Our Airbnb guests charged their EV up without asking – & then left a note… it was like leaving the heating on all night

AIRBNB hosts report that guests charged their electric cars without being asked, as if they left the heater on all night.

The hosts, who could not be identified, went to the Community page of the site to say that the visitors were at least “honest” because they had left £20 along with a note.

2

The post said: “My question is how do you know someone is charging their car if you are not near the property?

“As it’s 2.5kW per hour, that’s not far from heating all night, running the oven, washing machine, tumble dryer, etc.”

The host then asked others for information, writing, “How do other hosts control this?”

“How do you know they’re charging their car?

“I don’t think being included in the AGB will make a difference. If they have a 3-pin plug, chances are they will charge their car.

“We are British Gas and although it is a smart meter there is no way to read the meter unless you are on the property. So there is no way to see/track continuous usage.”

In the same online conversation, a woman said a guest had left a charging cable out of her window.

They wrote, “Our rental unit doesn’t have outside outlets – so guests (without asking first) plugged in an outlet in another building on our property.”

“When they finished charging, they left their extension cord plugged in – but draped over the grass (during a rainstorm).

“We were less worried about the cost of electricity and more concerned about how rude that was — and also the risk of a live wire running across the yard in the rain.”

Earlier this month, another Airbnb host was furious after her guests spent a fortune charging electric cars from outlets.

Since there were no specially built charging stations nearby, a group of holidaymakers are said to have used an extension cord hung out of the window to charge their batteries.

Amanda estimates that up to 20 cars have switched to her utility in recent years, sending her energy bills skyrocketing.

Although she has not been able to confirm the full cost, she believes the ordeal will add around £600 to her spending amid the cost of living crisis.

The angry homeowner has now taken steps to prevent a similar “electricity theft”, including installing special charging stations on her property.

2