Bathroom Wish List

By Erika Schnitzer, Managing Editor

This month MHN teamed up again with research and consulting services firm Kingsley Associates, which surveys over 1 million residents each year, to find out what renters like—or don’t like—about their apartment bathrooms.

More than one resident noted the inconvenience of having the bathroom only accessible through the bedroom, saying they’d prefer to see it located elsewhere. Space was an issue that was also raised on more than one occasion, although the comments differed based on location. While some residents wanted more storage space, others were more than happy with their current offerings.

Maintenance issues were raised by these residents, with several noting outstanding service requests and/or renovation challenges. Additionally, environmental concerns were a priority for many renters, who pointed out that appliances should be replaced with their low-flow and/or energy-efficient counterparts.

“The master bath is very large, which is excellent, but the fact that it has one electrical outlet is a major downfall and inconvenience!” —Atlanta

“The floor plan of our unit requires that people enter a bedroom in order to use a bathroom. We’d prefer for the bathroom to be accessible without entering a bedroom.” —Nashville

“I love the closet in the bathroom for towels and linens.” —Brunswick, Ga.

“Given environmental concerns, toilets and energy [guzzling] items should be replaced—especially the older toilets.” —Foster City, Calif.

“Put air vents in the bathrooms. It gets so hot when you are trying to put on makeup or fix your hair.” —Austin, Texas

“I’d love to see a dog bath area—it’s hard to wash my pup in the bathtub.” —Chicago

“I think a hot tub/steam room or sauna could be awesome.” —Seattle

“The countertops are very nice, but the cabinets are very old. They seem out of place with this otherwise very nice apartment.” —San Diego

“The mold in my bathtub is a hazard for anyone involved, present or future residents.” —San Jose, Calif.

“There are two things that we love most about our apartment—one is the size of the bathroom; the other is the size of hte balcony.” —Marina Del Rey, Calif.

“The shower water pressure is very low, yet our water bill is rather high.” —Colorado Springs, Colo.

“Toilets could be replaced with more efficient models. Big water heater tanks could probably be replaced with small on-demand heaters.” —Nashua, N.H.

“I’d love a garden tub in the bathroom, and I think that will improve the look and attract more people.” —Raleigh, N.C.

“The bathroom is large, but it would be better if the bathroom were smaller and the space was given to the closet.” —Los Angeles

Resident feedback from Kingsley Associates.