AIBU to ask my lodger to cut down on washing machine use?

[Member869894]

More of a WWYD really and I'm aware this is a first world problem. I have a lodger. He's nice enough but he uses the washing machine 4-5 times a WEEK. This morning I've come downstairs to a lone pair of shorts in there swishing around.
I'm not good at confrontation. How do i broach this without offending him?

He most certainly wouldnt be doing that if he had to pay for a laundrette wash but its ok to waste OPs money is it? Let him use the laundrette.

Hey lodger, would you be ok to wait for a full load before turning the washer on? Happy to agree which days we both use it, if that helps?

I’d offer to do the laundry for him and chuck it in with my own stuff.

Otherwise, I would just accept that people do things differently. This is a lodger, not a family member. He’s paying for this and modern washing machines are extremely cheap to run anyway. He would use far more electricity by cooking one meal a week.

TWO HOURS?!?!?!

we use the wm 3 times a week between two of us hes being excessive

Eco wash on my machine is 3hrs 40 mins.

It uses far less water/electricity than the quick wash but it’s the noise that’s annoying, having it running for hours.

Does he pay for his own powder and stuff?

Bet he wouldn't be doing this if he had to pay for the electricity bill himself. He may have the mentality that he is damn well going to get his money's worth out of the rent he is giving you. It's cheeky behaviour.

Watch he doesn't do something similar like put a heater in his room and leave it on overnight.

I'm pretty sure that it's not good for a washing machine to have too light a load, same as with a too heavy load. The drum doesn't spin properly.

And as for using the tumble dryer in a heatwave - words fail me!

Washing machine on for one pair of shorts ??
he is taking the 💦 literally !!!

What was the agreement when you moved in? I know it's not the same as landlord/tenancy rules as he is just a lodger, but changing after someone's moved in can be tricky. Maybe agree set times if he's willing, and that will be easier as you'll know he's having Tuesday/Friday evenings, or whatever.

Think only time this would be ok is if he’s like pooed himself and doesn’t want to contaminate other clothing. Speaking as a potty training mum. Orherwise yeah maybe ask him to do fuller loads.

@IronEverything are you familiar with the concept of handwashing? If I spilled something on one item of clothing, and I needed it soon, or was worried it would stain, I'd handwash it.

What you do is put water in the wash basin, apply some detergent, and then immerse the garment in the water. You can use a scrubbing brush if the stain needs scrubbing, or if not, you can just sloosh it in the soapy water until it's clean. Then, you rinse the garment in the sink, using water from the tap.

The whole process uses zero electricity, takes a few minutes, uses a fraction of the water that a washing machine does - and in this weather, you'd have a clean dry pair of shorts within an hour. It's incredible what humans can do if they put their mind to it!

Give him a choice. If you aren't put out by a lack of access to the machine then maybe:

"When you moved in, it was on the basis you'd be paying £X per wewk. This was calculated on the assumption that you'd be doing X full loads of washing each week. Given that isn't the case, would you rather pay £X amount more or consolidate your loads? I'd personally prefer you to consolidate as your current usage is making it difficult for me to plan my own laundry and I really don't want to schedule set days for laundry! I want you to feel comfortable and a laundry schedule is a bit more uptight than I'd want us to be!"

Isn't he aware of the water shortage apart from anything else

It's excessive for one person!

Bedding once every two or three weeks should be fine. Even so a sheet and a duvet cover wouldn't fill up the machine.
A bath towel and hand/hair towel a week is not a full load.
One load of clothing with another white load sometimes so about 1.3 loads per week.
If someone exercises a lot, then yes, than can be another load so an average or 1 or 2 loads for a single person.

In any case, machine should not be on unless 80% full so OP can just tell him this.

Does he not have many clothes? How old is he?

" If I spilled something on one item of clothing, and I needed it soon, or was worried it would stain, I'd handwash it."

I would just sponge the actual stain and if I wore shorts (or whatever) a lot, I would have more than one pair!

Is his rent inclusive of bills. Up it a bit but explain why. Give him the option to pay more ir reduce washing. Its got to be his choice as he's your lodger not your child

I’d say 3 loads a week is ok. Maybe just ask he waits to do a full load, tell him the water bill has gone up loads so other option is you put his rent up

You can't just up the rent. When rent is inclusive of bills, the LL has to accept it can be in her favour or not. I pay all inclusive rent and my LL can't tell me how much heating to use, for example.

On the other hand, not running a washing machine that's mainly empty is a general principle and not to do with bills so LL can just explain this to him.

She said 'spin dryer'. Did she just mean the spin function of the washing machine?

I’d offer to do the laundry for him and chuck it in with my own stuff.
Slippery slope. You take on the responsibility of making sure they've got clean clothes.

My machine's eco wash is just over three hours!

It might make him change his address.