No Tokens for Washing Machine - Landlord not replying

sheroman01 · 12-12-2018 5:30pm #1

In order to use the washing machine and dryer in my flat, we need to buy tokens from the landlord. It's quite annoying but anyway, nothing can be done. I texted the landlord 10 days if I could get some off her, and again on Monday. No reply either times. I don't mind waiting a few days but at what point does it become unacceptable? Is there anything I can do here? I've had to pay twice now to wash my stuff at a local dry cleaners, €22 in total compared to the €4 with the tokens I should have.

endacl · 12-12-2018 5:32pm

Are you posting from the 1980s?!?

El Weirdo · 12-12-2018 5:46pm

Is the washing machine and dryer actually in your flat or is it in a communal room?

If it's actually in your flat, that seems to be a ridiculous system.

sheroman01 · 12-12-2018 5:52pm

Haha! My thoughts exactly too when I first saw this setup. I've stayed in a few flats around the Rathmines area in the last few years and it seems to be very common around here! It's in a communal room.

listermint · 12-12-2018 5:57pm

3D print some new ones

s7ryf3925pivug · 12-12-2018 6:07pm

I lived in a bedsit in Rathmines with that setup. My entire bedsit was six foot wide. I had a little portable stove and no oven, and my wardrobe was in the communal hall outside. The mind boggles, looking back at it. It wasn't even the worst place I lived - though it was the smallest.

beertons · 12-12-2018 6:09pm

Just wear the clothes you want cleaned in the shower. Dry them in front of the fire.

....... · 12-12-2018 6:10pm

Do minimum standards from PRTB not state that access to laundry is a minimum?

L1011 · 12-12-2018 6:15pm

....... wrote: »

Do minimum standards from PRTB not state that access to laundry is a minimum?

Yes* and while shared token op machines would meet it, no access to tokens means no access to laundry machines.

*Washer and outdoor drying, or washer and dryer

OP - phone the landlord, not text. Harder to ignore.

Del2005 · 12-12-2018 6:18pm

sheroman01 wrote: »

In order to use the washing machine and dryer in my flat, we need to buy tokens from the landlord. It's quite annoying but anyway, nothing can be done. I texted the landlord 10 days if I could get some off her, and again on Monday. No reply either times. I don't mind waiting a few days but at what point does it become unacceptable? Is there anything I can do here? I've had to pay twice now to wash my stuff at a local dry cleaners, €22 in total compared to the €4 with the tokens I should have.

Not ideal but there is a lot of shopping centres and petrol stations with washing and drying machines. Going to cheaper than dry cleaning.

....... · 12-12-2018 6:23pm

If the washing machine is in a communal room can you buy tokens of other tenants?

Personally Id be phoning and texting the LL hourly at this stage.

endacl · 12-12-2018 9:01pm

If it’s communal, next time you get tokens search online for them and buy a load for less than your LL is charging you.

s7ryf3925pivug · 12-12-2018 9:45pm

endacl wrote: »

If it’s communal, next time you get tokens search online for them and buy a load for less than your LL is charging you.

This would be theft. It would also be obvious that it was the person who never buys tokens.

sheroman01 · 12-12-2018 11:23pm

listermint wrote: »

3D print some new ones

haha, would love to try this, but you can't reuse them

sheroman01 · 12-12-2018 11:26pm

L1011 wrote: »

Yes* and while shared token op machines would meet it, no access to tokens means no access to laundry machines.

*Washer and outdoor drying, or washer and dryer

OP - phone the landlord, not text. Harder to ignore.

Yep, you're correct. And yeah, I think I'll do this. I'll just ring her tomorrow. Have a feeling I'll be waiting a while.

the_syco · 13-12-2018 2:24am

sheroman01 wrote: »

I've had to pay twice now to wash my stuff at a local dry cleaners, €22 in total compared to the €4 with the tokens I should have.

Look for "revolution laundry dublin locations" in Google Maps. 18KG is €8 to wash, €2 to dry.

Graces7 · 13-12-2018 10:41am

beertons wrote: »

Just wear the clothes you want cleaned in the shower. Dry them in front of the fire.

or wash by hand? I do not have a working washing machine or access to any and I manage fine. As long as you have a washbasin or sink? Until you get your tokens...

endacl · 13-12-2018 12:15pm

Phoebe Cold Fog wrote: »

This would be theft. It would also be obvious that it was the person who never buys tokens.

Wouldn’t have up use them for every wash.

....... · 13-12-2018 12:32pm

Phoebe Cold Fog wrote: »

This would be theft. It would also be obvious that it was the person who never buys tokens.

Theft? Are you serious?

The LL is illegally charging for use of washing facilities. He has no idea who is choosing to have their clothes washed elsewhere so wouldnt have a clue if someone was using their own tokens.

Fundamentally I object to the LLs behaviour here and if I were the tenant I would be looking at alternatives.

Pelvis · 13-12-2018 12:43pm

Phoebe Cold Fog wrote: »

This would be theft. It would also be obvious that it was the person who never buys tokens.

Who can just say they decided to frequent the local laundrette for the sake of convenience.

I have a similar set up, communal washer/dryer that accept's coins. But due to the fact there's one washer and dryer shared between 9 flats, which from what I can tell all contain couples, you are often left waiting to be able to use them. Well I got sick of that fairly quickly. There's a laundrette right next to my luas stop so now I just drop off in the morning and pick up on my way home. More expensive but infinitely better for my mental health!!

Del2005 · 13-12-2018 2:04pm

....... wrote: »

Theft? Are you serious?

