Tenant holds protest against landlord

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - At News 4, we receive countless calls about landlord-tenant disputes, but one dispute stands out and has turned very public.

The tenant is Vikki Avino.

"I tell the landlord, tell the landlord. They will not fix nothing," said Avino.

Gus Uguccioni is the property management.

Uguccioni retorted, "We have responded to all of her needs."

It's a classic tenant-landlord dispute, but this one has gone public.

Vikki Avino's friends and family protested out front of the Delaware Street house in question. Avino lives in the house with her three children. She claims there are issues that need attention by the landlord.

Avino explained, "There's black mold. My front door doesn't lock and close. There's outlets that are not covered. There's a dead bird there. I got a 10-month-old son that's been hospitalized for upper respiratory infection, and three ear infections in six months."

We tried to get some answers from property manager Gus Uguccioni.

"I really think Vikki has been a good tenant. Why this is an issue now, I don't know," said Uguccioni.

He even called her while we were there.

Uguccioni said, "I will be there tomorrow, and you can walk me through all of this stuff that we're going through."

"Good, it's about time," responded Avino.

Avino continued, "I called the landlord and I told them everything that was going on, and they pretty much told me that my kids are not their problem. So that's what **** me off."

Uguccioni stated, "I'll even call the city inspectors. If they want to come in and take a look through the house. If they see that there's any kind of a violation will fix it. That would've been her recourse. I mean this didn't have to happen. We're in the business of doing repair. Why would we not want to repair?"

News 4 asked Avino why she stays if she thinks the house has so many issues. She says her kids like the school district, and that her mom lives close by. The property manager says he's hopeful the issues can be resolved, and says he plans to go over there on Tuesday.