The laundry room is definitely a place where there can be disagreements between neighbours. In most Swiss homes you will find a laundry room with one or more washing machines depending on the number of tenants in the building.
In the laundry room you should find a rule on how to use the washing machine. As a general rule, you may be asked to turn off the water after use, to make sure that the washing machine is clean after use, that there is no detergent left over, to remove any residue and to wipe it down. Basically, tenants are asked to leave the laundry room as they wish to find it. This is part of the settlement in a rental property in Switzerland.
However, the tenant is not obliged to clean the laundry room. The rental agreement must state the tenant’s charges including the maintenance and cleaning of the building and therefore the laundry room.
When to use the washing machine and tumble dryer?
In the laundry room, there is often a calendar indicating when a tenant can use the washing machine and dryer. Common sense applies, a tenant can put his name down for half a day or a day but it seems logical that he cannot monopolise the laundry room and put his name down 3 days a week if the building has about 10 other units.
In addition, resting hours must be respected. After a certain time, the laundry room can no longer be used. Usually, the time is mentioned in the regulations, it can be 8pm or 9pm. It is also generally not possible to wash clothes on Sundays. These rules were established a long time ago and are now being questioned. In the 1960s and 1970s, washing machines were much noisier than they are today, so silence was required on Sundays.
Today this rule is still in force, but isn’t it time to relax it because, let’s be honest, the noise of the washing machine is not as loud as the neighbours playing a musical instrument. If the noise is bothering you, maybe your flat is poorly insulated? With our tips, you should be able to cover the noise of the neighbourhood.