The LL is illegally charging for use of washing facilities. He has no idea who is choosing to have their clothes washed elsewhere so wouldnt have a clue if someone was using their own tokens.

Fundamentally I object to the LLs behaviour here and if I were the tenant I would be looking at alternatives.

Where does it say that a landlord can't charge? The requirement is for access to washing and drying facilities, not access to free washing and drying facilities.

With the government squeezing more and more from landlords with less protection and interfering with their ability to make a profit you will be seeking a lot more of this.

JimmyMW · 13-12-2018 2:05pm

or you could just buy one of these
https://pricespy.ie/home-garden/white-goods/laundry-care/washing-machines/oneconcept-ecowashdeluxe7-white--p4579442

....... · 13-12-2018 2:45pm

Del2005 wrote: »

Where does it say that a landlord can't charge? The requirement is for access to washing and drying facilities, not access to free washing and drying facilities.

With the government squeezing more and more from landlords with less protection and interfering with their ability to make a profit you will be seeking a lot more of this.

Where does it say that a landlord CAN charge?

The spirit of the legislation is that the LL provides access to basic facilities needed as part of the rental. Not that he squeezes every last penny that he can by charging on top of the rent for "extras". I would think if the OP took a case to PRTB for this you would find that the LL was told to remove the coin access to such a basic facility pronto. This isnt Sky Sports - its laundry facilities. Every single person needs to be able to wash and dry their clothes.

And it is this type of behaviour that tarnishes decent landlords who are not trying to fleece their tenants every which way.

Lux23 · 13-12-2018 3:19pm

Our landlord only charges for the dryer.

XVII · 13-12-2018 3:35pm

our landlord charges for both washing machine and dryer. Where does it state it's illegal?

....... · 13-12-2018 3:55pm

XVII wrote: »

our landlord charges for both washing machine and dryer. Where does it state it's illegal?

Doesnt need to be explicitly stated. Its obvious.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/repairs_maintenance_and_minimum_physical_standards.html

Regulation 7, 2, b
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/17/made/en/print

Says nothing about charging for them. Given they are in the same section of the legislation as providing access to oven/freezer/microwave/sink etc it is reasonable to assume that the intention is that they are NOT to be charged for per use.

These are minimum standards.

Landlords need to provide access to a toilet - nowhere in the legislation does it say anything about charging per use of a toilet because its bloody obvious eh?

Same as laundry facilities.

Pelvis · 13-12-2018 4:07pm

Sorry but I think it does need to be explicitly stated.

I do have access to laundry facilities, having to pop in a €2 coin first doesn't change that.

If this was illegal then this practice wouldn't be so widespread.

....... · 13-12-2018 4:14pm

Pelvis wrote: »

Sorry but I think it does need to be explicitly stated.

I do have access to laundry facilities, having to pop in a €2 coin first doesn't change that.

If this was illegal then this practice wouldn't be so widespread.

So then you think that it is ok for a LL to charge on a per use basis for the microwave, the 4 ring hob, the sink, the fridge/freezer etc?

Because they are all listed in exactly the same manner in the legislation.

Being widespread has no bearing on its legality btw. Plenty of things are widespread that are illegal.

LLs are getting away with this because (a) people dont know their rights and (b) people are afraid to complain because they will be turfed out at the earliest opportunity and we are in a housing crisis.

And who can be bothered to complain to PRTB about 2 euro a week?

THATS why its happening, because nefarious LLs are taking advantage.

IMO its quite obvious what the spirit of the legislation is when read in context. Id be interested to see what the RTB have to say about it.

Graham · 13-12-2018 4:21pm

Heating is also part of the minimum standards, there's no suggestion that it's included in the rent.

Pelvis · 13-12-2018 4:23pm

....... wrote: »

So then you think that it is ok for a LL to charge on a per use basis for the microwave, the 4 ring hob, the sink, the fridge/freezer etc?

Because they are all listed in exactly the same manner in the legislation.

Being widespread has no bearing on its legality btw. Plenty of things are widespread that are illegal.

LLs are getting away with this because (a) people dont know their rights and (b) people are afraid to complain because they will be turfed out at the earliest opportunity and we are in a housing crisis.

And who can be bothered to complain to PRTB about 2 euro a week?

THATS why its happening, because nefarious LLs are taking advantage.

IMO its quite obvious what the spirit of the legislation is when read in context. Id be interested to see what the RTB have to say about it.

I'm not saying what's right or wrong. I think if landlords could get away with charging for those things then they probably would, but it would be so unusual to do so that they wouldn't get any tenants. Which is why it's unheard of.

However, it's not uncommon for laundry facilities to be communal, and it's common to pay per usage. That legislation only says I must have access to laundry facilities, I do.

Fol20 · 13-12-2018 4:28pm

....... wrote: »

Doesnt need to be explicitly stated. Its obvious.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/repairs_maintenance_and_minimum_physical_standards.html

Regulation 7, 2, b
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/17/made/en/print

Says nothing about charging for them. Given they are in the same section of the legislation as providing access to oven/freezer/microwave/sink etc it is reasonable to assume that the intention is that they are NOT to be charged for per use.

These are minimum standards.

Landlords need to provide access to a toilet - nowhere in the legislation does it say anything about charging per use of a toilet because its bloody obvious eh?

Same as laundry facilities.

Legal is never based on obvious or assumptions. Unless its explicitly says the ll cant charge for said facility. Its fair game. In this case the tenant doesnt have access to the facility for a long time so this is partly breaking the rules however usually they do.

No Tokens for Washing Machine - Landlord not replying

Comments