Landlord charges €1 per 15 mins on Washer & Dryer

RogerRabid

How unusual is this?

My landlord installed coin operated machines on the washing machine and dryer.
It takes two hours to wash clothes and two hours to dry them.

It adds up to 16 euro to wash and dry my clothes.

Seems a little beyond the pale when the laundrette down the road would prob do one large cycle for a tenner, right?

This website claims a washing machine costs a mere 13c an hour to run: https://purchase.ie/electric-appliances-cost-run

Am I missing something or is this plain extortion.

Heart Break Kid

A dry cleaner will do it plus iron for €8.00 per wash. I'd expect a similar or better service from your landlord. Who pays gor the electricity bills?

RogerRabid

The electricity is included in the rent, but we were told initially that it cost 3 euro to use the machines. This was expensive anyway, but it turns out to cost more than that.

Hitman3000

RogerRabid wrote:

The electricity is included in the rent, but we were told initially that it cost 3 euro to use the machines. This was expensive anyway, but it turns out to cost more than that.

Is there a laundrette near you? If so I suggest you use it.

RogerRabid

Yes, 10 minute walk away. I will use it for sure.

Browney7

The rental.standards act doesn't require it to be free;

"Washing machine, or access to a communal washing machine facility within the curtilage of the building"

The prices are taking the piss though

oppenheimer1

€16 to wash your clothes is nothing short of extortion.
If I were you, and if you had room I'd buy a washer dryer. A decent one can be picked up for €100 or less on adverts.

Addle

It's €2 for 15 mins using this service.
http://revolutionlaundry.ie/locations/

James 007

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

€16 to wash your clothes is nothing short of extortion.
If I were you, and if you had room I'd buy a washer dryer. A decent one can be picked up for €100 or less on adverts.

Thats a great idea, and he cant stop you from doing that, the only problem is to connecting it up. What type of a meter box is it.

wonski

Who charges washing clothes per minute???

As ridiculous as a restaurant charging per minute rather than per meal.

RogerRabid

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

€16 to wash your clothes is nothing short of extortion.
If I were you, and if you had room I'd buy a washer dryer. A decent one can be picked up for €100 or less on adverts.

This would indeed be a good solution - and I'd be within my rights surely. But it's owner occupied by couple and they'd get very bothered if they saw me bringing a Zanussi up the stairs. But wouldn't it be great! lol.

oppenheimer1

RogerRabid wrote: »

This would indeed be a good solution - and I'd be within my rights surely. But it's owner occupied by couple and they'd get very bothered if they saw me bringing a Zanussi up the stairs. But wouldn't it be great! lol.

Ah, it's yet another licensee shakedown. Unfortunately in your situation you have no rights.

In my opinion unless owner occupiers are unwilling to adhere to basic standards then the tax free exemption should be removed.

James 007

Just looking at the actual costs, 1 kwh = 20 cent at most.

Washing machine 1 kwh = 70-100mins = 40 cents for 2 hrs, say
Dryer 1 kwh = 20-40mins = 120 cents for 2 hrs, say

Approx. max cost = €1.60 for 2hrs each washer and dryer use

You are been robbed, I would confront them on this, and let there faces red up :mad:

YOU ARE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR ALL YOUR ELECTRICITY THROUGH USING THE WASHER AND DRYER

mel.b

Does the owner have a seperate washing machine & dryer for himself or does he need to pay as well?

alias no.9

mel.b wrote: »

Does the owner have a seperate washing machine & dryer for himself or does he need to pay as well?

Who do you think is emptying the coin box?

la ultima guagua

Option for when things start to get dirty :

http://revolutionlaundry.ie/about-us/

Claw Hammer

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

€16 to wash your clothes is nothing short of extortion.
If I were you, and if you had room I'd buy a washer dryer. A decent one can be picked up for €100 or less on adverts.

