Coin operated industrial washing machine

There's one on ebay at the moment "Coin operated commercial washing machine and tumble dryer - brand new - trade price" - for £2,500.

Not recommending it - just pointing it out!

If you try to get anything like that number of people to share such an essential item of modern life and a single point of failure, you will only get the desperate as tenants, inevitable friction in many forms and a high tenant turnover.

I agree with Paul, 15 people x 2 loads a week each = 30 loads a week, that's just over 4 a day. I can only see that causing more problems than it will cure. I can hear it now, 'they left their stuff in the washer for 2 days so I took it out' other tenant 'they took my washing out the machine and dumped it on the floor and now my Armani jeans are ruined'. Save the money and the headache 🙂

Hi Martin, I have a secound hand industrial washing machine for sale, i am not sure if it's still working has it has not been used in years, when last used was working perfectly, if you are interested please contact me at savvalet@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Martin,

I own a 14 bed HMO and use a domestic washing machine and a dryer each connected to a coin timer (£130 inc. VAT each). The property has been occupied for over a year now and during this time I had no complaints from any of my tenants.

I am very happy with this arrangement so last week I installed coin timers on the washing machine and dryer at another 14 bed HMO that I own. These are also domestic appliances

The latter HMO has been occupied for over 3 years with no complaints on the arrangement. During this time I only had to replace one second hand (reconditioned) dryer with another (second hand) at a cost of £120 (the one I replaced wasn't so smart to start with).

I originally enquired about commercial machines for my HMOs but the cost was too high to justify it in my view. For the price of a commercial machine I could buy many good brand reconditioned machines.

Hope that helps.

I have two HMOs with 9 separate units - so around 14 people in each building. I've had rented coin operated machines since I set up because of the servicing etc. I renewed 2 years ago for bigger and better machines. You don't get 2 per person a week - far from it, more like 1.5 a fortnight. The machines are not 'money makers' they are there are a service, and I have a charge equal to the local launderette (if you don't they would rather go to the launderette in the rain than pay another £1) - but it is another plus when it comes to letting the rooms. Tenants are not careful with machines, so the servicing can be a big issue - my company come within 24 hours or pay £100, so they come in 24 hours! but have only been called a couple of times in the 2 years. I wouldn't want to own one of these machines if I couldn't service it myself (which I can't). You'll need a drier too or you'll have your tenants drying clothes in the rooms - another topic!! I've never had a problem with tenants leaving washing in the machines, but you could buy some very cheap plastic baskets so left washing can be taken out and left aside, but my 9 rooms generate less then 9 washes a week, so at most 1 a day and they are all, in their own words 'professionals' .

With the previous machines from another rental company they did go wrong quite often and it was the coin boxes generally the offenders - you also have 'cash on the premises' so take care with this.

Reply to the comment left by "Oren Harkavi" at "16/08/2014 - 21:05":

You are very fortunate! My washing machines in 'normal' shared properties - 3/4 sharers rarely last more than 3 years if that, the last one was a year before I had to get it repaired then replaced it after 18 months as the concrete block fell out .....(I can't think of anyone that has lasted that longer) and without the complication of a coin machine and the complications that arise with out of action machines justify me 'giving' them the commercial ones. What makes are you using, I am assuming they are good quality domestic ones?

Reply to the comment left by "Harlequin Garden" at "17/08/2014 - 12:21":

To be fair I didn't pay much attention to the make of the machines when I first purchase them so I may be lucky as you said.

I decided that there is no justification to go for a new machine and bought the washing machine and dryer from a second hand place. It is possible to find reconditioned appliances that looks almost as new.

When I replaced the dryer I went for a BOCSH one and will probably go with BOCSH in the future as I was convinced that as a premium brand they will last longer.