Guests charging electric car with our house electricity.!!

[Bunny]

It's one thing charging a lap top or iPhone but a 8l00dy car, they are taking the 91$$, and hiding the charging lead under chairs - greedy 8u99er$.

They must know the high usage of electicity the charging takes otherwise they wouldn't be trying to hide it. I would certainly check the usage and charge them, unacceptable behaviour without asking first.

+1

[PW in Polemi]

To me it seems quite cleaar that they are charging the car I have seen the extension lead they have been using and wondered what that might have been for, although it was hidden under a sun lounger when I saw it.

Whilst I agree with others that they seem to be taking it for granted that the amount they paid to rent your property for their holiday includes UNLIMITED electricity and from what you've said, they appear to be heavy users without including recharging the car, is it possible that the extension lead was left under the sun lounger so nobody tripped over it, rather than them trying to hide it?

That said, common courtesy says that they should have pointed out to you that their car is a hybrid and asked whether it would be OK to recharge it overnight (or whenever) on your electricity bill.

I think you would be justified in pointing out that their electricity usage is considerably higher than the norm and suggesting that any electricity consumption in excess of (think of a number that's fair, generous even but not excessive) units will be chargeable and deducted from their security deposit - you do hold one, don't you? Other than that, unless you have it in your T&Cs that excessive use of electricity/gas/water is chargeable, then I think you've just learnt a very expensive lesson.

[edinburgh]

These people are chancers and are taking advantage.

However, assuming it costs £5 a day to charge their car, I've the course of a week, are you really going to argue over £35?

Personally I'd say nothing at all, and update my terms and conditions. Is it really worth losing a good review and potential repeat guest over?

If they want to come again, just say that you noticed they'd brought their electric car last time, and that you are greatly got them to charge up, but there will be a small charge.

[kevsboredagain]

Calculate the cost. If greater than (insert your live and learn threshold) then bill them for that cost and politely say they should have said something in advance so that it could have been arranged more amicably.

On one hand it makes sense to charge the car at the place where they're spending the night but at the same time they must know the cost of this so are taking the p**s by sucking your power supply dry.

Whatever you decide to do, let them know that you know.

[tavi]

I agree with kev, let them know you know, and I'd also say put it in writing, diplomatically.

You may not need it but it's useful to have a paper-trail if you decide to take things further.

[cleanforum]

Thanks for the input all.

I will let the dust settle after they leave and see if there are any additional problems with the rental - charge them/or not modify t&cs and move on...

..at least I have learnt a bit about hybrid motors along the way.

[Bassman]

..at least I have learnt a bit about hybrid motors along the way.

Like they are even cheaper to run if you use someone else's electricity

[CSE]

at least I have learnt a bit about hybrid motors along the way.

No that is not correct.....WE ALL have and we all thank you.

It is a shame that this (greediness) event may have spoilt it for all the other owners that have similar cars.

[Marks]

Is it really worth losing a good review and potential repeat guest over?

Whether cleanforum would want them back is debatable, I wouldn't. I think there's enough ammunition to counter a negative review. Why run scared of a poor review if you believe you are in the right and these guests are effectively stealing?

are you really going to argue over £35?

I would as that would represent a chunky % of my profit at this time of year.

[kevsboredagain]

There's always the possibility that they genuinely have no idea that charging a car consumes a large amount of electricity. I'm sure the brochures will promote how little it costs to charge.

A quick Google would say to me that the expected charging cost is very low. Less than £2 a night to fully recharge an electric car in the UK. A hybrid would be less.

There's a sweeping assumption, including myself, that charging a car takes loads of electricity. Probably a good idea to look up the specs before making this assumption.

[CSE]

Kev you could be right but they could equally also have asked.
When in NL I have seen many eclectic cars, from Twizys to Teslas.
News from the country.
http://evobsession.com/dutch-ev-incentives-diving-in/
Some way in the video they talk about the Mitsubishi.
There is talk about the NL only selling non fossil fueled cars by 2025.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... an-by-2025
How will the Dutch tow their caravans everywhere?

[e-richard]

There's always the possibility that they genuinely have no idea that charging a car consumes a large amount of electricity.

Probably true. My son has just visited me and he owns a VW Golf Hybrid (probably quite similar to the Mitsubishi). He plugged it in to charge and between us we calculated that on my tariff and his 4 hour charge which will last 25 miles on Electricity only, the charge cost me about 85p (thats 85 pence of UK worthless currency). (About 8kwh)

However on further discussion, we arrived at two other conclusions:

1. If it was an electric only (e.g. the very consumptive Tesla) then worst case the cost would have been around £5 - £8

2. If he were renting your property, he would definitely have asked first and would probably have known how much electricity he was using.

But then as my son, he was brung up rite !

[CSE]

Electricity here in Spain various almost by the hour.
http://tarifaluzhora.es/
Cannot say if the prices include IVA (VAT) or not.
Also if you go over the "potencia" of your household power supply you have to pay a much higher fee.

[e-richard]

Electricity here in Spain various almost by the hour.

Fair enough, but you're still talking nickels and dimes

[Marks]

Also if you go over the "potencia" of your household power supply you have to pay a much higher fee.

With the new smart meters you cannot exceed the potencia as the ICP will trip and cut the power. The ICP is embedded in the new meter and is tamper proof, in the good old days the ICP was in the consumer unit and could be bypassed so whilst someone might have been contracted for say 5.5kW they may well have been drawing 9.2kW or higher depending on the main fuse they had fitted. I know of a couple of rural house near me who were happily drawing 9.2kW but contracted for 2.2kW, smart meter goes in and the power goes off when the kettle and fridge are plugged in at the same time. These people don't seem to understand that for the last few years they have been defrauding Iberdrola.

It's not really a 'much higher fee' if you upgrade your potencia. The standing charge will be higher as this is based on the contracted potencia, the cost per kwh used remains the same.