Tenant accidently burned the oven tray

Plano, TX · Member since 2013 · 40 posts · 0 votes

Tenant accidentally burned the oven tray (the big tray/draw on the bottom of the oven). It was caused by the previous owner left a huge meat bone (undiscovered) in the bottom shelf (the tenant are all Vegetarian), and the tenant turned on the oven to cook. It is all under control now, but it was VERY traumatic. What I should do?

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Michael D.

Investor · Alsip, IL · Member since 2013 · 11 posts · 1 vote

13y

Buy a new stove and get the tenants a gift card for a dinner. It's not their fault and a little PR goes a long way in the rental relationship.

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Al Williamson
Rental Property Investor · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
13y
Hello William,

Welcome to BP.

If your tenant is fine, then you should take lots of pictures, contact your insurance if needed, replace stove immediately.

After that, you'll just need to take one step at a time always doing the right thing.
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Wayne Brooks
Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
13y
This was "very traumatic"?

Buy a new drawer, or stove.
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William C.
OP
Plano, TX · Member since 2013 · 40 posts · 0 votes
13y
Should I take money off tenant's deposit? I am not sure if the tenant purchased the tenant rental insurance...Assuming they did, which insurance should be claimed for, tenant's rental insurance or owner's home insurance? First time investor, really lack of knowledge...Thanks for all your answers...
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Patrick L.
Real Estate Investor · Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 951 votes
13y
Originally posted by William Chen:
Should I take money off tenant's deposit? I am not sure if the tenant purchased the tenant rental insurance...Assuming they did, which insurance should be claimed for, tenant's rental insurance or owner's home insurance? First time investor, really lack of knowledge...Thanks for all your answers...

First, it wasn't the tenant's fault. If it's anybody's fault it would be the landlord's fault for not finding/fixing the existing hazard that was present when they moved into the property. They didn't put the bone in the oven so why would you even think about charging them for it? Did you have the property cleaned prior to the tenant moving in? I always have my cleaning people go through every drawer, cabinet, medicine cabinet, appliance and anywhere else trash or pests (or pest feces) could be to make sure everything is cleaned out prior to them moving in.

Second, if the damage was limited to the stove then any insurance deductible make filing a claim useless.
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Wayne Brooks
Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
13y
Get a new stove. If that much heat got into the "storage drawer" the stove seems defective/dangerous.
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Edward Burns
Rockford, IL · Member since 2013 · 330 posts · 62 votes
13y
IMO, no way should you try to hold the tenant responsible. If he has renters insurance that will cover the damage and he is willing to submit a claim fine, but otherwise either file an insurance claim with your insurance company or just eat the loss. Buying a replacement stove is not the end of the world. You can find one adequate for rentals for under $500.00 (new).
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Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
13y
Did you clean the place before the tenant moved in? Seems like this should have been found during cleaning.

But I agree with @Wayne Brooks. This oven was defective if this drawer was hot enough to burn anything in there. Replace the oven. Its your expense, not the tenants.
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Yiv L.
Chandler, AZ · Member since 2013 · 113 posts · 25 votes
13y
IMO, you should be very thankful that tenant did not get hurt, or the building was not burnt down. Just buy a good used one from Craiglist for $200.
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William C.
OP
Plano, TX · Member since 2013 · 40 posts · 0 votes
13y
Yes, I hired a cleaning company to clean the entire house before rental.

If I claim the loss to my insurance, will it be an insurance increase in the future?
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Patrick L.
Real Estate Investor · Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 951 votes
13y
Regarding it being a defective stove.....If it's electric then that should never happen but on some gas stoves the broiler is in the bottom drawer.
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Mina G.
Rental Property Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2013 · 88 posts · 7 votes
13y
Originally posted by William Chen:
Yes, I hired a cleaning company to clean the entire house before rental.

If I claim the loss to my insurance, will it be an insurance increase in the future?

William, what is your insurance deductible? If it's more than the cost of a new stove (I doubt it), don't report it. Insurance deductible is what you pay when you open a claim. Usually it's $1,000. At least around here it is.
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Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
13y
This isn't an insurance claim. Appliances aren't covered by insurance. Had the appliance caught on fire and burned down the house, you could have had an insurance claim.

Buy a new stove out of your pocket. This is just part of being a landlord. Get used to it. Appliances are a pretty routine expense. I have two rentals, once since 2008 and one since 2009. I've bought three ranges, two dishwashers and three fridges. And a furnace. And a sewer line. Two sets of carpets. Commercial vinyl tile floors. Replacement tile floors. Replacement laminate floors. Hopefully you're expecting these expenses and weren't assuming "cash flow = rent - PITI".
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Dawn AnastasiPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 4k+ votes
13y
Originally posted by William Chen:
Should I take money off tenant's deposit? I am not sure if the tenant purchased the tenant rental insurance...Assuming they did, which insurance should be claimed for, tenant's rental insurance or owner's home insurance? First time investor, really lack of knowledge...Thanks for all your answers...

