OWNERS BEWARE! Rent to this account at risk of your own peril.MARIO AND/OR HIS FAMILY LEFT THE STOVE ON WITH GAS RUNNING WHILE THEY WERE OUT ENJOYING A DAY AT THE RACE TRACK. The propane "leak" was NOT attributed to the safety recall on our trailer. Despite his comments to the contrary, I did in fact take time from my family on a long weekend to travel back to his campsite and repair what he reported as an emergency. (This despite discounting his reservation on a long weekend and omitting to charge his booking for delivery and pickup!)
When I replaced the propane regulator and installed a sensor alarm, there were no readings outside the trailer. Going in, there was an immediate smell of gas inside. Why? I have pictures to show that the gas stove had been left unattended and set to LITE!I was fully expecting this negative review, as it was by far my least enjoyable OD transaction. Please read my other reviews from dozens of renters. I think my reputation in this forum will speak for itself. This was by far the most taxing and high maintenance rental I have experienced. If more renters where like this I would most definitely remove the listing and cease renting our trailer. Mario asked that I "bring a bigger generator" as the small inverter he was left with (at no charge) was not strong enough to power the microwave for popcorn, and the larger 4600w generator he was left with (also for free) he couldn't get to start when set to propane.As far as being "too busy" is concerned, here is my actual, unedited comment, sent to him the day before the propane emergency... "I'm sorry your having these problems, yet you have everything there that can fix them. There's just no way I can take more time off of work to come up there to set things up for you once again. There's a possibility I could do so over the weekend, however I would have no choice but to charge for my time and travel, as I your reservation is heavily discounted already and did not charge for delivery or travel in the first trip."
When I found out about the propane smell, which I might add came on the second evening of using it. a quick search revealed that the propane regulator had been recalled only a few weeks before. Owners in the US would be notified by mail within 30 days of the recall. (I am a Canadian who purchased the trailer in the US. No telling when I would be notified.) Although the trailer had been rented for all but ten days since the summer had begun, even up to and until the night before delivery (a delivery he was not charged for,) the propane smell had never been reported before. Regardless, I instructed him to immediately disconnect the propane tanks and I would come up and address the regulator problem as soon as I could, which was on the Saturday morning of the long weekend. Disconnect the propane immediately and use either of the two generators I left to power the trailer and hot water. I took his complaint seriously (like, more seriously than his popcorn emergency,) and felt I had no choice but to take him at his word in the interest of safety.I purchased a new regulator, a new propane sensor alarm and travelled back to the camp site once again. I replaced the parts and reinstalled the propane tank, turned it on and it could immediately hear the propane running. I went in the trailer and the propane smell was enough to give me a head rush. It was then that I immediately looked to the stove and noticed one of the burners was set to LITE. I photographed it, turned it off and opened all the windows in the trailer to air it out.
I went outside and called Mario. We couldn't hear each other for a poor signal. I went out to the racetrack across the street where I new he was and asked that he meet me in the parking lot. Mario couldn't tear himself away from his family to speak to me in person. "No. Call me." Since calling wasn't an option I expressed my disappointment in a text.
Here, verbatim is the actual text exchange.
Mario: "Hi, Gary. Thanks. So Everything is fine now?"
Gary: "Yes. To be honest Mario, I was more than a little frustrated in leaving there. The fact that I found the stove on makes me feel as though it was the original source of the problem."
Mario: "I didn't turn it on." " Did you try to start the generator?"And that was that. That was his only correspondence with me from the time I left there Saturday until his posting of this review. Sent him several texts. Nothing. Informed him l would be billing him for a needless emergency call. No response. Confirmed that I will be picking up the trailer at 11am Monday. No response. Called. Nothing sent an invoice for the billing, detailing that I would be claiming against his security deposit. No reply.
I returned to the camp site Monday at the end of the booking. Our camper was deserted. Clean yes, and with everything replaced and stowed. But nobody to be seen. I don't know if they checked out Saturday night, Monday morning, or when. Even the owner of the farm they stayed upon said he has no idea when they left. After I told him about the propane issue, he told me "he could have burned down the whole farm." The property owner thanked me for letting him know and said he would not permit Mario and his family to stay on his property again.So there's the whole story. Looking at the text exchange, I count 36 TEXT MESSAGES from Mario between the time that he arrived at the trailer Wednesday morning until Saturday when he absolved himself of any responsibility for the propane incident. And that 36 count is not including my replies; just his texts. Then nothing thereafter. I.m not sure what kind of Real Estate agent he is, but as a renter and custodian of my investment, I am just glad for it to be over.I have not asked OD to remove this negative review. I am perfectly fine to be judged by other owners and renters based on my actions and my review record. And if nothing else, I want other owners to know my experience. Anybody can make a mistake. New to camping, I can get it. The lack of an apology, a thank you or even acknowledgement of his responsibility speaks to the kind of person Mario is. In the face of what seems to me like his obvious lack of judgement, his true character showed through his review.Do business with MARIO PICERNO ... homes@mariopicerno.com at your own risk.
