Comments on: Why You Should or Shouldn’t Put Coin-Op Laundry Machines in Your Rental Property

By: Denise

Denise — Sun, 04 May 2008 19:53:56 +0000

I agree with Tony above. After having free laundry facilities in a 8-plex we own we have finally decided to go with coin operated washers and dryers. This is not a matter of making a couple of hundred of dollars extra a month. Cost of electricity, water, and cleaning fees for the laundry room which tenants continue to trash have left us with no choice. We also have had the “friends of tenants” problem. Sad to say that a few tenants will ruin it for everyone. Our only other option would be to close the laundry facility.

By: Joshua Dorkin

Joshua Dorkin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:03:10 +0000

Wow! Great information, Kevin!

By: Kevin Walker

Kevin Walker — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:58:18 +0000

Actually there are several other considerations to take into account -
A coin op washer counts as a “commercial washer” (even if you only have one!) and as such will need additional waste-water impact fees in most urban and suburban areas- these run about $1500 *per machine* here (Houston) and I’ve heard some cities that are much, much higher (the LCS’s wont tell you about these fees since if you get caught, the fines are your responsibility-not theirs).
Some municipalities consider the debris from the lint traps of commercial laundry machines to be a ‘hazardous waste’ which will require a permit to handle, store and additional fees to dispose of. (once again, the LCS’s figure what you dont know wont hurt *them*)
While 99% of the time you will probably get away with not having the proper fees paid (so long as you dont have any new construction or repairs that bring out a building inspector for any reason) the fines can get pretty hefty and you *dont* want to be the 1% that gets caught (I’ve heard some of the mid to large size complexes receiving six-figure fines PLUS having to pay all the fees owed)
And lastly, in some jurisdictions if you have any commercial washers or dryers the space they are in is automatically counted as a ‘laundrymat’ (or ‘washateria’ for those of you in the southwest) and will require specific use permits and may conflict with zoning.
My advise is to contact the local utility district, zoning boards and building permit offices and check on the specific codes relevant to your area before making this decision- dont just listen to the LCS sales pitch.

By: Tony Nathan

Tony Nathan — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:09:53 +0000

I’m going coin-op laundry in my triplex after 15 years free. Cheap — a dollar a wash, 50 cents to dry. I’m fine with my tenants getting free laundry, but they always have friends who come over for weekday beers and laundry. Encroaching friends and my too-nice tenants will always exist. So coin-op is the best solution.

By: Peter Rodriguez

Peter Rodriguez — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:15:30 +0000

Hypothetical situation:

1. You have a superintendent of a 50 apt residential building.

2. He has to deal with an offending coin-collector on a regular basis who pick-up coins from the coin-operated laundry room in that building.

3. The superintendent has an influential friend working for the building’s management company.

4. The coin-collector foolishly disclosed to the superintendent that he’s only been working for a few weeks on his collection routes on a 90-day trial basis (which means the coin-collector is not yet in the union).

Question:

Is it advisable, in order to get the collector to behave, for the
superintendent to approach the coin-collector (taking advantage
of the information that the coin-collector foolishly disclosed to him)
with a subtle threat to have him terminated explaining to him that the superintendent could have someone call his employers threatening to either pull the leasing account (for the coin-operated laundry machines)away from them or threatening not to have the lease renewed for a new term unless the collector’s employers terminate him immediately?

If no, why not? In detail, what could be the legal ramifications should the coin-collector be terminated as a direct result of the threat presented to his employers?

Could it be proven that the termination was the direct result of the superintendent’s wrongful and malicious interference of an employment relationship between the coin-collector and his employers? If so, how?

By: steve

steve — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:44:12 +0000

I found you also may use some product to turn ordinary washer or dryer into coin-op wahser or dryer, like a company:weavefuture, any one knew
there are more products like this

By: Walter

Walter — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 06:23:34 +0000

IMO, you need to be very careful in thinking through the pros & cons of establishing a laundry room in your rental property. There are issues of security & liability to consider. If something were to happen to a tenant (robbed, assaulted) while doing their laundry, you may well be sued and held liable if you have not taken reasonable security procedures: are your entry door locks & entrance buzzers in working order; are there security gates on windows; have tenants complained in the past about building security issues, etc.?

The hassle may be worth it for larger facilities where there is a potential for a large revenue stream, but if the net income to you is small, you may well ask yourself if the upside gain is worth the downside risk…