is a situation as a tenant you could still find yourself facing an eviction," attorney Richard Amagwula explained.

A power problem tenants want resolved after losing groceries, medications, and sleep with the higher-than-normal temperatures.

"They ain't have to sleep how we sleep," Brown said. "I challenge them to sleep two days and see how we're living. Maybe they can understand."

If you're in this situation, legal experts say find your lease. Look under the utility section and see if it specifies what happens when the power goes off.

Also, don't just verbally contact your landlord if you have concerns. Make sure it's in writing.

For updates on this story, follow Nick Natario on Facebook, X and Instagram.

Do you have questions about your rent? Are you struggling to get help from a landlord? Send ABC13 your questions, and we will look into it.