A Farmington Hills woman is suing her apartment owners, alleging a years-long pattern of neglect and safety failures that led to a fire that left her homeless. Theresa Stott filed the lawsuit in Oakland County Circuit Court after her family's apartment complex caught fire on April 19 last year, just one day before Easter.
According to Stott, she was cooking dinner when the fire started, claiming she heard what sounded like running water coming from inside her bathroom. She immediately called 911 and alerted neighbors of potential danger. However, Stott disputes the official account that firefighters responded quickly to the blaze because smoke alarms were functioning properly. Her video evidence contradicts this claim.
The fire damaged eight units and led to a partial floor collapse at Botsford Place Terrace Apartments. Stott's family was forced to leave without anywhere to stay, with her claiming that management offered other tenants better units but refused to assist them.
Stott alleges the fire was not an isolated incident. She claims that tenants were aware of another fire in another building at the complex and that she had previously reported concerns about safety issues and neglect. The lawsuit also accuses the management group of retaliation against Stott after repeated complaints.
Records obtained by Metro Times under the Freedom of Information Act reveal numerous problems with the apartment complex since 2016, including structural issues, expired permits, and poor property management. Inspectors spotted "serious safety concerns" that were not corrected with the boiler.
Stott is pursuing the case without an attorney, citing she feels bullied in court but insists the evidence will come out. She has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her and her daughters.
The fire destroyed most of Stott's possessions, but firefighters tried to salvage what they could. The city suggests that residents test their smoke alarms monthly and ensure batteries are working properly to prevent such incidents.
According to Stott, she was cooking dinner when the fire started, claiming she heard what sounded like running water coming from inside her bathroom. She immediately called 911 and alerted neighbors of potential danger. However, Stott disputes the official account that firefighters responded quickly to the blaze because smoke alarms were functioning properly. Her video evidence contradicts this claim.
The fire damaged eight units and led to a partial floor collapse at Botsford Place Terrace Apartments. Stott's family was forced to leave without anywhere to stay, with her claiming that management offered other tenants better units but refused to assist them.
Stott alleges the fire was not an isolated incident. She claims that tenants were aware of another fire in another building at the complex and that she had previously reported concerns about safety issues and neglect. The lawsuit also accuses the management group of retaliation against Stott after repeated complaints.
Records obtained by Metro Times under the Freedom of Information Act reveal numerous problems with the apartment complex since 2016, including structural issues, expired permits, and poor property management. Inspectors spotted "serious safety concerns" that were not corrected with the boiler.
Stott is pursuing the case without an attorney, citing she feels bullied in court but insists the evidence will come out. She has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her and her daughters.
The fire destroyed most of Stott's possessions, but firefighters tried to salvage what they could. The city suggests that residents test their smoke alarms monthly and ensure batteries are working properly to prevent such incidents.
! 8 units damaged and a whole floor collapsed? That's so unacceptable! 
It's crazy how the management group is trying to deny Stott's claims and even retaliate against her for speaking up about safety issues 
. The fact that they're trying to shift blame to the smoke alarms not working properly when her own video evidence says otherwise? No way, Jose! 
I'm sending all my good vibes to Stott and her daughters as they try to rebuild their lives 
. This lawsuit is a must-win for justice and accountability in our communities #JusticeForStott #HoldManagementAccountable #FireSafetyMatters
! Can you believe a landlord can be so heartless? I mean, I know they're not trying to be bad people, but come on... Theresa Stott's story is crazy. She's been living in that apartment complex for years and she's always spoken up about safety concerns, but does anyone listen? Nope. It's like she's just being ignored and blamed when things go wrong.
. They're going through so much right now, but they're not alone. We can all support them by spreading awareness about this issue and holding these landlords accountable for their actions 
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. A woman and her kids just get evicted from their apartment because the building burns down, and now she's suing them for neglect and safety failures... it's just too much. I remember when I was in college, we used to have those annoying smoke alarm batteries that would go dead every few months 
. This whole situation is just giving me PTSD vibes from all those true crime documentaries I binge-watched back in the day 
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thinking about all those people who've been living in that apartment complex with known safety issues...like, what if she hadn't called 911? 
I remember when I was a kid and we used to have to get out of our house during wildfires by riding our bikes down the highway...can you believe it's like that all over again?
, but poor thing, she lost everything in that fire...I hope the GoFundMe campaign helps her out 
. It's just frustrating when you think about how some people might not even be held accountable for neglecting their responsibilities.
. And poor Theresa, having to relive the whole experience again through this lawsuit... but at least she's taking control of her situation by starting a GoFundMe campaign 
, cant believe the neglect & safety issues at Botsford Place Terrace Apartments 
. i hope justice is served & she gets the support she needs 
. and yeah, smoke alarms are a no-brainer, let's make sure they're working properly monthly! 
I gotta say, this whole situation with Theresa Stott is pretty wild. She's suing the apartment complex, and yeah, it sounds like there were some serious safety issues going on behind the scenes. Like, records show that there were structural problems, expired permits, and poor property management all since 2016... what a disaster waiting to happen! 
The smoke alarms thing also doesn't add up.
. Theresa Stott's experience sounds like a nightmare come true - the neglect, the fire, the complete lack of support from management... it's all so unacceptable.
. And can we please talk about how ridiculous it is that management offered better units to other tenants but refused to help her?! That's just cruel 
! We need to rally around these families and demand change. It's time for some real solutions, not just empty promises 
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. One day before Easter, Theresa Stott loses everything in a fire she claims was no accident... it just doesn't add up 
. I mean, if the smoke alarms were working properly like they say, wouldn't that be on her? 
. I'm all for holding people accountable, but in this case, it seems like they're getting away with some serious shady stuff 
. And yeah, what really gets me is that management knew about safety issues but just didn't care, I mean I get it accidents happen but this is a whole different level of neglect 
I'm not surprised tho, all those records show neglect and safety issues since 2016... that's some major red flags. And to think Stott's family has been dealing with this for years? Unbelievable! 
On the other hand, who wouldn't want some accountability for such a huge fire and all the problems at that complex? 
The fact that tenants were aware of another fire in the building and the management group retaliated against Stott after her repeated complaints is just appalling 
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. Can we just imagine how scary it must've been for her and her daughters to evacuate on Easter Eve?! 
