How this residential housing complex became a laundry leader

How a 80 unit Multi-Family Residential Housing complex went from tenant laundry nightmare to laundry leader.

When Channel Properties purchased an 80-unit complex in 2019, they knew this would be the most significant property they had owned and operated as a small Building Owner. One of the biggest challenges was the common area laundry room which was a critical amenity to attracting the best tenants but was a nightmare. Old coin-operated laundry machines needing repair, not enough machines for high use times, and a dark, uninviting, and dated laundry room were not exactly great elements to this valued amenity.

This situation was more than they were prepared for. The problem reached crisis levels when several dryers were down at the same time, and resident complaints were stacking up.  A few machines were targets of vandalism and were damaged beyond repair.  The property manager was very reluctant to show the laundry room to potential tenants for fear it would deter them from renting a unit. 

An industry colleague recommended Coinamatic to help the Channel Properties solve the laundry disaster and get the onsite laundry room up and running. A site inspection was conducted to understand the challenges firsthand.  Just as important as the laundry equipment are cosmetic features – a clean, safe and well-lit environment and these needed to be addressed.  The issues could be remedied quickly, and new state of the art laundry equipment could actually assist in reducing operational costs. 

The Building Owner invested in new paint and lighting for the laundry room to make tenants feels safe and comfortable.  New state of the art commercial laundry equipment including water saving front load washers were installed and the number of machines was increased to accommodate high use times and to be more inline with the suite count.  The new machines were equipped with the latest in payment technology allowing the tenants to pay for laundry using a laundry card or a convenient mobile app.  

Tenants were very pleased their new commercial laundry machines and the convenient payment technology.  By removing coin from the laundry room, the vandalism basically disappeared.  Tenants could easily download the Coinamatic CP Mobile App or choose to use a laundry card.  Either way payment is user friendly and convenient! 

Coinamatic completed the laundry room makeover, and Channel Properties signed a contract with Coinamatic to manage the laundry room facility. The new laundry room was secure, well-lit, freshly painted, and clean. There was signage on how to operate the machines and how to get the best laundry results. If there was a problem in the laundry room, then Coinamatic team members could attend and quickly solve it.  Residents could report issues directly to Coinamatic using the toll-free service number or the online service request portal!  The building management continues to be responsible to ensure the laundry room is kept clean and well-lit so the tenants feel comfortable using it and Coinamatic is responsible for servicing the machines and payment system making the laundry room headache-free for Channel Properties. 

Tenants were very pleased with the improvements to the laundry facility, especially with the new, improved space, increased machines, and convenient payment technology.  The rental team now has no hesitation showing the laundry room first to potential tenants as it’s a selling point and attracts tenants to the building.

With a minimal investment, Channel Properties improved tenant satisfaction with new managed onsite laundry facilities, creating an attractive benefit to keep current tenants happy and attract new ones. The laundry room is now an asset that the owners can build upon for years to come.