We have no lower priced daytime tariffs now even at the weekends so cheap rate washing can only be done at night now. I used to quite like the Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday option.
Having said that we have nobody to disturb but ourselves so I do all my washing at night.
We have Groupe E rather than Viteos where we live.
I first read this as having permission for a washing machine in your apartment does not mean you can use it for washing .
How Swiss that would be.
Can you put up a picture of the letter here (sans personal details, of course)?
Op if you need someone to translate a letter of reply let me know.
Reply in writing, in German denying that you used the common machine on a Sunday or holiday. No need to mention your own machine as they have not raised this. Never volunteer more information than necessary.
Either a neighbour complained but since they did not "see" the culprit, they blamed the foreigner or in the absence of information on who was using the common machine, a notice went to everybody (shotgun approach - bound to hit the guilty party too bad about the innocent ones they will deny having done it).
The key system enables the electricity used by the machine to be charged to your unit.
It also will show whether you used the machine.
If you have no intention of EVER using the machine and if you have a key, send it back by registered mail and ask the agency to confirm receipt and amend your contract to indicate the key has been returned.
If there is no key system then I wonder how they can prove you used the machine....unless someone saw you.
But others have said, this could really be about your own machine.
Having one's own machine in an apartment is noisy and the vibrations affect others.
The best situation I have seen is to have your own washer but in a private laundry room in the cellar. I have a few clients who have that and it is great. The room has tons of hanging space for drying clothes as well as storage space.
In Germany the basement room where everybody has their own washing machine is standard.
Washing machines in apartments are so common in the civilized world, seems odd that it's such an exception in Switzerland.
You mainly have to inform the landlord, he might want to make sure it's installed properly by a professional to avoid flooding.
Besides that, no issue with that. There might be places were it's generally forbidden, but you know that in advance by reading the house rules. Don't think it's common to forbid it, maybe in clairaudient old houses .
Many apts. do not have a proper area/installation fixtures for a washer. Most people cobble something together from the sink in the bathroom (often themselves or the brother-in-law) and to some sort of drain so it is far from secure and up to standard. Hence the risk/experience that the rental companies have with flooding and their standard answer of "no" when asked if it is ok to install a washer.
I recently had a washing machine flood due to a faulty solenoid on the inlet, the solenoid itself started to leak on a 6 year old machine. The risk of flooding is low but significantly higher than zero.