Tenants describe nightmarish conditions at Phoenix apartment complex

Tenants at a Phoenix apartment complex voiced their concerns about sewage problems, cockroaches and foul odors. Now management is trying to fix the issue.

This is the place: The Resort Apartments -- looks nice from the front, but tenants described nightmarish conditions inside.

Last week, we heard from tenants at the complex who showed us a sink that had been stopped up for four months -- so long that the water had turned black. At another apartment, an overflowing toilet had soaked the carpeting. Another unit had a hole in the ceiling caused by water leaking from the apartment upstairs.

"My bathroom was leaking and it caved in. They said they would have somebody come check," said Christina Ruiz, a tenant. "It has been leaking three weeks and they never came to check on it."

We tried to get the landlord's side of the story last Friday, but didn't receive a reply. We returned on Monday and were given a different explanation of what it was that caused these problems.

First, the landlord says nobody told them anything was wrong and it turns out some tenants flushed soiled diapers down the toilets, clogging the plumbing, which caused leaks and damage. Management says it's making repairs.

Problems between landlords and tenants are common. The city of Phoenix says if you have a complaint, you have to speak up.

"Well, the first thing they should do is notify the landlord in writing," said Jose Alarcon, one of the city's landlord/tenant counselors. "The written notice is key in then going forward with processes and remedies."

The city of Phoenix says it receives 10 complaints a day, some from landlords, some from tenants.

If you're a landlord, and if you're a tenant, you have rights, but you also have obligations to act responsibly.