Tenant refusing to pay invoice for service call

[Alan Craft]

Hello,

We have a rental property in Northern California and the tenant reached out a few months ago indicating that the oven wasn't holding temperature.  Our property manager reached out to a local appliance company and had the oven checked.  The technician stated that it was holding temperature fine.

The management company informed me over text that they would charge the tenant for the service call since there was no problem with the appliance.  Fast forward 3 months and the tenant is refusing to pay the invoice and stating that she wants a new stove due to the age of the current one.  The current stove is less than 4 years old.  

Am I right for asking the tenant to pay for an unnecessary service call?  

[Bill B.]

The balance can usually just sit in the tenant’s ledger and be deducted from their security deposit when they move out. (Check local laws or your PM as they should know.)

As far as a replacement stove, 4 years is basically new. If the tenant wanted to pay (in advance since they won’t pay for the service call) for a new stove. Which would stay after they vacate the property. I guess I would allow it, assuming it was delivered and installed by professionals. 

It sounds like it’s time to raise rent as much as possible as soon as possible.