Update January 6 at 3:10 p.m.:
A judge has dismissed a case against a mobile home park in Christiansburg. 13 tenants who rent mobile homes owned by Massie MHP LLC filed a lawsuit last November against the park’s owners. The plaintiffs sued their landlord for cutting off their water for several hours on November 15.
In the trial, held in Montgomery County General District Court January 6, an attorney for Massie MHP, Bryan Grimes Creasy, argued that his client did not intentionally fail to pay the water bill. Instead, he claimed the lapse in payment was due to an incorrect billing address having been entered in the application with the Montgomery County Public Service Authority.
However, in the case, witnesses with the county testified that Massie MHP had received numerous bills and statements via email, including notices that service would be terminated due to nonpayment.
The judge dismissed the case, siding with the owners.
Several residents said they were disappointed with the judge’s decision and said they plan to appeal.
Original Story, published Jan. 6 5:30 a.m.:
13 people who rent mobile homes in Montgomery County are suing their landlord for cutting off their water, the latest in a long battle between the new owners of Massie Mobile and many tenants there who say they’re living in unsafe conditions.
The Massie Mobile Home Park in Christiansburg rents out dozens of mobile homes, many in dilapidated conditions. Porch steps are crumbling, pipes leak, there are broken windows, and floors that are caving in.
“Most of the people that live here have children or are elderly or disabled,” said Bridget Hite, a single mother of four. She said she rents one of these homes because in the New River Valley finding affordable housing is a struggle.
She said for nearly two years, she’s paid thousands of dollars to make repairs to the home, because her landlords failed to fix problems. When a new owner, Massie MHP LLC, took over management of the park last August, Hite says things went from bad to worse. She received an eviction notice, claiming she was past due on her rent. But she said she’s paid all her bills on time.
Then in November, she went to give her kids a bath, but the water wasn’t working. “We pay our landlord for our water. They pay the county."
John Vaught is another one of the plaintiffs suing Massie MHP LLC. “And they did not give us no warning, no nothing. Now, that’s uncalled for,” Vaught said.
A spokesperson for Montgomery County says the water for the entire park was disconnected due to nonpayment from the owner. After the past due amount was paid, they turned the water back on a few hours later. But Hite and Vaught both said even now they have very little water pressure.
Hite, Vaught and 11 other renters are suing Massie for unlawfully causing their water to be turned off, which is against state law in Virginia. A hearing is scheduled Friday Nov. 6.
Radio IQ reached out to Massie Mobile Park for comment, but did not hear back.
