Favorite Call

[loracs]

I work in an office that deals with the rent control law for the city of Oakland.  One of my duties is answering the phone.  I get many strange questions.  Here's one I received yesterday.

Property Owner: Can I remove the stove from one of my rental units?  It doesn’t work right.

Me: Of course you have the right to repair and replace items in your units.

Property Owner: No I don’t want to replace it; I just want to know if it’s okay if I remove it.

Me: And you don’t plan to replace it?

Property Owner: Right

Me: Ever?

Property Owner: That’s right, can I do this?

Me: And the unit is currently rented, people are living there?

 

Property Owner: Yes

What universe is this woman living in?  I have to hold my tongue as I sweetly inform her she needs legal advice.  This is the type of action that gives landlords a bad name - a very bad name.  FYI: my parents were landlords and I've been a tenant, so I see both side of the issues. 

Comments

[clever-doberman.livejournal.com]

well, at least she called to ask. some landlords might just remove the thing, throw it in the back yard and call it a day.

[leback.livejournal.com]

Yeesh!

Trying my best to construct a universe in which this person is not a complete dumbass...it is possible that the current tenants would actually rather just have the extra space. I have heard of people who are really not culinarily inclined storing clothes, or books, in their ovens -- maybe the problem with this one is that it turned on unbidden and fried someone's Playboy collection?

But, um, I doubt it.