Wash Resources Categories: For Property Owners

With laundry facilities ranked by residents as one of the most important common-area amenities of multifamily properties, it’s essential that property managers and owners make laundry room management a top priority. This is important not only to enhancing resident satisfaction, but also for the overall value and attractiveness of the rental property. Furthermore, laundry operations can become more profitable when managed efficiently and with the latest technology.

One of the most fundamental decisions property owners must make in managing laundry facilities is deciding whether to lease or purchase laundry equipment. Although the initial price tag is an important factor for property owners who decide to purchase their own laundry equipment for common-area laundry rooms, there are significant hidden costs in doing so that over time become more apparent.

It’s a common misperception that owning laundry equipment is more profitable than leasing. More often than not, the financial benefits of purchasing machines are far less than one might expect. The longevity of laundry machines depends on many unpredictable variables, including climate, usage, the number of residents using each machine and resident profiles.

In fact, according to an article in the Journal for Property Management, as laundry machines age, the costs associated with repair and maintenance increase, while the income from laundry room operations decreases. Statistics have shown that after five years, on average, the equipment’s performance begins to deteriorate. While the equipment may last for much longer, the income from these machines gradually drops while maintenance and repair costs go up.

Property owners with high-traffic laundry rooms often choose to lease laundry room equipment and enlist the services of a route operator since service and maintenance are usually available within these contracts. By contracting with an outside company to provide laundry room equipment and professionally manage laundry operations, property owners also can benefit from deep discounts that these vendors are able to negotiate with leading manufacturers in purchasing machines. Laundry route operators also have expert technicians on call and maintain a large inventory of parts so property owners don’t have to worry about maintenance and repairs.

Furthermore, some vendors will offer a vend-price analysis to help maximize laundry room use and profitability. This entails regular reporting on laundry room usage and revenue so property owners can have access to all of the information they need to monitor their laundry room’s performance.

Whether property owners choose to buy or lease their equipment, it’s important they use ENERGY STAR-qualified machines to keep laundry-related water and electricity costs as low as possible. Property owners also can make laundry room management and maintenance an easier and more cost-effective task through the use of technology-based amenities and applications available for the laundry room.

One leading laundry-service provider offers a free mobile app that property managers can download to allow residents to request laundry machine service by simply using the camera in their smartphones to scan the barcode on the machine. This alleviates property owners from the hassle of requesting laundry room repair service by enabling residents and maintenance staff to make a service request in just seconds, right from the laundry room.

Another web-based service available from a leading laundry-service provider allows residents to monitor the status of their laundry from any device that offers online access. Residents can use this service to confirm machine availability before making a trip to the laundry room.

Also, coinless payment technology can make laundry room management an easier task. In addition to offering a convenient payment method for residents, coinless systems offer greater security because they remove cash from the property to prevent theft.

Some coinless systems provide residents with a laundry payment card. For others, they can use their credit or debit cards right at the machine in lieu of coins. Some service providers also offer mobile payment apps that allow residents to pay for laundry from their phones.

Fortunately, property owners and managers have more options than ever when it comes to managing and enhancing their laundry operations. Whether you own or manage a large apartment complex or a small rental property, maintaining and managing laundry facilities can be done effectively and profitably with a thorough understanding of all of the options and emerging technology available to make the job easier.

The rental market is evolving and changing like never before. To attract and retain residents, be aware of these latest trends:

1. Micro-apartments
   Micro-apartments (approximately 350 square-foot units) — which first gained popularity in New York City — are finding a space in other up-and-coming neighborhoods. With an influx of young professionals in high-demand markets, builders and renters are embracing the micro-apartment trend. So, think small.
2. Gyms and Workout Spaces
   Prospective renters are looking for nearby gyms. If you don’t have a work-out room or space on site, you can still capitalize on this trend by advertising the proximity to gyms in your apartment listings. Check out your local fitness center – they may even offer specials for new residents to the area.
3. Green
   Environmentally conscious residents are looking for green living spaces. In addition to making energy-efficient upgrades in your laundry room and throughout your property, consider designated bicycle parking, a community garden and a recycling program.
4. Telecommuting
   With the trend toward more people working from home, convenient onsite business centers and common-area meeting rooms are in demand. Also, be sure to keep pace with the latest high-speed Internet capabilities for your property.
5. Roommate-Renter Households
   Nonfamily members are sharing space to make renting more affordable. With this trend, you may see an increased demand for multi-bedroom and bathroom units. Also, be sure your lease agreements include all occupants.

As housing demand, affordability and availability continue to shape trends in many major markets throughout the country, multifamily property managers and owners are advised to stay on top of these changes and respond to them with flexibility and creativity.

Whether you’re new to rental property management or simply looking for ways to improve your apartment’s services, you’ll need to make some important decisions about your laundry facilities. A well-managed laundry room in a multifamily complex can be one of the most effective ways to attract and retain residents – but should you handle the logistics yourself or hire a laundry management service?

