MILWAUKEE, Wis. — As it gets colder out, it's important to stay warm. For some Milwaukee residents, warmth has been hard to come by.
Specifically, at the city's largest landlord's properties, Berrada.
One of their tenants sent us a message on Facebook saying she and others have been without heat since October.
For the last two years, Jenna Rae has been investigating issues at Berrada Properties across Milwaukee County. Tenants dealing with leaking ceilings, no heat, and even maggots falling from the ceiling.
This winter, some residents said, is no different.
"I was using my oven, and then I had to purchase two space heaters to keep the upstairs warm," a tenant, who didn't want to go on camera, said.
Watch: Berrada tenant without heat gets resolution after calling news
She's been using an oven and space heaters for weeks now as temperatures have plummeted.
"It's been rough especially when you have a little kid where their immune system is still building up, any little thing can make them sick," she said.
This mother said she told Berrada she had no heat before Thanksgiving.
"The reason why I chose to reach out to you guys was because I feel like this was the only way that they would know like this is something everybody is complaining about," she said.
After she contacted TMJ4, she said the next day, maintenance was there.
"I was really shocked cause I wouldn't think that nobody would've ever come out," she said.
"Why do you think they showed up today," Rae asked.
"Because I reached out to the news, that's the only reason," she responded.
We called and texted Berrada's communications director and even showed up to his office, hoping to find out why Berrada tenants are dealing with heat issues every winter.
We haven't heard back.
"The minute you reach out to the news or something with the City of Milwaukee, they come in with a snap of the finger," the tenant said.
Tuesday night, the tenant said that her heat has stopped working again. She said she's called Berrada to report the problem and is waiting to hear back.
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