Lazy Idiots

[Jay_Bunny]

Remember my post a while ago stating that we had not been able to use our oven for a long time and on August 1st, 2008, we put in a repair request and they said they'd send someone out. We had put in a request at the same time for a leaky toilet. The NEXT DAY someone was out to fix the toilet. No one came to fix the oven. So we waited. A week ago, our stove started acting funny. We are no longer able to safely cook food on it (on a low setting, it causes butter to melt and burn in less than 20 seconds and that is on the LOWEST setting). So last week I told them I wanted someone out on Tuesday (today) to fix it because I needed to be able to fix food for Thanksgiving. The lady put in the request and told me someone would be out on Tuesday. Well its almost 5pm now on Tuesday and the office is about to close, meaning maintenance will stop for the day. This means I won't get my oven fixed today. Well what a surprise. We went to the office at 3:45pm to tell the lady that no one had come out to fix the oven and she tried calling maintenance and there was no answer. She said she'd get in touch with maintenance in the next few minutes and send him down to us. Its an hour later, and still no fixed oven. The guy hasn't even shown up. So I sent my husband out to the office to tell the lady he hasn't shown up and to send the guy out first thing tomorrow morning to fix the oven.

We can't fix anything on the stove right now, so I'm going to tell them that if no one comes out to fix the oven by tomorrow afternoon, I'm having the oven replaced and they can do whatever they want with their broken one. Can I do this? I need to be able to fix food. I have not been able to fix anything in the oven for technically a year, but we only put in a repair request in August. Then the stove stopped working correctly last week, so we have not been able to fix food with the stove. We can only fix food with the microwave or fix non-cook foods like sandwiches and soup.

My husband just got back and he said he talked to a different lady and she wrote down the repair request and said they would send someone out tomorrow morning. She also said more than likely they'd replace it instead of repair it. So no stove for Thanksgiving (idiots!) since it takes a few days to order one in. Rah! I am so angry right now.

[elevatethis]

One word for you:

Ukrop's

[Lateralus_Love]

WOW if they guarantee maintenance to come help with repairs on their own houses (kinda sounds like military housing?) they need to keep with that! In my opinion, if they don't repair it by tomorrow morning, see if you can get the girl you spoke to today to give you some kind of record that you put in a request ages ago to have the oven fixed, and recently required the stove to be repaired as well. Then go out and get yourself a new oven, and when you move out, legally the new oven is yours, and the old broken one is still theirs; so take the good one with you if they refuse to fix something that is required for daily life to cook your food, and it all comes down to you doing what you need to do, as long as you have a record that proves that you've tried to get maintenance down there, they can't really do anything. That's just my two cents though

[Brandon Osborne]

I'm pretty sure you can break your lease because of this. Just keep track of every time you've made an attempt to contact them about the repairs and how many times they have put you off. I know it sucks. I've dealt with similar issues.

Good luck.

[OhBalls]

Technically, they didn't refuse you a repair person. You still pay your rent to they don't view it as an honest problem. In my state (not sure of any others) if I am renting and something happens where I am not able to live with necessities for daily living (for example, my water is black...they HAVE to fix it...or once I can stop paying rent because of this problem) I cannot say, however. "oh my closet door wont close...I think i'll stop paying rent." Thing is, you HAVE to have documented proof that you complained, did not pay because of the problem AND they refused to fix it in a timely manner.

If you did not press the issue, continued to pay rent and are now stuck....then (in their eyes) tough bully sticks.......

Personally, buying an oven might leave you stuck for reimbursement. You could take it with you when you moved, but hell, most places offer an oven anyway...would be pretty useless........

I would call the OWNER of the property....tell them you will NOT pay rent until the situation is fixed.....legally (not sure about YOUR state) they cannot charge you the rent they lose if it's a necessity.....in other words...you tell them today, with proof.....and they do not fix things for 15 days....you don't pay those 15 days rent....

not sure if this helps you any....just be sure you have everything documented by law to cover your bases....and borrow an oven if you have to! Good Luck!

[AaronP]

One word for you:

Ukrop's

QFT, anyone who lives in Richmond VA loves Ukrops....do you happen to live on Tremont Court? That sounds an awful lot like my old apartment :p.

[ev477]

I would call the OWNER of the property....tell them you will NOT pay rent until the situation is fixed.....legally (not sure about YOUR state) they cannot charge you the rent they lose if it's a necessity.....in other words...you tell them today, with proof.....and they do not fix things for 15 days....you don't pay those 15 days rent....

I agree with this right here. I have never been in a situation like that, but I would review my lease thoroughly to make sure maintenance is provided, then demand it to be fixed or you will not pay rent. I've had a friend do that and seen the problem get fixed within the day, so there is still hope for you cooking thanksgiving dinner.

[nixer]

do you pay for the gas or is it included?
if its included call the gas company they will just turn the gas off and charge them to turn it on when they fix it.

might not want to do that if you want to stay for another lease though

also i would call the town most towns have things they force upon landlords i know i am one


oh you can use my oven i wont be here and i think the turkey would be a little cold before you got home with it

[Montessa Python]

Our stove top went out and didn't work...
We could still use the oven but not the stove top.
If you can I would reccommend getting one of these, they are rather cheap about 5-20 dollars http://evergreen-rentals.com/images/..._Hot_Plate.jpg

Also look into purchasing a convection microwave oven. http://products.howstuffworks.com/da...ven-review.htm such as this one.
You get all the use of a stove AND a microwave.
You might also check your craigslist OR used appliance centers tomorrow. OR a "Rent to Own". place.
It will be far cheaper than trying to buy and install a stove by Thanksgiving.
If you purchase a few hotplates and a convection microwave oven, Or rent to own the latter... it will save you money, you can then resell it when need be or if you do the rent to own, you can rent it for a month, week or however long. AND tell the office people that you will either charge them for reimbursement OR take it off your rent. BUT save the reciepts.
Hope this helps.
Carol

[briz]

Check your local laws. In my state if it does not get fixed you have two options. You can not pay rent until it is fixed, but you have to document that management was notified in writting. Also you may have to put the money in a escrow account so when it does get fixed it can be released to them. Second option you can replace or have it fixed and deduct it from your rent. This is the law in Jersey so check your state laws. You can do that online.