Money Moral Dilemma: Should I ask my friend to pay for charging his electric vehicle at our house?

subjecttocontract

It all seems a bit petty to me. It's a friend. It's only a few quid. For God's sake is it really that important. Some people are so tight. Let it go.

phone_angel

Emmia said:

It's probably too late, he offered money and you declined it.

If he comes round again, just say he'll need to pay this time 

No payment was offered?

ripongrammargirl

You should have agreed a cost before he plugged in his silly toy car. Nothing is for free in this life and certainly not cheap any more. If he used petrol/diesel would he have driven off without paying at the service station??? He had pulled a fast one and you were too daft not to say anything. Is this how he is wealthy and you’re not? This is a money saving forum so why would you not talk about payment before you allowed him to plug in anything he wanted? A nice free day out for him! Tell him now as it’s never too late. Gauge his reaction when you show him the cost to see if he really is a friend or just a freeloader. Get the money up front next time or add a cash/card payment machine to the charger- or better still just flog the gadget and make some cash for an object that will just be an expensive fad and obsolete as soon as power cuts start. (Has anyone addressed this issue of what will happen when the National grid goes down or is hijacked???) And yes, this is a repeat “dilemma” from a few months back when it was a family member scamming the relatives. New complaints please!!!

keithyno.1

If any smug, conceited EV owner came to visit me at my house and asked to use my electricity supply to charge their vehicle WITHOUT offering to pay for the electricity used then they'd never, ever be welcome again. 

As somebody pointed out on the previous MMD which was virtually the same as this, if you drive a petrol or diesel car you'd never visit someone and ask them to clod in a few quid for when you go and fill up at the nearest petrol station afterwards, would you?

04Felix15

I think when you offered to help your friend you didn’t realise it would be so costly, and maybe they forgot to politely offer to put something towards it as they saw it as a favour perhaps.  

 If some time has gone and you can afford to let it go on this occasion then do so. But at least you know for next time. That’s my suggestion. 

But If you cannot afford too, just say to the friend honestly, that you didn’t realise it was so costly when you offered some help to let them use it, and any help towards it be appreciated. 

Emmia

phone_angel said:

Emmia said:

It's probably too late, he offered money and you declined it.

If he comes round again, just say he'll need to pay this time 

No payment was offered?

The original post was edited, I think changing the context.

Ree73

subjecttocontract said:

It all seems a bit petty to me. It's a friend. It's only a few quid. For God's sake is it really that important. Some people are so tight. Let it go.

He used more electricity charging his car than they do in a week!!! The cost of living has risen significantly. A “few quid” you hadn’t budgeted for can have a big impact. If he is a friend why did he not offer to pay? I find that incredibly rude and disrespectful. Seems like he took advantage to me.

Colin_Bee

This is why he's a lot wealthier than you, friend... I'd certainly drop it in the next conversation that you've realised it slipped his mind to pay you!!

OldChestnut

I would certainly expect payment if someone asked to use my EV charger, I don't have one but I often lend tools and give advice. Direct financial charging is a different matter.

I see many home chargers not in use where I live during the day and I think there's scope for a system that allows others ( known or unknown? ) to use that charger by entering a code or credit card from which the owner of the charger can benefit. It could be available during certain hours only, for example, and clearly the choice of whoever owns it. The charging infrastructure would benefit.

mikecolonoscopypilot404

I saw my first vehicles charging yesterday So is not a myth after all  some one somewhere has an electric car!