Fee for in-unit laundry

Bad idea... Lot's of risks. You have to consider the plumbing of each building/unit. Is it so it can support laundry use? How about handling the venting outdoors? How would that be handled? Would one have to cut a hole in the building or roof to vent? There are fire and flooding risks involved to. One may have to restrict the type of washer/dryer combo one may have. Would they have to be stackable? How would it be enforced if someone broke that rule?

A lot of issues associated with this. Yes it would be convenient but if your not set up to handle it, this is a nightmare. We have seen people post on here dealing with illegal hookups and the damage they have done. Plus the owner's think the HOA is responsible for the repairs if something were to go wrong...

Doesn't make sense. I don't see why you want to do this. If you have a loss of income from dues, raise the dues or cut expenses.



Where was the water coming from before? If I wash clothes in my house or the laundry room, isn't that the same amount of water?

Conor, first start with the building dept to see if that type of conversion is even allowed, then if it is, you need an engineering study to see if the buildings infrastructure will support it. Oh yeah, don't forget to involve the insurance company, when a washer on the third floor floods the building and the mold starts to grow, if all of the i's aren't dotted and the t's crossed, expect to hear this famous phrase: "Sorry Charlie."

But hey, let's spend thousands of dollars so it's cheaper to wash a single pair of pants, I mean doesn't everyone wash them one at a time or is it a once in a blue moon type occurrence? Oh, the answer to the reduced funds from the people not using the machines is to simply raise the assessments to pay for it. Repeat after me: "For every action there is a reaction, although unlike physics it is not always equal."

I assume you have looked at all the implications financially and otherwise. Lay it all out to the members. Ask them what they want. Just because an amenity is a little bit of a challenge doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered. Look at swimming pools and the expense they are. Give me a washer and dryer in my own unit any day over a swimming pool. I would gladly pay a few bucks more for the convenience.

Since I'm a professional tax preparer, I can't help but think of the tax ramifications of this. Sorry folks!

First of all Conor, I hope you are reporting the taxable income from the common laundry room. It's not assessments, so it is non-exempt income (after deducting the expenses associated with producing that income). So, if it produces a net profit, which you seem to indicate that it does, then that profit is taxable.

Same deal if you decide to allow an in-unit laundry and charge unit owners who have an in-unit laundry for that. Since it's not an assessment paid by all unit owners, the IRS considers it as a "special use" fee and it is non-exempt income and is taxable.

Sorry. From a tax perspective, there's no difference.

If you charge for only the water use, then income = expense and so there would be no net profit and no tax. But then, there's no extra money either. And, how do you determine water use for just the water for the washer?

We're two 12 y.o. high rises, Conor, and all units originally had a stackable washer/dryer. Now, some owners have changed to separate appliance. Along with the concerns that others have raised, we have booster fans in each unit to propel the dryer air outside the building as its far away. These fans are supposed to be run 10 minutes before, during, and 10 minutes after using the dryer. If residents fail to do that and, in addition, aren't very diligent about keeping their dryer vent screen free from lint, the duct can and has leaked in the laundry closet and also in living rooms. In a couple of cases, the leaks have gone into the units below. another source of leaks is that there's an additional lint screen behind a panel in each laundry closet ceiling It, too must be cleaned about once a month & requires a step ladder to access it. It, too, an cause leaks. tun, of course,there's the occasional overflow.

Now, you may not need all of that, but I don't know if you've checked yet.

The most serious issue in multi-level condos is water & the damage it can cause. So, yes, you insurance premiums would surely increase

ff the top of my head, I don't think a use fee makes sense. We do have a square foot variance where condos with more sq. ft. pay more per month than condos with less sq. ft. for gas, water, insurance. But it's a really tiny amount.

Some people in any HOA are going to use more or less water than others. Some will repair leaky toilet flappers & some won't, which can use a lot of water!

About 10% of our owners are only here part time so obviously use less water than those who, for example, work at home, never go on vacation and may have one more resident than most other units. Lots of residents don't use our pool, but pay the same as all other residents. Many have their clothes professionally laundered & pressed, etc.

But, to answer your question and having lived in high rises with and without community laundry, sure it's more convenient to have the appliances in my home.

But, with others, I don't think it's worth the expense & risks.

Sharon you should take the time to read some insurance statistics. Washers have a higher rate of failure for leaks due in part to their design and the fact most use rubber hoses for water connections. Dryers cause a large number of fires when vents and filters get clogged and are not maintained or exhausted properly. When the air flow is restricted in builds up a huge amount of heat. If lint is allowed to collect it can be a source for a fire.

If you have a gas dryer you then add gas to the mix along with water and electric.

The only way to ensure the fan is turned on is to make it automatic. In a multi unit dwelling, you can't trust the homeowner and you can't risk anything.

Dryer Booster Fan Automatic Proving Switch
http://www.amazon.com/Fantech-Booster-Automatic-Proving-Switch/dp/B005D2IKPW

As for lint screen cleaning, I would remind people in monthly newsletter, hallways, etc. And mandatory lint screen cleaning or inspection by the condo association once a year. Some people you just can't trust to do anything.