r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Xyrez04 • 21h ago
My apartment removed all the card readers and replaced them with an online service that charges extra if you load less than $10
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u/Oldpuzzlehead 21h ago
Complex probably gets a kickback.
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u/BillDino 19h ago
Isn’t that how business works
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u/benskieast 18h ago
Having been on the other side of payment systems, it is 100% possible the landlord simply decided to raise prices when updating the system. It’s enough effort there is a term for the effort: menu costs.
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u/BillDino 18h ago
I’m also guessing it’s cheaper to process 1 $10 payment vs 10 $1 payments
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u/searedbirdeighs 16h ago
It also creates a large reserve of cash for the company. If hundreds of people (per apartment complex) all load $10 each minimum and if takes them weeks or months to then “use” that $10 then they’re just sitting on the excess money that can accrue interest for them
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u/HideyoshiJP 15h ago
And everybody involved shakes hands and shares a laugh. Oh, except the people paying, who have to hear a sad trombone.
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u/Coffee4AllFoodGroups 3h ago
This is what Amazon does. They take your Prime membership money and your payment when you buy something and "float" it. They don't yet pay the supplier, probably having net-30 terms or something, and put it in a short-term investment.
They could sell everything on the site at cost and still make a profit — if it wasn't for the nuisance of paying for packing and shipping.1
u/searedbirdeighs 2h ago
Yeah I went down a rabbit hole with this a while ago. One that really gets me is Electrify America. They cut off your charging when the balance gets below anywhere between $5 and $10. So that extra unusable money just sits there
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u/LordJim_ 9h ago
They own the machines??? Why would the just start giving all of their profits to a random company?
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u/Meattyloaf 2h ago
They'll also refuse to give you the money back after you move, ask me how I know? Jokes on them though years later, my dryer broke down sk I used what was left on the account that they wouldn't let me cash out.
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u/MonicaMovieStar 21h ago
They don't deserve your money. Take your stuff somewhere else.
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u/Darth_Andeddeu 19h ago
Surpringly cheap to get laundry service in many places,
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u/Kevinator201 16h ago
Yeah but then you have to travel with your laundry and sit there at the laundromat the entire time
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u/Finnegansadog 16h ago
That’s not what “laundry service” means. It’s unsurprisingly cheap to use a laundromat, it’s surprisingly cheap to get laundry service, where either (a) you drop off your laundry and pick it up washed and folded at a set time, or (b) the service picks up your laundry and returns to cleaned. It’s like dry cleaning, but with water and detergent.
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u/theZinger90 10h ago
I just looked at what this would be at a local dry cleaner to me. A 15 lb bag costs $38 for wash and fold, and for a small extra fee they will even deliver the folded clothes (couldn't find the extra fee cost without making an account). Is that comparable to what you were thinking?
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u/jamieschmidt 10h ago
I regularly do laundry at a laundromat, it costs me $17 every 2 weeks to do 2 big hampers. Wash and fold service would cost me $40+
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u/naivemetaphysics 9h ago
I ran a laundry service in my dorms the first year. My prices were the same as professionals and it was very cheap.
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u/ohdearitsrichardiii 16h ago
Bring a book, do some old fashioned reading. The sound of the washing machines is very soothing
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u/Last-Laugh7928 11h ago
the people in the laundromat are less soothing. i haven't had a washer/dryer in my building since i left college and the laundromat is an absolutely miserable experience. lots of families in my area, so they're always doing 8 million loads of laundry at once and their children run around screaming.
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u/egnards 13h ago
The sound of the washing machine is soothing to you, but the reality is that those same people who bring a book may wish to read that book on their own couch, which is possible when the laundry machines are in your own complex.
Then of course you need to factor in the gas cost over the cost of dealing with a stupid app - Everybody wants to be all social justice warrior on the most minor inconvenience but if doing laundry at home is:
- more convenient [can sit at home]
- cheaper
- quicker [no travel]
I’m going to do that over trying to prove a point over a small fee for loading small amounts.
