Woman allegedly evicted for speaking out about broken air conditioning

by: Tanner DeLeon/ KFOR

Posted: Aug 3, 2023 / 06:08 AM CDT

Updated: Aug 3, 2023 / 12:25 PM CDT

OKLAHOMA CITY — Kia Parker just wanted her air conditioner fixed, instead she says her landlord gave her an eviction notice.

“I left and went to my mom’s to sleep, so more comfortable and cool, and I went back to check on my apartment this morning, and I had a eviction notice on my door,” Kia said. “It said because I came on the news, he doesn’t want me to stay on his premises any more. I have 14 days to move out.”

First no A/C, now no apartment. Kia Parker is having to look for somewhere else to live, something she was not prepared for.

“The deposits for the rent, the moving truck all that stuff, it cost money,” Kia said.

KFOR spoke with State Rep. Mickey Dollens who says this is a case of retaliation by the landlord.

“This lady did nothing wrong,” Dollens said. “She, in fact, just wanted her air conditioner fixed, went on the news, and then her landlord retaliated against her.”

He adds that the landlord has also violated the Oklahoma Landlord Tenants Act.

“I would say also that the fact that this landlord only gave her 14 days is a violation of the landlord tenant, that he has to give her at least 30 days,” Dollens said. “So it sounds like this landlord is setting himself up for a pretty substantial lawsuit.”

However, we spoke with the landlord today and he disputes what Parker claims.

“First of all, she said it was out for 4-5 days, that was untrue,” George Stocks said. “She called me on a Sunday at two and I got proof.”

The proof being he had someone over during the phone call. While he says he doesn’t know if the A/C was out before that, that was the first time she contacted him about it.

“I said, I’ll call a repairman tomorrow,” Stocks said. “She said, okay. They got jobs to do. They not going to drop other people jobs and come and do one for me, but I appreciate him coming in two days. That’s that’s the best I could do for that tenant.”

The eviction notice still stands and Kia says she has already started looking for a new place.

“I’m sorry that you mad that I said something to the news about it, but you wasn’t picking up your phone for me anymore,” Kia said.

For more information on the Oklahoma Residential Landlord and Tenant Act click here.

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Woman allegedly evicted for speaking out about broken air conditioning