Find us on Facebook
Follow us on TwitterCity shuts off water at area apartments
Traci White
A bottle of distilled water sits on the counter of a bathroom in an apartment on Cherokee Court that continues to be without water after having it shut off on Wednesday morning. Many of the residents are relying on bottled water from the grocery store and water from a lake on the complex’s property to assist with flushing their toilets.
Georgia Carter came home from the hospital on Thursday to an unpleasant surprise: the water had been turned off in her Cabin Lake apartment on Cherokee Court.
She wasn’t the only tenant without water — all 100 units in the complex had the water turned off by the city on Wednesday.
The complex was purchased by Raymond Pyant, of Richmond, early this year, according to Carter. Many of the individual apartments are owned by other people, but all tenants have agreements that say the water bill is included in their rent.
Tenants said Pyant is responsible for paying the water bill and maintaining the grounds.
“I have a beautiful apartment,” Carter said. “And I’m not going to talk against him (Pyant); he has tried to keep things up.”
She is more angry with the city, who let the bill get so far behind.
“Why let it get to this?” she asked. “Why didn’t they do something before?”
Barbara Dameron, the city finance director, said the city has been dealing with the payment problem for about a year, with both the current and former owner.
“We regret this has happened,” Dameron said. “It’s a bad position for the city and we don’t like the situation. But we have a fiduciary responsibility to the other citizens to collect the money owed.”
Asked if there were any steps the tenants could take to get the water tuned back on, Dameron said the account is in the owner’s name and she doesn’t have the legal background necessary to offer advice.
“We will do all we can, but right now I don’t have answers,” Dameron said, saying that the payment promised on Thursday had not materialized as of 4 p.m. “I’m not sure what accommodations we are going to be able to provide.”
Pyant could not be located for comment.
Contact Denice Thibodeau at or (434) 791-7985.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
I know the residents can sue him for the money that was suppose to go for water for the past year. They can also contact the Federal Trade Commission and the Attorney Generals Office. The City has tried to work with him and he just does not care. Contact a personal injury lawyer for any and all injuries occured due to his negligence.
The Town don’t care about the human side of this problem, All they want is their MONEY.
All future rent payment from Cabin Lake should be sent to the City of Danville instead, who can then deduct what is owned to them from it and then send what is left to the deadbeat in Richmond…if they want to. If I was a renter at Cabin Lake, I would not send one more dime to the deadbeat Mr. Pyant and I would invite him down to try to evict me if had the guts.
I can not believe what is going on at Cabin Lake!!!No one should have to be without water for this long. How does he expect the people to take baths, use the bathroom, or wash dishes? This is just ridiculous and the owner should be punished. How are you going to call yourself a “business man” and I do use the term loosely when you do not give a damn about the welfare of others? He also manages the apartments on West Main Street and several weeks ago the water was turned off up there due to his negligence. If people pay their rent on time, then why on Earth is he not paying the bills??? I think the City of Danville needs to send out the inspectors to the apartments that he owns and conduct a through inspection of all units and I guarantee that they will shut down all 3 complexes that he owns.And for those that are trying to blame it on the City, you need to find the sense that God blessed you with and realize that he if he CARED so much about any of you.. you wouldn’t be in the situation that you are in now. The water is off now… what’s next the lights????
Is this the Raymond Pyant that owns the complex and is behind on his water bill?
http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_h45724
This is not the fault of the city government. This has occurred because the landlord just does not care about the tenants. Perhaps they should all get together and seek legal assistance to have the matter rectified?
It’s a shame that these people have to suffer for the landlord’s delinquent payment. Mr. Pyant has likely spent the money elsewhere, dare I suggest that he may have been playing the stock market with his tenants rent payments? Now he’s probably lost that money and can’t make the payment. Since he’s safely tucked away in his Richmond home, you think he really cares what happens to his Danville tenants? He’s probably just another millionaire waiting for his taxpayer-funded bailout check.
This is a good example of bad goverment
these poor are having enough crisis as it is , Turn there water back on before there is a health crisis. This could have been handled differently .
Advertisement