BEAUMONT, Texas — It's termite season and keeping an infestation at bay is hard enough, but what do you do if you're a renter and your apartment becomes infested?
One resident reached out to his office management but didn't think they were taking it seriously enough.
Harvey MacDonald moved to Beaumont from Houston to be closer to his 1-year-old daughter.
"I don't think anybody would expect a parent to put a 1-year-old child let alone their family in a home like this,” MacDonald said.
But days after moving in, he noticed some termites.
"So, I contacted the office," MacDonald said.
He's been in talks with management for one month. Meanwhile, the infestation has gotten worse.
"All my clothes are infested with termites,” MacDonald said. “My couch has termites. I mean, I literally have nowhere to go. There's been nights I've slept in my car."
He said he's had to stay in hotels because the apartment was unlivable.
"They should compensate me for the time I've had to spend here," MacDonald said.
The management at Mosaic Apartments told 12News they kept detailed documentation and followed all the necessary procedures to accommodate the tenant.
Now, they need the apartment vacated so they can properly assess the termite infestation for treatment. They're offering to transfer him to another unit, but MacDonald said that's not enough.
Justice of the Peace Ben Collins said if tenants feel they may be entitled to some compensation, they need to file a small claims lawsuit.
"Is a separate suit then the eviction to recover any damages, expenses, and so forth. Hotel rooms or any expenses you incur during that time," Collins said.
But what rights do renters have?
"They have the right to notify the landlord about any repairs that need to be made,” Collins said. “If It was not done in a timely manner, the tenant can make those repairs and take that out on a rent. That has to be an agreement between the tenant and landlord."
The Texas Attorney General's website also has a page on renter's rights you can find information there about what your rights are as a tenant.
It also has a link where you can file a consumer complaint.