Refunds & Machine Faults

Last updated: 30 August 2026

If a machine takes your money and doesn't start, call us before you leave

Ring 1800 512 423 straight away. In most cases we can start the machine remotely while you are still standing in front of it, which solves the problem in a couple of minutes and means nobody needs a refund at all. Contact details are also displayed inside every store.

1. A machine didn't start

This is the most common problem and almost always the easiest to fix. Call us on 1800 512 423 and we can normally trigger the machine remotely on the spot.

Please do this while you are still at the store if you can. It is much harder to confirm what happened after the fact, and a remote start is no use to you once you have driven home.

2. You paid twice

If a machine did not respond and you paid a second time to get it going, tell us. Where a duplicate payment has gone through we will put the extra amount back as Local Laundry Lounge wallet credit, or refund it to the card you used, whichever you prefer.

3. How we return money

  • Card, contactless or QR payments — we can refund to the card used for the transaction.
  • Wallet credit — applied to your Local Laundry Lounge wallet and usable at any of our stores. This is usually the quickest option.
  • Cash payments — we are not able to process cash refunds. Our kiosks and machines do not hold a float for it, and the stores are unstaffed. If you paid cash and something went wrong we will put it right with a remote machine start or with wallet credit instead. This does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law — see section 6.

4. What we need from you

The more of this you have to hand, the faster we can find the transaction:

  • Which store you are at
  • The machine number, which is on the front of the machine
  • Roughly what time you paid
  • How you paid, and the amount
  • If you paid by card, the last four digits of the card

5. How long it takes

A remote start happens while you are on the phone. Wallet credit is applied at our end, normally within one business day. Card refunds are also actioned within one business day, but how quickly the money appears on your statement is up to your bank and commonly takes a few business days after that.

6. Your rights under the Australian Consumer Law

Our services come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), including that services will be supplied with due care and skill and will be fit for purpose. Nothing on this page limits or replaces those rights. If we cannot resolve something to your satisfaction, you are entitled to pursue a remedy under that law, and you can contact Consumer Affairs Victoria for advice.

7. Contact us

For anything urgent while you are in store, call us — that is always the fastest route. For everything else:

This page sits alongside our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.