RENTON, Wash. — With temperatures topping 90 degrees, many residents at the Wasatch Hills Apartment complex in Renton would prefer to be using one of the two pools on the property, but instead they're closed and locked.
Resident Mayra Cruz moved in a few weeks ago with her three children.
She said one of the reasons she chose the Wasatch Hills Apartment is because it has two pools. She said she even asked the property manager the hours for the pool when she was signing her lease.
Cruz said she moved in Aug. 1 and the pools have never been open.
Resident David Holden said his kids want to go swimming, too, but the pools are locked and he told KIRO-7 no one at the complex will tell him why.
It turns out one of the pools has been locked for about a year, the other pool for at least six weeks, according to residents.
The property managers told KIRO 7 the pools failed an inspection and need to be fixed before they can have another inspection and re-open.
KIRO 7 contacted Public Health-Seattle and King County, and obtained the inspection reports.
According to the health department, the pools were already chained closed when inspectors arrived on July 19.
The inspection report said, "Per pool operator, pool has not open [ed] for the season due to no maintenance personnel available to maintain pool."
The inspector said one pool needs a life hook and a throw ring with a rope to be ready to open. The other pool needs those items and a first aid kit, pool test kit, and chemical log sheets. The report also says the doors at one pool need to be fixed and a leaking pipe at the other pool.
KIRO 7 wanted to know what the tenants can do about the pools being closed all summer and reached out to an attorney who specializes in landlord-tenant law.
The common areas are discussed in the lease agreements. Cruz signed documents, agreeing to use appropriate behavior when using the pool.
Evan Loeffler, a landlord- tenant attorney, says tenants need to keep paying their rent. If they withhold their rent, they could be evicted. He said they can try to reach an agreement with the landlord to pay a reduced rate due to the pool closure.
If the landlord is unwilling to reach an agreement, Loeffler said a tenant could take the landlord to small claims court. If the apartment complex is still advertising pools as open amenities, he said that is something the Attorney General could investigate.
Cox Media Group
