Management Company Issues Statement Heating Problems At Muskogee Apartment Complex

The company that owns a Muskogee apartment complex where several residents claim they're living in unsafe conditions says it's working with the tenants.

Residents at Muskogee's Woods Apartment complex claim told News On 6 at least 30 units are without heat. They say there hasn't been heat there all winter.

The manager explained Tuesday that Trinity Property Management, which is based in Fort Smith, recently took over the property and didn't know the heating and cooling unit was broken. 

1/16/2018 Related Story: Multiple Units Without Heat At Muskogee Apartment Complex

Today the company released a statement to News On 6 about the situation:

"Trinity Multifamily’s #1 priority is customer service. Any and all work orders that are received are taken care of within a reasonable amount of time and are completed by priority. Our residents having heat is definitely a priority.  There were 6 units that were occupied in the building where the boiler system isn’t working. We have offered these 6 residents several options to choose from. They can transfer to another unit, they can terminate their lease without penalty, or they can utilize the baseboard heaters that we have provided.  As we understand the danger of space heaters, we opted for the safer option which we have included information on them below."

"Are Baseboard Heaters Dangerous?

Baseboard heaters are generally considered safe, and the fire danger is fairly low. Since an electric baseboard heater uses a convection process to heat, the heater does get hot. Baseboard heater covers keep children and pets away from the hottest tubes in the heater, and many baseboard heaters come standard with a cover. However, the unit will still be warm to the touch.

No flame or carbon monoxide is generated, and convection heating should give you the cleanest warmth possible (versus a fan-forced heater which could blow around dust and particles).

Electric baseboard heaters usually mount to the wall, but there are some freestanding models available. The freestanding models have integrated safety features, such as automatically turning off if they accidentally tip over. These units plug into any standard household outlet and don't require hard wiring like a traditional baseboard heater would.

Baseboard heaters are super-efficient and convert 100% of the energy they use to produce heat. However, if a baseboard heater is used improperly there is a risk of fire, so keep these safety tips in mind when you're using your unit.

We feel that the options we have provided our residents are reasonable."  

Misty Steuart
Director of Marketing
Trinity Multifamily