Washing machines have to be plumbed in. that will involve drilling through walls and floorboards. They always leak so can't be put on a wooden floor upstairs.
€100 would only buy a well battered one from done deal.

oppenheimer1

Claw Hammer wrote: »

Washing machines have to be plumbed in. that will involve drilling through walls and floorboards. They always leak so can't be put on a wooden floor upstairs.
€100 would only buy a well battered one from done deal.

I don't know where you put your washing machine so that it would require drilling, but most people put them where there is already a water supply and waste. Very easy to get slip over tap fittings to supply the water and have the outlet drain to the sink. It wouldn't take much DIY knowledge to plumb it in properly with a Y or vampire fitting under the sink and to connect the waste to the sink outlet as well. I've done it myself in a rental for a dishwasher.

€100 would get you one that's in reasonable nick for a rental.

oppenheimer1

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Ah, it's yet another licensee shakedown. Unfortunately in your situation you have no rights.

In my opinion unless owner occupiers are unwilling to adhere to basic standards then the tax free exemption should be removed.

I would completely disagree. An owner occupier should be allowed to ask for anything they want and charge as much as they want for whatever they want. If you don't like it move out :rolleyes:

Also if I was renting a room and you tired to install a washing machine in my house you would be given about 5 mins to clear out your room and get out.

BelovedAunt

Mekhi Cuddly Minus wrote: »

I would completely disagree.

What a surprise.

BelovedAunt

BelovedAunt wrote: »

What a surprise.

Yeah what a surprise that I disagree with an owner occupiers rights over a property.

You do realise an owner occupier renting out a room is doing a favour for the person renting the room. They are nothing more than a guest in the property and should not even think about having any rights.

uck51js9zml2yt

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

€16 to wash your clothes is nothing short of extortion.
If I were you, and if you had room I'd buy a washer dryer. A decent one can be picked up for €100 or less on adverts.

Since when does it take 4 hours to wash/dry clothes.
About an hour to was and hour to dry. €8 maybe €10 at most.

wonski

Mekhi Cuddly Minus wrote: »

Yeah what a surprise that I disagree with an owner occupiers rights over a property.

You do realise an owner occupier renting out a room is doing a favour for the person renting the room. They are nothing more than a guest in the property and should not even think about having any rights.

Sure.

How dare they having a shower or a laundry???

A favour. Right.

oppenheimer1

Mekhi Cuddly Minus wrote: »

I would completely disagree. An owner occupier should be allowed to ask for anything they want and charge as much as they want for whatever they want. If you don't like it move out :rolleyes:

Also if I was renting a room and you tired to install a washing machine in my house you would be given about 5 mins to clear out your room and get out.

Nox taking the side of the landlord... quelle surprise :rolleyes:

5 minutes would be illegal, reasonable notice is required - since this is not a safety of life issue, most likely 7 day would be required, 24hrs minimum. I'd enjoy taking the civil case against yourself.

Mekhi Cuddly Minus wrote: »

Yeah what a surprise that I disagree with an owner occupiers rights over a property.

You do realise an owner occupier renting out a room is doing a favour for the person renting the room. They are nothing more than a guest in the property and should not even think about having any rights.

An owner occupier is doing no one a favour by renting out a room, they are selling a service. Owner occupiers obtain a substantial tax relief (which is at everyone elses expense) and although they are not at the moment, they should be subject to strict standards on what should be provided; what can and cannot be charged for and the rates of charging. In the OPs case €16 to wash and dry clothes is nothing short of gouging - the kind of behaviour you see from owner occupiers (OO) who do not want a licensee in their house but are rather fond of their money.

Its the OO that will lose out in the end anyway as that kind of BS leads to a high turnover of licensees. Even in todays tight market, most people who would take a room under such conditions would continue looking for a proper rental place. This is what I suggest the OP should do

nilescraneo

Mekhi Cuddly Minus wrote: »

Yeah what a surprise that I disagree with an owner occupiers rights over a property.

You do realise an owner occupier renting out a room is doing a favour for the person renting the room. They are nothing more than a guest in the property and should not even think about having any rights.

God, you're an absolute awful dose of a person, and I use the term person extremely lightly.

