GROVE, Okla. — Homelessness, that’s what two men face after receiving a notice that their landlord will not renew their lease. It happened after the story we aired last Friday about essential repairs to their current home. Now, Dale Mitchell and his uncle have to be moved out by the end of September.
READ MORE: Renters' Rights: Tenant says his home is 'unlivable,' landlord refuses to fix repairs
It started when Mitchell reached out to the Problem Solvers when their landlord Doug Buller didn’t fix essential problems with their mobile home. After living there for more than a year, Mitchell says he and his uncle were being taken advantage of by their landlord.
“They retaliated against us because we called Channel 2 news and they didn’t like it,” tenant Dale Mitchell said.
Our Problem Solvers reached out to the Adult Protective Service but due to state and federal confidentiality statutes, they are unable to comment on a specific Adult Protective Services case.
Eric Hallet, housing advocate with Legal Aid, says tenants with a mental condition are especially vulnerable to neglect from landlords. Adult Protective Service may be able to help find them housing, but not necessarily allow Mitchell to care for his uncle together.
“Adult Protective Services may say he needs a guardian for someone to take care of him,” Hallett said.
We also reached out to the landlord, who didn’t want to go on camera, but says he works two jobs and had planned on fixing their home. He continued to say he planned on remodeling the mobile home after the tenants were moved out.
Meanwhile, the future for Mitchell and his uncle is uncertain.
“I try to keep him calm but he still cries,” Mitchell said. “I’m the only family he’s got left. The only family.”
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