A single mother, who is being forced to vacate her apartment because her landlord claims she has not paid her rent, has called for the laws protecting the rights of tenants to be strengthened.

Ross Ann Davis, 30 claims she has been falsely accused of failing to pay rent for the month of September even though she can prove that the rent has been paid. Now she, and her 12-year-old son, have to go outside in the cold at night to get water, in order to take care of their basic needs, because she claims her landlord, Joshua Knight, has turned off the water to the 1-bedroom Warwick apartment.

Ms Davis brought copies of the $1,150 cheque she paid to Mr. Knight to cover her September rent to , along with copies of bank statements, which prove that the money was withdrawn from her account.

?He accused me of not paying my September rent and served me with a summons to vacate the apartment within 30 days.

?When I challenged the summons he turned off my water, even though I don?t owe him any money because he has cashed my cheque.?

She believes her landlord could be confused because she paid the rents for August and September in the same month.

?I paid the rent for August on the first of that month and I paid the rent for September on August 28. I tried to explain that to him, but he refused to listen, and told me to go see his lawyers,? she said.

Ms Davis said her landlord has turned off the water to her apartment at least three times in the last four months.

?He is now upset because I haven?t paid my rent for December, and this time I have been without water for 6 days. I refuse to pay the rent for December until I have running water in my apartment. I have done nothing wrong.

?This is the third time he has done this for absolutely no reason. It just isn?t right. I shouldn?t have to lift heavy pots of water several times a day.?Ms Davis said she has always paid her rent on time during the entire 3 years she has lived in the apartment complex. She also has copies of letters from previous landlords who describe her as an ?excellent tenant? and someone who always ?paid her rent on time and in full.?

She said she sought assistance from the Rent Control Commission and the Department of Environmental Services, but was told nothing could be done.

?I was told he was not breaking the law. This is very frustrating. My son and I are stressed out and are not sleeping.

?The laws protecting tenants need to be reviewed. In situations like this they offer no protection at all,? she said.

When contacted by this newspaper Mr. Knight refused to speak to us and directed us to his lawyer Darcy Lord.

Mr. Lord told The that he was precluded by the Bar Association?s rules of conduct from discussing his client or his clients instructions.

Ms Davis was successful in getting the courts to extend the initial 30-day eviction notice and now has until early next year to vacate the apartment.