With dangerous cold on the way, residents in a Northern Virginia apartment complex say they have no heat.
Tenants at the Fairmont Gardens Apartments Complex in Annandale say they're not sure if or when the issue will be fixed.
Dorian Johnson said she can’t remember the last time the heat in her apartment worked. She’s had to use space heaters to keep her children warm.
“What my son does is they come and sit in front of the heater,” she said. “They take their toys out, they play in front of the heater to try to stay warm.”
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Johnson said she’s raised concerns with management, but the problems persist.
News4 reached out to Fairmont Gardens for answers. Contact information was passed along to a regional manager who has not responded.
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors member Penelope Gross, who represents the area where the complex is located, said her office received a complaint this week, which prompted them to reach out to Fairmont Gardens. She said the management company said contractors are on site and were working to restore heat by close of business Thursday.
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Johnson said she’s in the process of moving out.
Others – like Jose Hernandez – are unable to do so. He said he doesn’t know where he would go because he can’t afford to go anywhere else. His son said staying warm is a constant struggle.
“You need to have a lot of blankets, because it gets too cold,” he said.
According to the Fairfax County Consumer Services Division website, landlords are in violation of the Virginia building codes if they are unable to provide heat to tenants after Oct. 15.
