What are some good apartment complexes in Philly?

As for health/sanitary issues what laws must apartment complexes follow?

• My husband and I moved into what we thought was a nicer apartment complex about eight months ago. It has a rep for being one of the nicest in our area therefore we are paying quite a bit as well. The apartment has strict rules as far cleanliness goes which was one the things that attracted us to it. However, these rules are not enforced. The people in the apartment below us began leaving out bags upon bags of garbage containing food for weeks at a time. As if the smell was not bad enough, we now are battling mice and roaches. We complained three separate times to the management office and nothing was done. The fourth time we complained to the corporate office and still nothing has been done. The people leaving the garbage out moved out last month (thank goodness) but we are having to deal with the mess they created. It's been about a month now since we last complained and nothing is being done and the problem isn't getting better. Other than the occasional pest control coming by to spray at the front door nothing is being done. We are very careful to clean up after ourselves and I am always cleaning our kitchen. As of now we have caught 6 mice and there are more. I have to vacuum and scrub the floors everyday because their is so much mouse poop. This is the most disgusting place I have ever lived. Needless to say we are moving out and breaking our lease. Surely there are health codes that apartment complexes must follow right? As rude as the management/corporate offiices are I'm sure they are going to give us a hard time and try to tack on charges for leaving early. But this is not a healthy environment and we refuse to live this way any longer. What can we do? P.S. There is a putrid smell that is making us nauseated which we believe is a dead, decomposing mouse in the wall. We have to continuously spray air freshner to keep from throwing up it is so bad. I feel we are risking our health living here. We live in Louisiana if that helps any. Thanks so much.

• Answer:

  Law is garbage must be placed in covered containers. Dead mouse in the wall there is nothing that can be done. At some point the smell disappears. You break your lease and you end up destroying your credit, will be sued in court for all the rent and court costs.