A Fayetteville tenant has won justice after enduring nearly a year of unlivable conditions—thanks to the advocacy of attorney Jaelyn Miller.
For months, the tenant lived with a leaking roof, unstable flooring, and persistent plumbing and electrical issues that made her home unsafe. Despite her repeated, written pleas for help, her landlord refused to make necessary repairs and instead tried to shift blame, even claiming that her deafness prevented him from communicating with her to make the necessary repairs.
Miller took swift action to hold the landlord accountable, filing suit for the landlord’s violations of North Carolina law, which requires property owners to maintain rental homes in a safe and habitable condition. After weeks of legal advocacy, Miller secured a $10,000 award for the tenant—recognizing not only the severe conditions she was forced to live under but also the landlord’s repeated demands for her to pay rent, despite him being aware of the needed repairs.
“This case is a reminder that every tenant deserves a safe home and respect, regardless of who they are or what barriers they face,” said Miller. “Landlords cannot ignore their legal responsibilities or use a tenant’s disability as an excuse for neglect.”
The victory underscores the importance of tenant rights enforcement across North Carolina, where low-income and disabled tenants are often among the most vulnerable to housing neglect. Miller’s work continues to shine a light on the systemic injustices tenants face—and the power of legal advocacy to make change.