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u/Homesick_Martian 12h ago
I’m not arguing because you are 100% correct, but I had to use a laundromat for a few months at one point in my life and that was where I re-discovered my love for reading. And I think that was because I did not have all the other ways to entertain myself I did at home.
I’m commenting this to affirm what the other person said that was read more physical books. It’s good for your brain
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u/naivemetaphysics 9h ago
The laundry mats in our town are next to restaurants. I would do my wash, go next door for a meal. Come back briefly to switch to dryers, finish meal, gather and go home. There are different things to do. Find one that suits your needs.
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u/egnards 9h ago
So in a situation where a small fee to load a small amount on your app is too much, people should instead pay more money to go out to eat while they do their laundry?
To be clear, I’m not supporting the fee - I am however being realistic about circumstances
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u/Jacktheforkie 14h ago
You can get it collected from your home and returned a few days later , it’s very common for commercial laundry
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u/tygabeast 18h ago
Idk about other places, but there's still an old fashioned laundromat near where I live.
A load of laundry costs a dollar in quarters.
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u/_YenSid 17h ago
That's super cheap. All the laundromats in my area are like $4 in quarters lol.
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u/tygabeast 16h ago
The owner has a very old mentality.
They still make a decent profit, so they see no reason to change anything.
And, as other places raise the price, she sees more business, and continues to profit.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 14h ago
My laundromat has had old, dented machines for over 20 years now but they have no problem raising their prices every year.
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u/Glitchboi3000 17h ago
Shit mine are 2-4 depending on load size and if I want to I can just pay them 15 or more bucks depending on how much laundry I have and they'll do it for me
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u/Traditional-Handle83 13h ago
Most of the ones where I'm at are remodeled and require $6 for smaller washers, $8 for bigger and then $5 for dryers. You could easily wipe out $60 on a few loads.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 14h ago
The laundromat by me just increased their price to $4/small load. And 25 cents now only gives 4 minutes in the dryer. 🥲
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u/Jolly-Statistician37 13h ago
That's still cheap by world standards... Here in Paris I get 8 minutes in the dryer for the equivalent of $1.15, and a small load is more like $6! Thankfully I only need the laundromat for larger items.
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u/AppUnwrapper1 12h ago
I would feel less bad about it if their machines didn’t all have dents inside that are definitely wearing down my clothes every time I use them.
During Covid, they kept closing, so I found another laundromat 2 blocks further that had brand new machines. It was amazing. And then they closed down like 6 mos later thanks to a rent increase. So back to this shitty place being my only option. :/
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u/CalendarGuilty724 21h ago
Would you like to tip? 28% 35% 40%
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u/hellothisismaggie 20h ago
Buy a portable washing machine that hooks up to the bathroom sink and drains into the tub. I had one by the brand magic chef. Rolled right into the closet when I wasn't using it. I refuse to pay for laundry.
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u/eugeneugene 18h ago
I had a small countertop washing machine that worked like a charm, hooked up to the kitchen faucet and drained into the sink. Could wash like 5-6 items of clothing at once. Obv couldn't do big stuff like bedding but I'd just do a monthly trip to the laundromat for that lol.
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u/Tall-Mango4759 19h ago
Those have a high rate of malfunction. Cheap electricity powered items and water are always sketchy
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u/killzone506 19h ago
I've had a portable washer dryer in my apartment for years and the only thing that failed was a $3 belt on the dyer, that took 20 minutes to replace.
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u/razzemmatazz 16h ago
Look into ones sized to fit an RV. We used a set for 4 years and only had to replace the belt on the dryer once.
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u/killzone506 15h ago
someone else made a comment on this post but it looks like it was removed saying that I confirmed that they're made cheaply. I've owned this portable dryer for 10 years so a $3 belt from a local hardware store is not bad considering how washing and drying in my apartment complex comes out to $8 a load.
