I would say that this is highly dangerous. It is against US and Canadian code to not have outside ventilation for any fuel-burning appliance in your home; that's your furnace, HWH and stove/oven, assuming all are NG or propane. It is only acceptable to have a "filter-only" vent hood for your stove if it's all-electric (which BTW is the case for every single apartment I've ever rented; gas appliances may be cheaper on utility bills in the US, but a gas stove is a huge fire hazard and general liability for any landlord).
The code is in place for a very good reason; not only can inefficient burning of fossil fuels produce carbon monoxide and smoke (both of which continue to cause damage long after you've reached fresh air), but even when these fuels burn ideally, they remove oxygen from the air and replace it with CO2. CO2 in itself is not toxic in the same way CO and soot smoke are; as soon as you reach fresh air the symptoms of CO2 asphyxia begin to dissipate, while soot and CO poisoning ("smoke inhalation") can kill you hours after you reach fresh air. However, the consumption of oxygen and production of CO2 in a space with inadequate ventilation is a double-whammy for anyone in the same space; the oxygen is being consumed so there's less of it even in upper strata of the room's air, and as the CO2 builds it settles downward in a "blanket", pushing oxygen up towards the ceiling and away from you.
As the CO2 level builds, your body's natural "inhale/exhale" reflexes go haywire in a Catch-22 condition called hypercapnia; your natural breathing while in a high-CO2 atmosphere actually increases the CO2 levels in your blood, but the only thing your body can do to reduce CO2 levels is breathe. So, you start hyperventilating, which only exacerbates the problem. Should you pass out from lack of oxygen, you will not wake up if someone else doesn't get you out of the room or get some ventilation of fresh air through it.
Your landlord is running illegal housing. However, he may not know it, so be nice at first. Follow standard procedure for maintenance requests, and ask the landlord to install a proper outside vent line for this fume hood. If he refuses or drags his feet, you can call in the city's Code Compliance officials, or federal HUD (Housing and Urban Development) representative, and they will MAKE the landlord comply. Depending on the terms of your contract, the landlord may be giving you a free out by not living up to his end, meaning you may be able to break the lease at no cost if this has gone on for some time with the landlord's knowledge and inaction.
Understand that the cheapest way for your landlord to fix the problem with tenants still occupying the units may well be to cap off the gas feed and replace all the gas cooktops with the cheapest electric setups he can find. If this was the reason you moved in, and you don't get a "free out" from this debacle, you may find yourself stuck with a spiral-coil POS.
My background is Industrial, Commercial, & Residential combustion & appliances. I often also consult to Commercial & Residential Cooking Equipment OEMs.
The noise you are most likely hearing is a high-pitched hum, caused by turbulent flow in some pipe fitting. Most frequently, the source is an undersized or too lengthy flexible pipe fitting. If you notice, black iron pipes have straight smooth sides. This does not guarantee laminar flow, but it does greatly reduce internal friction & turbulence (low pressure drops). This results in quiet & efficient flow.
Many plumbers enjoy the speed & efficiency of flexible tubing to make the final 18" or so easier to pipe to the appliance. Flex hoses are flexible by using overlapping corrugated sections. They cause VERY turbulent flow...but are acceptable under certain conditions...and very quiet when sized and used properly. There are very specific flow rates assigned to each individual flex line manufacturer's rating. Exceeding those rates will always cause excessive pressure drop (lower firing rates to you) and usually an improper air-fuel ratio (although not necessarily in atmospheric-type burners)...but they will ALWAYS cause a whine or loud hum.
Increase the flex line size (less than $30 in parts), or try to decrease the length...substituting pipe.
Warning, a burst regulator diaphragm can cause a noise, but the gas odor (caused by the chemical mercaptin) will be evident as it leaks through the regulator vent. Accumulations (natural gas floats in air) are explosive. You would easily smell the gas. LP gases have a 1.5sg (Air is 1 specific gravity) and will drop quickly in air...and also go down drains! A gas company can easily check for leakage (and should)...however, their meters check in parts per million (ppm). Gas is only combustible in very defined %. A room at 100% gas will not support combustion...but do not open the door and introduce oxygen! Accumulations build to %...and the danger...and exceed the flammibility limit and self-extinguish (not enough oxygen). Competent gas appliance installers use a method of a soapy water spray (or a specific leak detection soap) brushed onto every joint. They just look for the bubbles. It is very accurate to show problems (many OEMs use this approved method to detect leaks). Any joint can leak in ppm (some pipe dope will outgass and set detectors off), AND be safe AND in full compliance with all standards. No fitting is leak-tight.
Bottom line, change the flex. If it is not a code issue in your area...it is a 15-20 minute job by a normal plumber. Best Wishes.
Best Answer
Properly installed range hood vent, including those combined with microwaves, almost always use an external vent hood that has a flap to prevent backdrafts. The flap is pushed out by the increased air pressure created by the vent fan.
While there are sometimes internal backdraft flaps, there is almost always an external one as well.
Look at the exterior hood and have someone turn on the vent fan. You should see the flap moving. If it does not, you likely have a problem.
You can remove the external hood by removing mounting screws and cutting the caulk seal around the edges. You can then look into the hole to see where (if) it is connected.
Many vent hoods can be set up for interior or exterior venting. This usually involves changing the orientation of the fan itself during setup. The installer may have left the fan pushing the exhaust into the kitchen. If so, you should be able to feel a draft at the top of the unit when the fan is on.