Spring apartment turns water off over Christmas holiday, left residents days without water

SPRING, Texas (KTRK) -- Going days without running water, especially over the holidays, sure can be frustrating.

"Home did not feel like home. I felt like we were living like savages," Loyce Lee explained.

The day before Christmas Eve, Loyce got an email from her Spring area apartment complex saying the water would be turned off to prevent further freezing and burst pipes.

"We do not know how long this process will take or when your building will be affected," she read from the email.

It took four and a half days for water to come out of Loyce's faucet again. Christmas time with her daughters was nothing like what she hoped for.

"We were not able to cook anything. We had to go to family members' houses and bathe. It was horrible," she explained.

So what can you do as a renter if you find yourself in a similar situation, going days without the basics?

"If we're talking about something as serious as water, as serious as something dealing with your health and safety, it really just depends on what that actual condition is, but the law says a reasonable standard," associate attorney Richard Amagwula explained.

He explains that reasonable standard can be interpreted in different ways.

"Usually, it's about seven days or so, but it really depends on what the issue is and how long it can typically be fixed," Amagwula said.

He says knowing the terms of your lease is key.

"Your lease is point number one. It's the point of information where you can know what you can get and what happens in the event of some sort of damage or issue with your property," Amagwula explained.

Step two, he says, is to communicate with your landlord and be sure to give them written notices about the problems you are dealing with.

If the issue still does not get solved, you could choose to file a repair and remedy case.

At this point, Loyce wants solutions.

"I do know that natural disasters do happen. I understand that, but if you can prevent some of this stuff going on, then you know, you should go ahead and take care of it," she said.

ABC13 did speak to management of the complex. They say they took precautions, had pipes wrapped, and while they are sorry for the inconvenience, they say they don't know what they could have done to get the water back on faster.

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