I've had a tenant in a 4-plex who has his laundry destroyed with grease all over his clothes. We suspected it was from another tenant who was a mechanic and I warned them that they needed to stop washing his work clothes in the washer but we are on occurrence #4 now what should I do? I installed a brand new speed queen washer that cost over 2,000 to make sure it wasn't the washer causing the grease and here we are with the same issue.
Should I give them a fine?
Should I have them buy new clothes for the tenant who lost clothes because of it?
Should I ban them from using the machines?
They claim they have been washing his work clothes at their parents but obviously that's not actually happening...
Are you sure the clothes were damaged? I've experienced tenants claiming things like this seeking compensation.
Can you fine the mechanic? Yes, but only if you had proof that they used the machine and had proof they left a lot of grease in the machine, and your lease specified they were responsible for damages. I'm assuming you don't have that. (who would?)
Given you probably have no standing, banning them from using the machines or (trying) to force them to buy clothes potentially opens you up for a lot of legal risks. (Bad idea)
The same problems could happen at a laundromat. Would they take any of the actions you are proposing? No.
Solutions: 1) Stay out of it 2) Camera the laundry room and check the condition of the washing machine after each time you see residents using laundry, charging the prior user for any damages. 3) If you are convinced it is the mechanic and they aren't worth keeping as residents, non-renew them at the end of their lease.
Thank you for your input @Greg Scott, I do have camera's on the laundry and I do know 100% it is these tenants and when I told them to stop with the grease clothes before they said they washed his work clothes at his parents, so they admitted it was them. So I have no doubt it was them. They are not horrible tenants I don't mind them at all, they have been there about 2.5 years.
I am not the type of landlord to stay out of this because I truly care about the damage and frustration this is causing for my other tenant.
I was thinking that I could maybe ask the the the tenants to pay the other tenant $50-$100 for the damaged clothes. Or do you think that would cause too many issues between the tenants? They are both pretty reasonable tenants that understand stuff happens...