I also agree that this wasn't the tenant's fault. If you cleaned the unit, you should have found this. If you had someone else clean the unit, they should have found this and you are responsible for their work.

I would just buy a new drawer and call it a day.
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Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
13y
And find new cleaners.
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Joel OwensBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
13y
William your insurance policy likely has a deductible of over 500. If you make a claim and the oven only costs 300 to 400 then it doesn't make sense to file a claim.

Even if you had a 500 deductible and decide to put a nice stove in at 750. The 250 you get covered will not be worth a possible insurance increase for filing a claim.

If you bought a rental property and do not have the 500 to buy a stove then that is your first mistake not having adequate reserves.

Good Luck. No legal advice.
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Patrick L.
Real Estate Investor · Saint Petersburg, FL · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 951 votes
13y
Originally posted by William Chen:
Yes, I hired a cleaning company to clean the entire house before rental.

If I claim the loss to my insurance, will it be an insurance increase in the future?

Of course your insurance will go up, but more than likely you have a deductible which is probably higher than the cost of a new range. If you are this worried about replacing a $300 item then rental property is probably not the business for you.

Lowes has a Frigidaire one I usually buy for $359 (or a $329 one with nothing to break, no control panel, no window....just 5 knobs) and they deliver the next day for free.
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Joel OwensBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
13y
William your insurance policy likely has a deductible of over 500. If you make a claim and the oven only costs 300 to 400 then it doesn't make sense to file a claim.

Even if you had a 500 deductible and decide to put a nice stove in at 750. The 250 you get covered will not be worth a possible insurance increase for filing a claim.

If you bought a rental property and do not have the 500 to buy a stove then that is your first mistake not having adequate reserves.

Good Luck. No legal advice.

To what Jon Holdman said I am not an insurance expert so the stove might not be covered anyways. You just need to read your policy to see what acts are covered, what is omitted, and your deductible.
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Eric Gutierrez
Investor · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2012 · 155 posts · 41 votes
13y
Iwould replace the stove out of pocket. Anyways, who puts anything but cooking pans in that drawer? Weird
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Michael D.
Investor · Alsip, IL · Member since 2013 · 11 posts · 1 vote
13y
Buy a new stove and get the tenants a gift card for a dinner. It's not their fault and a little PR goes a long way in the rental relationship.
1 Reply
Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
13y
I wonder if that "drawer" was really the broiler. As @Patrick L. points out some gas stoves have just one set of burners. The oven is above the burners and the broiler is below them. Its not for storage at all. If that's the case, replace the broiler drawer. Or maybe it can just be cleaned. Certainly disgusting that a bone was left behind there.
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Lisa Phillips
Real Estate Investor · Arlington, VA · Member since 2012 · 300 posts · 277 votes
13y
Sorry, reading about this made me laugh a little. Been there, done that, and I know the pain. Welcome Aboard, Sailer! Good thing no one was hurt, and I think the giftcard idea is EXCELLENT. I know this was your thread, but Im going to take that one with me for the next time there is an issue that I should have caught.
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William C.
OP
Plano, TX · Member since 2013 · 40 posts · 0 votes
13y
Just came back from the house and I found out it was not a bone at all. It was a big candle left in the drawer. The drawer is not broiler just a storage. The heat got down to the drawer and the candle got burned on. Most likely it was put there by the tenant (maybe forgot later on). The previous owner (also my first tenant) used the oven often so I really doubt they left a candle there. I didn't take photos of the drawer and learned my lesson here...
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Colleen F.Pro Member
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
13y
If it was not the previous tenant and they put it in there it is their damage and they should be paying for it. That being said if they claim its not their candle you may have trouble getting them to pay. I would however tell them the previous tenant used the oven frequently so it is unlikely the candle was left behind and they need to be careful in storing flammable items. I would not be giving them a gift certificate for dinner or making nice over the incident.

Some tenants are more hysterical when things happen. It is good to see for yourself sometimes.
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Matthew Paul
Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
13y
Scrape off whats there , go to the local self service car wash and clean it , or grab somebodys pressure washer blast it clean and put it back . Its a metal drawer not a big problem .
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Jon Holdman
Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
12y
If these tenants left a candle in the range then this is their responsibility. That makes more sense than a bone being left by the previous tenants and overlooked by the cleaners. In that case, tell them its their resposiblity to get it cleaned up.
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