They aren't doing OP a favour either, s/he's paying money to live in the property and yet the landlords still see fit to fleece him/her with a ridiculous charge for this very basic amenity. I'm sure the landlord is claiming tax relief too, so is also fleecing the taxpayer.

the_syco

Braylee Fat Chair wrote: »

Since when does it take 4 hours to wash/dry clothes.
About an hour to was and hour to dry. €8 maybe €10 at most.

This is what I was thinking as well. Heck, it's almost as if the LL didn't want anyone using it, and only has it there to comply with legislation.

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Nox taking the side of the landlord... quelle surprise :rolleyes:

Well, think about it. Where would they install it? In their ensuite? Where else would the waste water go? And no, they can't install it elsewhere, as it's rent-a-room.

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

5 minutes would be illegal, reasonable notice is required - since this is not a safety of life issue, most likely 7 day would be required, 24hrs minimum. I'd enjoy taking the civil case against yourself.

It's up to the landlord to say what's "reasonable", and finding that the licencee installed a washing machine without permission would be taking the piss. Heck; I'd file a civil suit against the tenant for the removal or the washing machine, and any repair to fix the plumbing.

wordofwarning

Mr.S wrote: »

I'm sorry what? They charge you for using your washing machine? Even if they cover the electricity costs, they can't do that.

Mr.S what statute or act states that? AFAIK the law clearly states that a tenant has to have access to a washing machine and a dryer. The law does not state that it has to be free. Even in the most tenant friendly countries in the world, the washing machines/ dryers are in the basement of the building and tenant pays for the use of them.

I would hazard a guess that the landlord is seriously pissed off with the fact they can no longer increase revenue on their properties ie the rent cap and is now looking for new avenues of revenue. Although having the cost so high, makes me think they just don't want their tenants to use the washing machine/dryer

nilescraneo

nilescraneo wrote: »

God, you're an absolute awful dose of a person, and I use the term person extremely lightly.

They aren't doing OP a favour either, s/he's paying money to live in the property and yet the landlords still see fit to fleece him/her with a ridiculous charge for this very basic amenity. I'm sure the landlord is claiming tax relief too, so is also fleecing the taxpayer.

While I don't agree that the op's owner occupier should be charging for washing (I think it's as unfair as anyone else) this is not a reason to open a discussion on changing the fact a room renter has zero rights or the fact an owner occupier renting a room has total control over their property. There is no landlord in this scenario you are using the term incorrectly.

It is the owners home and yes they are simply allowing a guest to stay and are entitled to remove the guest right to stay on a whim. I really have no idea how anyone thinks someone in this scenario should have any rights, people will just stop renting out rooms if that were to happen and even further reduce supply.

colm_mcm

Addle wrote: »

It's €2 for 15 mins using this service.
http://revolutionlaundry.ie/locations/

Doesn't take 2 hours though.

__..__

I just put on a wash this morning with the whole weeks washing in it and timed it after reading this thread.
The washing machine was finished in 25 mins including spin.
I'll time the dryer but I don't think I ever put a dryer on for more than 30 minutes ever in the past.

4 hours for a wash. That's just crazy.

I used to live in an apartment where the washing machine was in a shed outside. It was impossible to use it because Everytime you went down it was being used. A few people seemed to just out on washed non stop. The landlord put in a meter and charged €2 a wash and hey presto, you could finally use the washing machine because it wasn't used every hour of the day.

The Specialist

Mekhi Cuddly Minus wrote: »

While I don't agree that the op's owner occupier should be charging for washing (I think it's as unfair as anyone else) this is not a reason to open a discussion on changing the fact a room renter has zero rights or the fact an owner occupier renting a room has total control over their property. There is no landlord in this scenario you are using the term incorrectly.

It is the owners home and yes they are simply allowing a guest to stay and are entitled to remove the guest right to stay on a whim. I really have no idea how anyone thinks someone in this scenario should have any rights, people will just stop renting out rooms if that were to happen and even further reduce supply.

I'd rather sleep on the street than rent a room with the likes of you. Your attitude is absolutely disgusting.