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I'm a renter who has also been a landlord before (in Canada), and I have a maintenance question that I'm not sure how to find the answer to here.
My rental unit has an ancient gas stovetop, probably dating back to when the unit was built in the 1940's. The burners have old-fashioned pilot lights that are on (open flames) all the time. The problem with this is they go out very easily, and then gas is leaking into the apartment. The burners themselves go out very easily when on a low flame (I've used other gas stoves elsewhere so I know this is way worse than a normal stove, that will hold a low flame).
I also find having four open flames on my countertop 24/7 to be a fire hazard, but I am not sure if California cares about that, does anyone know? Non-pilot light technology has been around a long time, are the constantly-on open-flame kinds still legal?
I've complained twice about this to the landlord (over 2 years, so I'm not exactly a complainypants) but they just send a maintenance guy who adjusts the flames. I want the pilot lights removed, and/or the stovetop replaced.
Does anyone know if I have any clout here in insisting they do something in fixing this stovetop so that the pilot lights don't go out all the time and leak gas and poison me, or even in insisting that they replace the thing with one that doesn't have open pilot light flames at all? BTW, at this complex they don't show you the actual unit you are renting until you've rented it, you see a model unit (with modern appliances), so we wouldn't have seen the open pilot lights ahead of time.
Having been a landlord, it just seems obvious to me that over time appliances need replacing as they wear out, or in this case, both wear out and become incredibly obsolete by "new" technologies that are now several decades old. But, I wasn't an American landlord, so would appreciate any info people have on this issue. I'd rather know where I stand before I try to get them to do something about this.
I have not supplied stoves in my rentals for many years, but my guess is the stove you have is still legal.(if in working order)
The problem is, it is in serious need of repair, or replacement.
I would ask your landlord to replace it.
Obviously if one repair did not fix it, it should be replaced.
If it were me, I would contact the owner and demand a replacement.
If that doesn't work, contact the gas company and let them come out and inspect the stove.
If they find it is defective, they will turn the gas off to the apartment, and give a notice of the defective stove to the landlord.
The gas to the unit will not be turned on again until the gas company inspects the replacement unit.
If all fails, contact the city building and safety department.
Bob.
Can't speak for California... In my California city... old 1940's Wedgewood and Meritt O'keef white porcelain stoves are very much in demand and virtually indestructible. I have one at the family cabin that is 65 years old and certain it will easily last another 65.
When I decided I had cleaned my last oven... I was able to quickly sell all my old ovens on Craigslist for several hundred dollars each... so, yes, they are still very much in demand and people do use them.
The local utility will come out and adjust burners for you, at least PGE has done this for me when I supplied Stoves and you can request burners be turned off which stops the gas flow to the pilot and the individual burner if you don't need to have all burners functional.
I am a little surprised at the amount of pilots you have... a typical stove of this vintage will have 3.
On the cook-top, two burners will share one pilot with a pilot tube to direct the flame making 2 plus the one for the oven.
There is no comparison between the new basic ovens and the quality of the old ones... the old one will be around long after the new ones are scrap as mentioned above. The good news for those wanting to go pilot-less is they can be bought and delivered for under $400.
Almost every instance of pilot or burner trouble can be cured by cleaning. All it takes is one boil over or some grease spatter not removed to effect functionality... the good news is they work beautifully when kept clean.
Even HUD only allows a couple of dollars a month each for stove and refrigerator the landlord supplies... which I gladly fore-go... especially when it comes to refrigerators... they always seem to go out at the worst time and when the tenant has a $1000 in food ready to spoil.
Have you asked the Landlord if he/she will entertain a small rent concession if you were to buy a stove to your liking?
Your ultimate clout is refusing to renew the lease and plainly let management know why... it's just good business to retain good tenants.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 08-15-2012 at 11:44 PM..
I have not supplied stoves in my rentals for many years, but my guess is the stove you have is still legal.(if in working order)
The problem is, it is in serious need of repair, or replacement.
I would ask your landlord to replace it.
Obviously if one repair did not fix it, it should be replaced.
If it were me, I would contact the owner and demand a replacement.
If that doesn't work, contact the gas company and let them come out and inspect the stove.
If they find it is defective, they will turn the gas off to the apartment, and give a notice of the defective stove to the landlord.
The gas to the unit will not be turned on again until the gas company inspects the replacement unit.
If all fails, contact the city building and safety department.
Bob.
Not quite so drastic in my experience...
Utility will only disconnect and cap the gas supply to an individual appliance deemed to be a safety hazard... at least this is standard procedure where I am...
Having been a landlord, it just seems obvious to me that over time appliances need replacing as they wear out, or in this case, both wear out and become incredibly obsolete by "new" technologies that are now several decades old. But, I wasn't an American landlord, so would appreciate any info people have on this issue. I'd rather know where I stand before I try to get them to do something about this.
Not to belabor the point... just wanted to share a personal experience that happened as a result of the Loma Prieta Earth Quake.
One of the buildings I manage was a very nice old 4-plex near Oakland's Lake Merrit... it still had the old gas floor furnaces and Wedgewood Stoves.
The identical building next store had been "Upgraded" to wall furnaces and pilot-less Stoves.
Electricity was out for 6 days... my tenants were able to keep warm and cook... the old furnaces and stoves required no electricity to function...
The tenants in the renovated building didn't have this option...
New doesn't always mean better...
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