Rental property - laundry questions

[Pike2350]

I've looked on some landlord forums, but didn't really see much of what I wanted...and I'm really looking for advice on layout anyway.

So I bought a single family home (titled that way) with a mother-in-law. They are separately metered for gas & power, have their own furnaces & water heaters...so in reality it's a duplex. Since it's not like my other duplex (side-by-side) I'm struggling on the best way to handle the laundry situation. Being an up/down duplex, I have a laundry room in the basement that has the door that connects the 2 units. The room is approx. 10'6" x 9'6". My initial idea was to make 2 separate closets for a stackable unit for each tenant. Leaving the room as communal space.

I would generally prefer to split the room in half and still keep a door between the 2 units to still be a legal "single family w/ MIL" I don't know that it matters much, but I can't seem to get past that. The problem is, there isn't really room to make 2 laundry rooms that function. The current hook ups are in a 6' wide laundry closet that runs down the 10' wall. I have realized I could possibly cut a larger door into the lower unit and make it a laundry closet and lose the connecting door.....but I'm very torn since I have a tenant in the lower unit currently. I am hoping to get the upstairs unit rented in the next few weeks.

Is 2 lockable closets with stacked units enough? There is little storage in the upstairs unit...so I like the idea of giving it more of the current laundry room if I split it, but time is $ and I'm running out of both.

I know it's a random question....and just looking for a little input on if one is better then the other.

 

[jeeper]

I think we as landlords often fall into the trap of making it right for US, on how WE would want to have it. Tenants are not nearly as picky as home owners are. Do what ever is easier on YOU as the landlord.

In this case, closets with stackable units sounds faster and cheaper. I'd go that route.

 

[Tonkaman]

I’ve rented plenty of houses that have a shared laundry room in the basement. Tenants know what they are getting into when they sign the lease, no big deal.

 

[DSN91]

Option: Put a non vented washer/dryer unit in place of the dish washer in the MIL. Takes a day to do a full load.

But I agree the tenants won’t care as long as they can secure the rest of their residence from the laundry room.

 

[Jinx]

I’ve rented plenty of houses that have a shared laundry room in the basement. Tenants know what they are getting into when they sign the lease, no big deal.

ditto...

common courtesy and a schedule go a long ways, but it still can be a problem...

 

[Pike2350]

Thanks guys. I'll shoot for separate stackables in locking closets in the current 6' closet. The room itself will stay communal...but they can have their own laundry units and place to store detergents and stuff

 

[comingdown]

Either way you look at it it is easier then going to a laundry mat. They should feel lucky you are providing washer and dryers for them. I provide hookups but make them buy their own crap, so when they break it they have to fix it. Either way it not gonna get you more rent which is how I look at things, although that’s probably not the right approach.