Good landlords understand that success comes when you find responsible tenants and keep them happy — which leads to occupied units and consistent rent checks. That means your rental units have to outshine your competitor’s vacant apartment down the street. There’s a lot that makes a rental property desirable, but laundry is one of the top amenities today’s renters are looking for when searching for a place to live. While you may not be able to offer in-unit laundry to every tenant, having a proper communal laundry room can still help set you apart. If you’re planning a new apartment complex or upgrading a current facility, here are some tips to help you wow renters with a community laundry room in your apartment complex.
1. Keep it clean.
We can’t stress this one enough. We understand that you’re busy and have a lot of other responsibilities, but it’s important to keep the cleanliness of communal spaces — especially laundry rooms — a high priority. Dirty laundry rooms are an immediate turnoff to potential renters and current tenants, which may prompt them to take their laundry and rent checks elsewhere.
Just like a public bathroom, we recommend checking in on laundry rooms at least once a day, or more depending on use. Make sure you:
- Provide plenty of trash cans.
- Empty the trash frequently.
- Wipe down machines.
- Clean lint screens.
- Wipe up spills and messes.
- Vacuum, sweep, and mop floors.
You’d be surprised how many landlords and property managers don’t take the time to do simple cleaning tasks regularly — and the impact it has on the room and the tenants.
2. Make it safe.
Just like at laundromats, safety is key at rental property laundry rooms as well. If you don’t have a secured entrance to the building, you may want to consider installing a lock on the laundry room door so it’s only accessible to residents. Other things landlords or property managers can do to improve safety include:
- Keep the area well-lit.
- Have security cameras.
- Keep any soap or chemicals locked and out of reach. This is especially important if there are lots of youngsters living in your building.
- Remove or fix any tripping hazards and avoid stairs if possible.
- Post signs and check lint screens frequently to reduce fire risk.
3. Foster a community space.
Everyone needs clean clothes eventually, which means the laundry room are the most frequent area your residents visit other than their own apartments. Landlords and property managers have an opportunity to create fun gathering places, but very few actually do. Taking pride in your building and providing a community space where residents can easily meet their neighbors helps to improve safety, reduce conflict, and create a homey atmosphere.
A few ways to improve the social and community aspect of the room include:
- Hanging a bulletin board for important property news and updates.
- Adding seating that residents can use while they wait.
- Providing a TV and/or Wi-Fi.
- Adding vending machines (which is also an added revenue source for you!).
4. Provide high-quality commercial laundry equipment.
You and your tenants may not know a lot about laundry equipment – that’s our job. However, you’ll definitely be able to tell the difference when you’re using high-quality washers and dryers from top brands like Tolon and Speed Queen verses residential equipment or outdated machines that you find at many rentals. The latest commercial laundry equipment provides your residents with:
- Faster wash and dry cycles that cut down on wait times.
- Larger capacity machines built to handle bedding, rugs, and other bulk home items.
- Improved technology and controls for easy use and a better clean.
- Increased energy-efficiency, which helps keeps costs low for everyone.
As much as we say not to judge a book by its cover, so to speak, the sleek and stylish look of modern laundry machines will also help add a little pizzazz to your laundry room, which is sure to help your property stand out.
As an added note, you’ll also want to make sure you have enough washing machines and dryers for your residents to avoid waiting and any major hassles. Contact a multi-housing laundry expert to discuss the size and number of residents at your facility.
Let Us Help You Wow Your Renters
If you’re looking to attract new renters, delight current tenants, and set your property apart, a community laundry room is a great place to start. Our team of multi-housing laundry experts can help you create a welcoming and updated community laundry room in your Florida or Southern Georgia apartment complex that residents will love. Contact us today to discuss your needs!
Read now:
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