Some residents at The Hayes apartments in Fort Worth say they have been dealing with broken air conditioning during the Texas heat, as city officials report multiple AC violations at the complex.

A spokesperson for Fort Worth’s Code Compliance Department said the city has issued five AC violations at The Hayes, located off Southwest Loop 820, since last month. During a reinspection this week, staff found one unit had been repaired, but two others were not working.

One tenant, who asked to remain anonymous, said she first reported her broken air conditioner in July.

“After they fixed it, it just started blowing heat. It wasn’t really working. We waited for like three days, but it was still blowing heat,” she said.

The tenant lives with her parents and siblings, including a 5-year-old.

“It’s really hot. They could have a heat stroke or something,” she said.

She described how uncomfortable everyday activities can become without working air conditioning.

“I will be cooking for like a minute and I’ll be dripping in like sweat,” she said.

At times, she said she has resorted to trying to cool down by opening the refrigerator and waiting for the cold air.

NBC 5 reached out to the complex’s management company, Sentinel Peak Capital Partners.

The company said its “team has been hard at work to reapir the AC units at this porperty given this record heat wave…. To date, most of the units have already been repaired and the remainder are scheduled to be repaired ASAP by a contractor.”

Sentinel Peak said it took over management of the complex last year and has spent nearly $2 million on the property. The company said it will continue investing in the complex.

Benjamin Gerzik, a staff attorney with Legal Aid of Northwest Texas, said problems with air conditioning at rental properties are not unusual.

“Unfortunately, it’s a quite common issue,” Gerzik said.

Gerzik said that under state code, tenants have the right to request repairs but need to make the request through certified mail “and usually give seven days to fix the problem.”

After that, Gerzik said tenants can take their landlord to court.

Local rules can also apply. In Fort Worth, Gerzik said air conditioning that has been installed must meet a specific standard.

“AC, when installed, has to be able to at least keep a 15 degree difference between the outside temperature and the inside temperature,” Gerzik said.

Potential violations must be reported to code compliance.

For the tenant at The Hayes, the goal is simple: getting her family’s air conditioning working again and finding relief from the heat.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.