To help you make your decision, consider these five ways a laundry room management service can help your rental property:

1. It can save you money.
   It’s a common misperception that owning laundry equipment and managing it yourself is more profitable than working with an outside service. More often than not, the financial benefits of purchasing machines are far less than one might expect when you take into account the cost of replacements, repairs and ongoing maintenance. By contracting with an outside company to provide laundry room equipment and professionally manage laundry operations, property owners can benefit from deep discounts that these vendors are able to negotiate with leading manufacturers in purchasing machines. Furthermore, some vendors offer a vend-price analysis to help optimize laundry room use and profitability.
2. It will eliminate the hassle of service and maintenance.
   Keeping a laundry room in tip-top shape is a tough task – there’s coin collection (or electronic payment processing), the cost and hassle of machine maintenance, and repairs, cleaning, handling resident complaints, shopping for liability insurance, and more. But despite the work, having a clean and convenient laundry room attracts and retains renters and equates to more money for the multifamily property. Having a professionally managed laundry room offers the convenience of having your laundry services completely taken care of – from selecting the right machines to ongoing maintenance and repairs.
3. It will keep you up-to-date with technology.
   There is a tremendous opportunity for property owners to stay on the forefront of new and emerging technology to ensure that the laundry experience is the best it can possibly be. With advancements such as mobile pay technologies, remote laundry monitoring that sends text alerts to residents when their laundry is done or when a machine becomes available, and an app that provides customers with a convenient way to report a problem with a machine, a laundry management service makes it easy to incorporate technology into your laundry offerings.
4. It will provide peace of mind.
   Unfortunately, crime in laundry rooms is not uncommon and can leave you with the cost and hassle of repairing or replacing equipment. Smart laundry room management services provide advanced security features and follow strict protocols to deter break-ins, theft and vandalism.
5. It will boost resident satisfaction and retention.
   Residents who are treated right and have what they need in their rental – including clean, well-managed and advanced laundry facilities – are happier and less likely to search for a new apartment. This means less turnover and more profit for the bottom line. The right apartment laundry vendor can not only provide the essentials, but can provide consultations and recommendations on industry trends – such as mobile payment, convenience features and laundry loyalty programs.

Providing excellent service for more than 70 years, WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems allows you to retain control of your apartment’s laundry facilities, while an eliminatinate service and maintenance hassles while earning money. As a dynamic, multinational business, WASH provides the latest technologies to maximize resident satisfaction and customer profit. To learn more, visit https://www.wash.com/

If you’re planning new construction or renovations to your multifamily property, don’t forget the importance of good laundry room design.

Studies show that a convenient and well-maintained shared laundry room is a must for resident satisfaction and retention. The effective design makes the laundry room a true amenity and doing laundry less of a chore for your residents.

WASH Multifamily Laundry Systems offers these 10 tips for good laundry room design.

1. Dryers — Start with dryer location when developing room layout. Dryers should be situated on an outside wall whenever possible for most efficient venting. Walls behind dryers must meet required fire ratings.
2. Washers — In large facilities, washers and dryers may be arranged in banks or clusters. Smaller rooms should be arranged in 2 x 2 or 4 x 4 groupings.
3. Seating — Adequate seating should be provided, especially when the predominant resident profile is senior citizens.
4. Folding Area — A minimum of six square feet (2’ x 3’) of table top space is needed for one user to fold clothes. The greater the number of dryers in a room, the greater the need for folding space. It is better to have too much folding space than too little. Plan accordingly.
5. Floor and Drainage — Always use concrete with a troweled finish and sloped toward the floor drain.
6. Security — Laundry rooms should be designed to eliminate personal danger. This includes planning entry ways on main traffic patterns along with using glass walls or panels, when possible, to provide total visibility and eliminate screened areas.
7. Water Heater — Should be placed near washers and protected by proper fire-rated walls.
8. Lighting — Energy efficient or fluorescent lighting is recommended. Rooms should be well illuminated with fixture selection suitable to room size.
9. Sinks — While not required, you may want to consider including them in your layout. Be sure to design to provide for occasional overflowing from misuse.
10. Passage/Service Space — Provide ample room for passage around equipment and furnishings. Always allow adequate room for machines to be serviced.

In addition to the basics, put some thought into the bells and whistles of your laundry room design. Would your residents appreciate a flat screen wall mounted TV and/or free Internet access? What about a reading nook with a small library of books? Also, consider including mobile payment options so residents won’t need to search for quarters every time they do laundry.

WASH has devised a mobile app that allows users to easily report machine problems in WASH laundry rooms.

With the WASH Connect mobile app, available for iPhone, Windows and Android phones, and a specially formatted mobile site, www.wash.com/wash-connect, requesting repairs can be done immediately online right from your smartphone or tablet.

With this convenient way to report problems, washers and dryers can get back up and running sooner. And, there is no waiting for regular business hours to make a report. The site operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

The WASH-Connect app is part of WASH’s ongoing commitment to superior service and convenience. Coupled with strict service protocols, the app allows you to submit service request any time of day, no account required.