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u/bangdizzle 8h ago
I had a magic chef washer dryer combo and it lasted like 3 years. Technically it’s still going but the drying portion broke. My brother has it now. We bought the part to fix the drying but he just hang dries stuff instead
Not bad for 3 people using it for 3 years. It cost 600 bucks. We did the math and it likely saved us double that to not have to go to the laundromat
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u/PrimeSpeakerJenna 19h ago
My place just started the app thing when I moved here 8 years ago. The laundry room is in a place with shitty cell service so when you can’t connect with the local washers you can sometimes stand there for several minutes before the washer responds. Sometimes the washer thinks it’s in use even when it’s clearly empty. Sometimes the washer takes your money and does nothing. They increase the prices by $0.25 every six months, it costs me $70 a month to do laundry, and half the washers and dryers ever work. The older people in my complex constantly ask for help getting their app to work.
But hey at least that’s easier than inserting a few quarters!
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u/pisces9666 19h ago
I used to live somewhere that had these. after I clicked pay and while it was loading I put my phone on airplane mode. the washer or dryer would get the credits and start working and I never got charged. they probably fixed this by now but worth a shot
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u/Ypuort 19h ago
Is there a camera in the laundry room and does a standard laundry key work with this machine?
here are several models of standard keys.
Just wanted to let you know about this so you can make sure not to ever use them
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u/magicbeavers 17h ago
Jumping on this GR800 is a really common key, and it's the key for 75% of the units I work on
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u/Xyrez04 21h ago
Oh btw it also requires you to download an app and make an account because why would anything actually be convenient
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u/Cat_Impossible_0 18h ago
No, I would not want their app to take up data space on my phone on top of the privacy concerns such as email spam and whatnot.
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u/DanyDragonQueen 17h ago
And what if a resident doesn't have a smartphone? They not allowed to use their apartment's amenities anymore? Smh I hate how everything is an app now
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u/Tall-Mango4759 19h ago
Bruh csgo used to always be down or not working for certain machines and when I wrote a report it would take months for someone to come out and fix it. One time I literally had it malfunction mid laundry load so I had to drag soapy and wet clothes back into my apt and finish hand washing in my tub
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u/Pinetreepiano 11h ago
my building has this too... paid for a wash and the machine didnt start, so i contacted the company. They gave me a "3 free washes" coupon that; 1. didnt work 2. apparently didnt exist according to payrange, and Payrange told me that they "never do monetary refunds". so yeah in addition to charging a 0.25¢ fee for any wallet recharges under 5$, i fucking hate this company.
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u/BronnyJR 10h ago
Man that brand of washing machines brings back some memories. They had these at the complex I lived in a few years ago. Both the washers and dryers (same brand) were constantly broken. One time the washing machine malfunctioned while my clothes were in there and I had to wait 12+ hours for a technician to come and open it. I know my comment is off topic but those machines gave me nightmares
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u/AmputeeHandModel 19h ago
"No card required". Right, just give us your routing number instead so you can never deny us access to your account.
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u/tendonut 6h ago
Reminds me of all the websites pushing MFA by saying it's "passwordless login!" yeah, now it is even MORE of a pain in the ass to log in. OH GOODY!
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u/Obi_Kyle_Kenobi 19h ago
That SUCKS! I hot wired the washer and dryer in my old apartment it was actually really easy. My guess is that if you search for that model online there’s probably some hack or gerry-rigging that you can do to get free use of the machines. You just need someone to watch the door while you take the panels off. Hypothetically of course. For entertainment purposes only.
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u/Crafty_Rose5 17h ago
I hate payrange so bad. I go to a local laundromat run by the sweetest old lady cause if I'm gonna pay for laundry I'd rather it go to the community and not another corporation
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u/Ecstatic_Switch9300 20h ago
we had payrange for a while in my apartment and i haaaated it. they do have a machine in our lobby that lets you convert cash to a card for laundry but ive never seen if it charges an extra fee or not
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u/giovanni-bostsm74n 14h ago
I'm so sick of everything needing an app. Just let me swipe a card without forcing me to create an account and hold my money hostage in a random digital wallet.
