Washer/dryer set that keeps logs for multiple users?

5 years ago

I am considering a home reno that includes an income suite in the basement. I also need a new washer and dryer, in any case. In my municipality, rental properties have to include access to laundry facilities on the premises, so if I go ahead with building the basement apartment, I will be sharing the new appliances with the tenant. However, I don't want to encourage over-use of the appliances: I want to be able to be reimbursed for the costs of water, electricity, and maintenance, in proper proportion to their use.

What would be perfect, in my mind, would be a washer/dryer set that is designed for keeping track of multi-users, without having to resort to coin-operation. In my mind, the tenant would enter a user number and a 4-digit PIN that are unique from my own, and then at the end of the month I would be able to determine a fair accounting for the tenant's usage.

Does anyone know of any appliances available with this functionality? If not, does anyone have any alternate suggestions on how to avoid being taken advantage of by tenants using shared laundry facilities?

Featured Answer

darrenbest
Original Author

5 years ago

All of you in the consensus (that I just give in and plan on giving the basement unit its own laundry appliances) have convinced me. Thank you for your input :-)

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Comments (7)

luna123456
5 years ago
For tenents inwould suggest buying then their own laundry. Nothing fancy.

The technology you seek only really exists for laundromats. it would be very cost prohibitive for a home/rental unit.

I wouldnt want to share my personal machines with anyone.
darrenbest thanked luna123456
ci_lantro
5 years ago
Separate the utilities--tenant pays their own utilities. W & D in the unit. Don't try to micromanage how they do laundry, how many times they flush the toilet or time their showers.
darrenbest thanked ci_lantro
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Annette Holbrook(z7a)
5 years ago
So from what I’m getting, you are required to provide laundry facilities in order to have an income unit. Is there any way to put a laundry space in your portion and then maybe put a combo unit in for the tenant?

On a side note, I have heard of people that have to share laundry putting in the lease what days they have access to laundry. So each unit got a weekend day and 2 days of the week. The 7th day was open to both units on a first come basis. Up the rent to cover what you approximate.
darrenbest thanked Annette Holbrook(z7a)
darrenbest
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the suggestions.
apple_pie_order
5 years ago
Some college dorms used to have card access for their washers and dryers, similar to coin-op machines. What often happened is that the washers and dryers got overloaded when students tried to save money. You may find that monitoring and billing for usage leads to more problems than it solves.
darrenbest thanked apple_pie_order
HU-31974562
5 years ago
I agree with the suggestions to buy tenants their own machines. buy stackable machines is space is a concern. if you are not convinced, ask yourself how you are going to feel when the tenant doesnt leave the machine or the laundry area as clean as you would like, and then you have to clean it yourself or confront them before doing your laundry. Or how you will feel when the machine breaks because the tenants have consistently overloaded the machine? Or when they are simply doing laundry when you need to get things done? or take your wet clothes out of the washer or dryer in favor of their own load? those scenarios are all avoidable by putting machines in their unit.
darrenbest thanked HU-31974562