morning.

And yesterday the woman claimed she was being victimised for standing up to the man who leased her a "substandard'' apartment.

The woman, who asked to be identified only as Wanda, said landlord Calvin Hollis has pledged to evict her from the $800-a-month, two-bedroom apartment.

And she said her housing allowance was cut off because she got a part-time job in a bid to provide a better life for her 13- and five-year-old children.

"They didn't tell me that if I got a second job, it would be cut off.'' Wanda said she moved into the Field View Lane, Pembroke, apartment three years ago.

During that time Wanda said she has had to endure rats, cockroaches, an overflowing cesspit and three floodings.

"When I moved in I had to buy burners for the stove,'' she said. "Then the pit started to back up into the tub and we started having rats, I had to get the Health Department in there for it. Whenever I call him, he says I have to call people to come in to fix them.'' On Monday, another tenant's two-year-old son fell from the stairs leading to their apartment.

"There are no railings on the stairs,'' Wanda said. "The child is in the hospital because there was no railing to protect him.

"It's just so much, I seriously feel that that house should be closed down altogether and fixed up.'' She said the final straw was the flooding that occurred every time the Island was struck with heavy rains.

After the third flooding incident, Wanda contacted The Royal Gazette with her story, but later changed her mind, fearing action from Mr. Hollis.

"I have lost dressers, curtains, clothing and other furniture because of the flooding,'' she said. "He doesn't do anything. he just holds his hand out expecting money but he won't fix anything.'' Wanda said she withheld her rent in a bid to get her landlord to address the flooding issue.

During a April 11 court appearance before Senior Magistrate Will Francis, she was told she would have to leave the apartment.

"I tried to explain the situation. I told him that I always paid my rent and did what I was supposed to but Mr. Hollis didn't.'' Sheelagh Cooper of the Coalition for the Protection of Children claimed that as Wanda went to court without a lawyer because she could not afford one, the landlord won.

Landlord comes under fire "I'm just tired and frustrated,'' Wanda said. "I got sick from the stress. I can't handle this, I have two children to take care of, they are my first priority. I just want better for me and my kids.'' She said she has been looking for a two bedroom apartment, but has not had much luck.

"All I want to do is move out of there, I can't take it any more. I can only afford $1,000 in rent. Housing assistance won't help me because I went out and got a second job to try to get ahead.'' And Wanda was told by Housing that they had no two-bedroom apartments available for her.

"As much as I work and mind my own business and avoid problems, I'm getting into problems that I didn't create,'' she said.

Despite the hard times, Wanda said she did not want a hand-out.

"I don't want people to think that they have to do things for me, I try to do things for myself, I don't like anyone to do things for me for free,'' she explained. "I don't like all of this media stuff. People can be cruel to you when they know you're on hard times and kids can tease children. I don't want people to know my business, but I think they should make him fix it up before someone else moves in there. No-one should be allowed to live there while it's like that.'' She also said she will pay Mr. Hollis the money she was ordered to do by a court.

"I will still pay him whatever I was told even though I don't think I should have to,'' she said. "I tried to give him the money but he wouldn't take it, I even called his lawyer. I do what I'm supposed to do.'' And Wanda said she had a message for other landlords: "If you've got a tenant who's paying their rent and doing what they should be doing, treat them decently. Don't do this to them.

"I don't want people to feel sorry for me,'' she added. "I just want them to know that sometimes people don't put themselves into this position. I think they should know that there are some mean people out there.'' Mr. Hollis could not be reached for comment.

HOUSING HSG