AIBU to think UK houses and flats are badly designed when it comes to doing laundry?

[YellowBalloonsandOrangeBaboons]

Inspired by moving into an otherwise lovely flat, built in the 90s, which has no utility room (obviously), no space for a tumble dryer, no garden, and a rule for the whole development which prohibits drying washing on balconies. It's got me thinking about all the houses and flats I have lived in in the UK - at least 7, of very different sizes and types, and in different areas - and I have come to the conclusion that architects are spectacularly crap at designing properties as they never routinely seem to take account of something as basic as washing and drying clothes. The only one I have ever lived in that had a purpose-built utility room was built in an extension. Another was old and huge and had a room converted into a second kitchen-cum-utility room. Everywhere else, drying washing has been a monumental, daily pain in the arse.

I just don't get it. It's not a secret that UK weather is generally cold and wet for a good part of the year, meaning that even if you're lucky enough to have a private garden you can't really dry washing there for half the year. Hanging washing all over the house means excess clutter, looks terrible, and creates dreadful problems with damp unless it's hot enough to have the windows open. Now that increasing numbers of flats are being built with no gardens, the problem will surely only get worse. I get even more confused by new builds without gardens that have multiple en suite bathrooms but still no utility room. Why isn't designing somewhere purpose-built to dry your clothes considered a basic in architecture, in much the same way as designing places to eat, sleep and shower? It's rare to design a new flat without at least a second loo now, for example, so it's not like it's just a space consideration. AIBU?

I'd be fascinated to know whether other countries (especially ones without acres of space per property) share this problem, or whether there are any more modern solutions out there.

Most architects were men ay least until very recently.

The washing fairy obviously dealt with their clothes. Her and the girl in the Dry Cleaner's.

YABU

they are badly designed for everything

I agree but in this country it is probably to do with limited space particularly with flats. When i lived in new york many years ago in a victorian brownstone apartment there was a laundry room in the basement but we dont seem to do basements very often here - not sure why - although it would add to the cost i suppose digging it out.

Ive now got a utility room for the first time in my life and love it (im 65} !

Agree, same with storage. It's all about the ensuites and kitchens I think, they have a more immediate wow factor when you're viewing. Only when you move in do you realise there's nowhere to dry your clothes or put the hoover. Or take your shoes off without a great wobbling pile-up of people getting mud all over the carpet.

In Japan, you hang out your stuff on the balcony under the balcony roof or awning, using these things.
www.amazon.com/dp/B07X1191DC/ref=sspa_dk_detail_4?psc=1&s=home-garden&pf_rd_p=57cbdc41-b731-4e3d-aca7-49078b13a07b&pd_rd_wg=zaWrS&pf_rd_r=4F0NWSPKMV95M53CBGHG&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzN0tXWFhNSlhZNzYwJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzUxNTA2RzVXR0lSWlZLUE4wJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5Njg1MzNISk0wN1AwTTlTWlkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWMmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&pd_rd_i=B07X1191DC&pd_rd_w=30GXY&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&pd_rd_r=6c5950fa-f213-4255-b0bf-dab93e38b61d

My bathroom is designed as a kind of airtight unit with a ventilation/heat system that can be switched on, so if needs be (ie lots of rain) you bring the racks inside before going to bed, hang them from the shower rails in the bathroom, close the door and switch on the ventilation/heat system--it dries them overnight and the moisture is sucked away by the ventilation.

It's not perfect and I would love a huge garden and tumble drier.... but it works, just about.

I live in a flat and my dryer is on top of my washer. Is that not an option?

All it needs is a ventilated cupboard with shelves and a hanging rail! Even in kitchens this is possible surely?

Add in a pull out ironing board and we’d all be happy as Larry.

I do get the space argument. But it's such an everyday basic. Surely you could design the ubiquitous second loo/bathroom as a lootility, for example. Or have the most minuscule utility room with just enough space for a washer and dryer to be stacked, a ceiling-hung drying rack, and a really powerful extractor fan. It's just as if the problem doesn't exist in designers' minds.