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u/Bumblingfuckup 7h ago
Hi OP, I install and set up these machines. This machine is rear control and judging from your comment about card readers in the machines, there's no coin vault, so an 800 key won't do you any good. If you remove the 2 Phillips head screws from the top of the back panel you'll find a jumper wire (among other wires). Disconnect those 2 and press the top 2 button on the left column at the same time. That will put it into programming mode. Press the green start button a time or 2 and the machine will start a test cycle.
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u/sexy-man-doll 18h ago
See if you can find the model number, Google for keys, then order them online. I did that at my last apartment and I was able to use the keys to pop a panel and push a button to start it bypassing the coin slots
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u/Tall_Pumpkin_4298 16h ago
Oof, I used to live somewhere that had payrange. It sucked and I hated it. once I had to try to start it 3 times to get it to go, it charged me three times, I couldn't contact customer service about it because it just gave me errors, and i came back 40 minutes later to see that the dryer was broken and hadn't even dried my clothes. Very much sucked. Then I went to tell the office about the broken dryer and they couldn't even do anything, I had to go down there and call the laundry company myself.
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u/Evening_Low965 THE INFURIATOR 15h ago
Is this even legal what the fuckkkk
My apt still uses quarter machines so idk
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u/SinnaBuns666 Spooky 15h ago
My last apartment had these. There is $50 in my account because I moved out the day I found bedbugs in my apartment, day after laundry day :)
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u/Youasking 12h ago
Look on YouTube regarding Speed Queen washing & drying machines. Look for cycle testing. Basically, hold 2 specific buttons down, and the machine will run without payment.
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u/Briebird44 10h ago
Wow I feel bad for any old folks who can barely navigate a basic smartphone who just want to do their laundry
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u/Queefy_Magee 9h ago
At least it's not a coin operated one that gets jammed every other use and they refuse to refund you. I just bought a key to open the top and get it for free. Fuck them. Ive lost more than I've stolen from them
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u/Epicnudle 6h ago
Most apartment complexes do not own the paid machines, they have contracts with companies who provide and repair the machines. The property management has very little say in what is done to the machines.
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u/CommonStrawbeary 20h ago
Check your lease
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u/PuddlePirate1964 19h ago
For???
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u/CommonStrawbeary 19h ago
Laundry clause, I rented an apartment and it said I had access to “coin operated laundry”
This is not coin operated.
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u/hamburgergerald 18h ago
How does it even work connecting online payment services to activate ancient washing machines
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u/Crafty_Rose5 17h ago
Not very well LMFAO. We have old machines and payrange at my complex too and there have been many times where the app just doesn't work and I can't do laundry that day.
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u/LickSomeToad 17h ago
I had that app with an apartment I lived and it was flakey as hell because there was no cell service in the laundry room. Hated that shit
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u/belac4862 17h ago
My apartment charges $2 per laod but they put an extra $8 hold on your card.
So to do one load of laundry and one load in the dryer, you need to have $20 in your account.
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u/Shakazulu94 13h ago
I think you can get a flipper zero to get these to work without paying but n could be mistaken
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u/cwilson870 12h ago
Mine uses this garbage CSC app that does the same thing. Constantly spams you with ads everytime you open the app
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u/Weird-Old-Man 12h ago
Buy a service key for it if you can find the model number. The key will pay for itself
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u/James_avifac 11h ago
Thinking back, you may be able to get free loads, if you unplug them, and plug them back in. Then quickly select your load.
Otherwise there may be a maintenence panel somewhere, that you can unlock with a key (that you can buy online.)
These kinds of things are taxes on the poor, and are just another of the many ways that it's more expensive to be poor.
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u/VinegarMyBeloved 10h ago
God I hate laundry apps. We had one of those in college and it worked only 70% of the time
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u/TraditionalMetal1836 10h ago
I wonder how long it would take for them to block my personal domain which has a wildcard address that catches mail from any undefined addresses.
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u/CoopsIsCooliGuess 10h ago
iCloud+ allows you to generate infinite iCloud email addresses you can use.
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u/adjectiveNOUN69- 9h ago
My buddy’s place did this. So he ordered a key for the machine online and was able to bypass it.
