Confessions of a Noob Landlord I - How to Fix a Gas Range

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  1. Have a tenant email you asking you to check out a strange chemical smell coming from her oven when she uses it.

    From: Tenant

    Date: January 20, 2015

    Subject: Oven problems

    To: David

    Hi David,

    I’m sorry to keep email [sic] you with problems, but over the past few weeks the oven has increasingly emitted a chemical smell. Any time the oven is turned on there is a strong burning/chemical odor from the back of the unit. The rear is unusually hot and the smell is so strong that it burns our eyes and noses, so we’ve stopped using it entirely.

    Thanks for your attention,

  1. Call Lowe’s Home Improvement store where you bought the gas range. They’ll schedule a repairman to come by and send you an email confirmation.

    From: CareFB@lowes.com

    Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2015

    Subject: Lowe’s Repair Scheduled Notification

    To: David

    David,

    Thank you for contacting Lowe’s Service Advantage. We appreciate the opportunity to assist you. This e-mail is to confirm your appointment for service.

    Appointment Information

    Date 2/10/2015

    Time slot AllDay

    Service Provider Information

    Business name NORTHEAST APPLIANCE PROS, INC.

    Phone number (781) 618-1966

    Product Information

    Brand HOLIDAY

    Type Freestanding Gas Ranges

    Model number SAK101OO

    The service provider will attempt to contact you prior to your appointment. Please call us at 888-775-6937 if you need additional assistance or want to cancel or reschedule your appointment. This message was sent from an unmonitored account; please do not respond to this e-mail.

    Thank you, Lowe’s Service Advantage

  2. Call Northeast Appliance Pros Inc. to confirm the appointment. They’ll say the don’t have availability, never confirmed the appointment with Lowe’s, and tell you to call Lowe’s back to schedule an appointment with a different company.

  3. Call Lowe’s at (866)-286-9158. Someone will pick up and tell you this is their “network admin number.” She’ll tell you to call their service number (888)-775-6937 and transfer you.

  4. Now a different Lowe’s employee in the service department will tell you something completely different from the first time you called. He’ll say the gas range was purchased within a year and is thus covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. He’ll tell you to call the manufacturer Holiday directly at (800)-858-5844.

  5. Carol from Holiday will pick up and transfer you to their service department.

  6. Tom at extension 21 will pick up and say to call their service provider Harrison Refrigeration.

  7. Call Harrison Refrigeration at (617)-323-2662. Peter will pick up and say they aren’t authorized to work on Holiday stoves and tell you to call Holiday again.

  8. Realize you didn’t write down Holiday’s number so go back to step 3.

  9. OK. When you’re back at step 5, Tom will tell you to call Harrison again but instead of “Holiday” use the name “Peerless Premier” which is the manufacturer’s actual name, not Holiday which is what Lowe’s uses for whatever reason.

  10. Peter at Harrison will say he’ll take a look at their schedule and call you back.

  11. Wait an entire day. Realize Peter stood you up.

  12. Call Harrison back. Get a different representative. Ask him if he’s Peter. He’ll say Peter’s sitting next to him. Ask to book a repairman. He’ll ask you what’s wrong, you’ll describe what the tenant said. He’ll ask you if the oven is clean and that it’s not just food in the oven burning. No, the tenant said it smells chemical. OK. We can send someone over, but if it’s not a manufacturer defect, the warranty doesn’t cover the service visit, and we’ll charge you $75. Tell him you’ll ask the tenant again.

Congrats! You are now done with part one. Stay tuned when I publish the rest of the guide next week.

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