House mates excessive electricity usage

Timer for the heating and a rota for the washer/dryer?

This is where the apparent saving money by sharing idea starts to break down.

You can't account for things like this when you get that bargain room for 450 a month. There is always at least one person like this.

I shared with a girl who ran towels for hours in the dryer to the point that they were burning hot about to set on fire.

The oven would be put on to "heat up" for 2 hours with nothing in it. When it did eventually get used, four little croquettes would go in. Beyond wasteful. And then there was the emersion!.

Definitely speak to him about this asap. Be diplomatic but don't put on the kid gloves. People like this often react in spite and tend to behave even worse when called out but with luck you are sharing with someone who just didn't realize what they were doing

I hope you can get through to him.

Just call a housemates meeting to discuss increasing costs and how you all could reduce them. Introduce the dryer, washing machine usage along the way. How that maybe everyone does one wash and one dry per week to spread the cost fairly? If he gets the hump, then suggest that meter readings are taken during machine usage and that he may have to contribute more to the pot if he continues to use the machines excessively. Everyone should be using appliances fairly/evenly these days.

One wash per week? I usually do lights, darks and towels/bedding and that's just for one person. I got rid of the dryer though, no need for one. It sounds like there's no need for one in the OP's house either. Consider plugging it out for one billing cycle and seeing the difference that makes.

In fairness, three loads a week for a single person does sound excessive. I too separate lights/dark/colours but it could be three weeks before I'd have a full load of whites. Putting on less than full loads is wasteful in its own right. Good idea on plugging out the dryer for a billing cycle and seeing what difference it makes, though.

I never realised some people dry absolutely everything in the dryer til a former housemate moved in with me. To me, they're for finishing stuff that needs it or for something you need in an emergency and don't have time to line-dry.

Have the same problem op.

Share with 3, 1 puts on a wash once and week and hardly ever around. The other 2 are constantly washing , and re washing when they have left already washed clothes byild up in a heap, and washing clothes again after leaving them for days outside in the rain. Dread the esb every time.

Im kinda caught tho because those 2 are good friends and the other one is never really around and would be one to pay for the sake of peace. Its so infuriating!

Have thought about saying something but from my experience so far with them, cant see any agreement or understanding been met.

What do u roughly pay per month for it ?

That reminded me. I had an oven licencee at one stage. Full blast oven on for ages with nothing in it.

I told her to stop doing that as it was a safety hazard and a huge waste. I had to turn it off and tell her, let me know when you are ready to cook and I’ll have it at the right temperature for you in good time!!

Take the fuse out of the dryer plug and tell him its broken

I live alone and three loads a week is the bare minimum I can get away with. My washer is so small that it can only handle a few items at a time; if I try to cram more than four or five shirts in there at a time, or more than two pairs of jeans at once, they just won't be washed and will come out all soapy.

There's far too much washing being done. Our mothers/grannies washed on a Monday and that was it.

Wear once then wash is fine for underwear, socks, shirts, but for most other things it is not necessary to wash after one wear. Every two weeks or so for bedding is fine. Surely if you shower every day you are clean getting into the scratcher?

If people had to wash by hand with a rubbing board and and mangle (like my mother did until the first washing machine arrived), you wouldn't be washing a pair of socks or a tea towel every day.

Ochon agus ochon agus an ice cream cone Peig Sayers is back!

A++ rated, about 50c each time... 😆

seriously, wait for sunny weather to make your laundry and bring it outside to save 50c?

I'd do time!

Work out the average cost per wash / tumble dry.

Have a sheet with the names on it.

Get them to sign each time they use machines.

This will show them the costs involved.

The other thing is to do express washes - most machines will have a 45 min option (some have 30 min). These are pefect for all but the most soiled of items. Towels and sheets in particular suit the 30 min wash.

Use clothes horse for drying items outside and then finishing them off in the dryer.

You'd be surprised at the amount of savings you can make.

I think the benefit of the high electricity charges is people becoming more careful and using less.

Surprise me and say how much you save. Many people don't actually know the cost and are just going on what their mammy told them as kids.

A decent squirt of Dettol or white vinegar will do wonders - it will also clean the washing machine.