Dominion

We lived at Dominion for 4–5 years without major issues until Fall 2025, when we began experiencing a mouse problem in our unit. From September 2025 through February 2026, we caught a total of four mice in the apartment. Management did respond and scheduled repeated visits from Eagle Pest Control over several months, placing multiple traps throughout the unit.

On our final clean-out day — after the apartment had been mostly empty for several days except for a sectional — we discovered a dead… mouse on one of the snap traps that had been placed in December. The odor was extremely strong, indicating it had likely been there for some time. This was after months of weekly visits and assurances that activity had slowed.

Throughout this process we were repeatedly instructed to rearrange furniture, clear cabinets, and prepare the unit for inspections. At times it felt as though the burden of managing the issue was placed on us as residents, even though we had maintained the same layout and living conditions for years without any pest issues prior to Fall 2025.

Management’s involvement noticeably increased after we posted our initial review, which they asked us to remove. We chose instead to keep the review up and provide updates as the situation progressed.

We also experienced persistent HVAC failures during Summer 2025 severe enough that management provided us with a window AC unit. The shared washer/dryer appliances are frequently in poor condition and difficult to have replaced. During conversations with neighbors, several residents shared they were also dealing with mold and pest concerns and planning to move out.

To management’s credit, they did offer two options: early lease termination without penalty or transfer to another unit. We chose to terminate our lease and move.

We requested a rent credit during the months the pest issue was ongoing (September through January). That request was denied at both the property management level and the regional management level.

For anyone experiencing similar issues, it’s important to know you do have tenant rights in Virginia. Tenant association meetings, city complaint channels, rent escrow through the court, and tenant advocacy groups such as BuGATA can help you understand your options.

We are sharing this update so others understand both the seriousness of the issue and the steps available if they encounter something similar. Read More