@greenteafiend that's really interesting - that's exactly the kind of solution I was wondering whether other countries might have started to develop.

martinigirlsakeworld.wordpress.com/2015/01/07/drying-clothes-in-your-bathroom-in-japan/ This blog shows the bathroom ventilation and drying system.

Not just laundry, UK houses and flats are usually craply designed when it comes to porch space for boots/coats too. How many people struggle to find somewhere to hang their coats in a narrow hall?

When I stay overseas, I see houses that are often much better designed.

I've stayed with people in new social housing flats and new private flats.

The social housing flats, even if they have 2 bathrooms, always have at least one large storage cupboard. There as the private flats don't just don't have one, so vacuum cleaners are stored in interesting places.

You are so right. It's like doing laundry is a terrible secret and they don't want to acknowledge we all have to do it.

@rifling sadly not - the washer is underneath the kitchen counter so no space to stack a dryer. Eventually I will probably reluctantly replace it with a washer-dryer (reluctantly because I hear they are pretty crap). But even that won't solve the issue of the million and one things that aren't tumble dry-able. I have the Lakeland heated airer but can't even put it in the bathroom as UK houses don't seem to allow for electricals in there so have no sockets (I know that isn't the case in other European countries). But it's not just this flat - I honestly can't remember any house except the one with the utility in the extension where laundry hasn't been a permanent ballache.

@stormstormgoaway

Agree, same with storage. It's all about the ensuites and kitchens I think, they have a more immediate wow factor when you're viewing. Only when you move in do you realise there's nowhere to dry your clothes or put the hoover. Or take your shoes off without a great wobbling pile-up of people getting mud all over the carpet.

Yes! So many houses with a flash kitchen and 4 en-suites, but no decent storage and not even somewhere to put your wellies by an outside door.

I would buy a low-slung clothes dryer with a cover or privacy screen if necessary to shield it from the outside and dry on the balcony weather permitting. Stuff them if they can’t provide proper facilities.

Yes to the en suites. I was looking at property porn the other day and found a 20-year-old house (crazily expensive, think over 1 million) which had FIVE en suite bedrooms, a couple of receptions rooms, even a gym....and no utility room.

My bf has an airer up in the second bedroom, although he lives on his own so it's easy.

I was just thinking the same this morning! Larger houses should come with some king of cupboard/room for drying with ventilation, covered drying areas could be another possibility. It's ridiculous.

@YellowBalloonsandOrangeBaboons you know you can buy those peg hanging airer things (not sure of the name!) in any supermarket/Poundland Home bargains type place. I’ve used them for years.

@Abra1d1 I honestly don't think we could. Absolutely no-one else on the development does, and the management company seem to think it's their job to police the estate rather than help (recently had a run-in with them over parking facilities). It is honestly a lovely place to live otherwise, just the laundry situation got me thinking about why this seems to be such a near-universal problem.

In Scotland, the Building Regs dictate that space has to be made for drying laundry indoors. Maybe it's not the same in other parts of the UK. Many old properties have ceiling airers.

I love my Scandinavian flat, it's pretty much the same floor space as my previous UK flat. We now only have 1 bathroom (2 bedrooms), but instead we have gained a sizeable walk in closet. No bathtub, but a washing machine and dryer in the bathroom, which frees up space in the kitchen. Also additional storage space in the basement, so all hobby, activity and out of season clothing can be stored there. So the flat generally feels less cluttered even if we hang laundry out to dry.

Additional benefit: since the indoor air is significantly less humid/damp than in the UK I can put my wet clothes on a clothes horse in the evening and it'll usually be dry the following morning.

In my old council flat the flats had no back balcony so the residence would hang their washing outside of their house like this pic, it looked horrible and was not nice walking past people’s wet washing (including underwear 🤢) so I can see why other places wouldn’t allow it as it doesn’t look good. Thankful to live in a house with a garden now!

Pic didn’t upload

@JamMakingWannaBe we're actually in Scotland! Maybe those regulations are more recent, but this flat is only about 25 years old max I think.