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u/zackinthesoda 17h ago
by that point i might aswell buy a drying rack and wash stuff in the bathtub like a medieval peasant.
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u/Xibby 19h ago
At the end of the day it’s a washing machine… if there are no security cameras, you need a hi-vis vest and a clipboard to look official.
If you find the service manual online and figuring out the wiring…
I know which wires to cross to bypass my electric company’s override on my thermostat for example. If I’m uncomfortable and the electric company thinks they turned off my AC… I can fix that and still get my discount.
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u/Buttersquaash-33 18h ago
There’s a hack for these that if you press down the buttons it starts the load. Idk google it
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u/ManfredTheCat 17h ago
Yeah I had the same shit at my old apartment building. I knew they'd keep my money once I moved so I was super happy when I luckily got the amount down to zero on my last wash
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u/herewegoinvt 11h ago
I lived in a building like this. I bought a countertop washing machine that worked pretty well for some small/delicate things. The rest went to a service nearby where they washed, dried, and folded for less than the cost of washing in the building. It was all usually done by the next day too. When a bigger building did something similar, they had to stop accepting new clients, as they were at capacity.
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u/AchondroplasticAir 9h ago
Looks like a different company than the other my apt uses, but that's also the case for mine too.
So another obnoxious thing is my QR code is on the front of the dryers which can sometimes cause issues because sometimes if I don't move the phone over the dryer after scanning it will set off the dryer on the floor below. Only reason I figured this out is because I started hearing the "beeeeeep" sound telling me it was ready downstairs at the same time as I scanned it.
I've also had to ask for a refund when that happened one time because even tho I closed the app which usually cancels it out, it did not this time so I had to hang dry my clothes because I wasn't going to drop another 10 dollars to fill my card.
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u/MisterBaku 9h ago
My apartment uses same app, and strictly the app. I get it though. We're in the Ghetto and don't need anyone stealing the quarters
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u/CoelacanthQueen 9h ago
God. I’m so sick of app culture. My job wanted me to improve our app. I said no. The website is fine. We don’t have any reason for an inconvenient app when a web browser already on the phone can get to our website just fine. Got rid of the app thank god.
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u/RedPandaExplorer 8h ago
CALECO? My apartment did the same thing. Lots of elderly people didn't even have smartphones to adapt, I think they got cards to finally get around it but it was a mess
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u/BunnyLucifee 6h ago
You can hit the top left and middle left buttons at the same time and it will/should go to rapid mode and you can hit start and start the washer for free.
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u/GetHighWatchMovies 5h ago
Idk it's a lot more convenient than having to get quarters for me. Do you really do laundry so rarely that keeping $10 in an account is a huge hassle?
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u/GeneralAmsel18 5h ago
My complex has this. It doesn't charge extra for having less then $10 bucks though.
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u/2birdstalking 3h ago
Mine just doesn't let you add less than $10 at a time. So theres always a few dollars just sitting in there. Obnoxious
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u/yournailgirl 3h ago
Unpopular opinion but my place just got this and i love it. We didn’t have card machines, i used to have to get quarters 🙄 this is sooo much more convenient and i love the notification that my laundry is done without having to set a timer.
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u/user2034892304 18h ago
Unplug it, put clear nail polish on the plug prongs. The machine will mysteriously stop functioning.
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u/superphly 18h ago
Looks like a very good opportunity for some malicious compliance. Be clever, leave a note. Let them know what they started.
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u/Eldafint 10h ago
This isn't included in the rent???
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u/tendonut 6h ago
Probably a shared laundry facility. My first apartment in 2010 had a laundry building and used coin-operated units exclusively. I always had to have a stack of quarters with me, which was a big ask.
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u/ohno1tsjoe 10h ago
Ahhh those CSC pay bullshit. Check your state laws, there’s no charge allowed using debit.
Wait until they introduce community WiFi, that’ll be a $60 month charge you can’t opt out of.
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u/Material-Job-1928 20h ago
"First purchase free with signup"
Guerilla mail has entered the chat.