TYLER, Texas — Eviction notices were sent to more than a dozen tenants at the Residences at Earl Campbell in Tyler. But those renters said they didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, they blame an apartment complex employee.
Tenants said Monday the leasing office at this apartment complex issued a three-day eviction notice on Friday to 75% of the residents.
Renters said the issues began earlier this month when their leasing agent sent them a special offer: half off their rent if they paid through the agent. Excited and relieved to be getting a discount, several residents took advantage of the offer.
"She assured me that I will get a receipt and that I can go into my portal and see that she had paid the amount," one tenant said.
But things took a turn two weeks later, residents said they were hit with a double rent payment and a notice that they never paid.
"I was trying to pay the balance. Later on, they told me that my portal was locked, and I couldn't pay my rent," the tenant said.
Smith County Pct. 1 Constable Ralph Caraway said it's an unusual situation.
"By law, the tenant doesn't have to leave. It's just something to let the tenant know that the property manager or the property owner is going to follow through with an eviction process," Caraway said.
Complicating matters is the eviction notice states the tenants facing eviction violated their lease by committing fraud or theft.
But the residents said they’re actually the victims here. They filed a police report against the leasing agent, who has reportedly been fired.
Tyler PD said this investigation is still ongoing.
Caraway said the eviction has to be filed through the justice of peace office.
"Then we will go and serve, what you call a citation, letting the tenants know that the eviction process has started with serving them. And then there will be a court date and the court date has to take place after 10 days," Caraway said.
CBS19 has reached out to the corporate office and leasing office at the Residencies at Earl Campbell and they are not commenting at this time.
Residents who got the eviction notice say they will be going to court to fight this.