On the one hand I do worry about the loss of ownership, but on the other hand, I can't help wondering if it would make a lot of things more efficient.
Ultimately, there will always be some level ongoing cost to the clotheswashing service, but ownership can obfuscate that cost. Consumers are bad at buying cost efficient washing machines, and can end up spending a lot on replacements or repairs, but a serviced washing machine rental company is likely to be a lot more discerning.
And I'm not sure your concerns about instantaneous income are fair to apply here. If people are struggling to pay for a reasonable baseline of services, I think that's a wider economic problem, and I don't think a service model would make that any worse. If anything, being able to cancel your clotheswashing service is a choice that someone who bought their washing machine doesn't have.
Ultimately, there will always be some level ongoing cost to the clotheswashing service, but ownership can obfuscate that cost. Consumers are bad at buying cost efficient washing machines, and can end up spending a lot on replacements or repairs, but a serviced washing machine rental company is likely to be a lot more discerning.
And I'm not sure your concerns about instantaneous income are fair to apply here. If people are struggling to pay for a reasonable baseline of services, I think that's a wider economic problem, and I don't think a service model would make that any worse. If anything, being able to cancel your clotheswashing service is a choice that someone who bought their washing machine doesn't have.