Maybe I’m late on this, but our building has one washer and one dryer in the basement. Last three Saturdays I go down around 8:30 and the machine’s full of what looks like the super’s family stuff. He’s down there folding and running load after load until almost noon. There are six apartments. Am I crazy or should Saturday not be his private wash day? I tried asking and he says it’s first come first served, he got here early. Yeah, with a key to the room and a basement apartment.

Nah, that’s a classic super move. It’s only first come first served if he’s following the same rules as everyone else. But if he lives in the basement and can start at 6 a.m. before the room unlocks, that’s not a fair line. Check your lease or the sign on the laundry room door for posted hours. If it says 8 to 10, he’s already breaking it. I’d send an email to management with the days and times you got locked out or found it full. Don’t frame it as ‘the super stinks,’ just ask what the official laundry schedule is.

Wait, I didn’t know you could complain about the super to management. I just moved to Dyker and the downstairs laundry has the same two machines for like 10 units. The super’s wife uses them on Sunday evenings but I figured that’s part of his job. My card got charged twice last week and I didn’t know who to tell. Do you just email the management company off the lease? Is there a separate person for that?

Take a time-stamped photo when the room is locked or the washer’s full with his stuff. Not to like ruin the guy, but because if you email management, you want the exact Saturday and time. The office only acts when they see a pattern. Also check if there’s a number on the laundry card machine for service issues; my old building refunded me after I called the number on the card reader. For the super, ask management to post the hours near the door.

Nah I don’t want the guy canned. He’s actually fine about fixing stuff. I just want one load on Saturday before noon. The sign does say 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the room is never open before 8:30 because he has the key. Maybe I’ll do the email thing but I know it’ll come back around. Management company in Queens doesn’t exactly keep secrets.

Okay so I tried what CobbleHill_C said and took a photo this morning. I emailed the management office from my lease. The reception lady wrote back pretty fast that the laundry room is 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and she will ‘speak to site staff.’ Now I’m nervous the super will know it was me. But also kind of relieved because I thought the super was in charge of everything.

DykerNewbie, he’ll know it was you, but if management actually spoke to him, he’ll probably stop for a month. Then he’ll test it again on a holiday weekend. I’d switch to Thursday evening or Monday 5:30 if you can. Saturday morning in a six-unit with one machine is a trap even without the super. I used to do mine on Tuesday nights with a podcast and nobody else in there.

The real NYC shared-laundry rule is: weekdays before 7 a.m. or weeknights after 8 p.m. Nobody wants to fold at 9 p.m., so you get the room to yourself. If the super keeps taking Saturday, send the same photo email every time it happens. Management hates a paper trail more than a super hates losing his personal wash day. And always keep a few quarters somewhere because the card machine will eat your money when it rains.