CF Neighbours threatening to complain to council over EV charger ‘hire’

[FootballMumm]

We live close to the head office of a big corporate company - thousands of employees attend across the week.

Our house is a couple of streets away, and we’ve got an EV charger. We have made this available for ‘rent’, and it’s at a far more affordable cost than the chargers at the head office. Therefore, we’ve built up over time through word of mouth etc and we usually average about 3 people using it a day.

This has been for about 3 months with no issues at all.

Yesterday, our neighbour knocked and said they are uncomfortable with the ‘comings and going’s’ and not knowing who these people are, and feel it’s cheapening the street . I pointed out they work more or less over the road in corporate roles.

They then said that they have found some of the behaviour ‘unacceptable’. I asked for examples to which they gave two:

-A man smoking whilst waiting for his charge to finish
-A woman on the phone making an ‘extreme’ sexual remark. On pressing what this was, it was basically a fouler version of ‘I’ve had a crap day and want to have sex tonight’.

I said that usually, people leave their cars and then go into work before returning either on break, lunch or at the end of the day. But said I’d keep an eye out for any untoward behaviour.

I thought this would placate them, but they said that if we don’t stop it this week then they will speak to the council to register a ‘formal complaint’.

I don’t intend to stop, and am aware we are acting perfectly legally. Is it me, or they are batshit?!

I live on a residential street. It makes absolutely zero difference to my life that cars park on it, whether for charging (when they move on fairly quickly), shopping or going to work. They're just cars.

Now, my mother would have been incandescent with the notion because, despite never having driven a vehicle in her life, she believed that she owned the view out of her window of the neighbours' front doors and the pavement & road outside. But she didn't and hopefully anybody who ended up on the receiving end of her entitled whingeing ignored her, as they should the OP's neighbours, who clearly need to take up birdwatching or something.

Sorry, that was a generaL example of a nuisance that could occur when running a business ftom
home.

Also looked at Binseys post. That explains how it all works. Hiwever, councils are allowed to restrict businesses run from home , if they cause a nuisance, although if it’s three visitors a day, that should be fine. I think its more of a problem if someone buys and sells car from their property, for example.

Ooh interesting concept. So how do you charge OP, I mean some cars may only need 1/2 charge apposed to full?? Do they park on your drive to do so?

I think it’s totally understandable that your neighbours aren’t happy you’ve basically started a business on the front street. I agree you aren’t doing anything wrong but they aren’t ‘batshit’.

i don’t think that the tax man would. They’re mostly schemes set up by the energy companies supplying the electricity and the credit goes to your electric account as opposed to cashing it in. There’s a whole structure to this - widening the electric charging network. It’s all above board and it’s on a private driveway. I don’t think the council would be interested OP - tell them to crack on with their complaint.

But why? Surely your neighbour can have who they want visit and on their drive?

That’s genius! I have a large drive but sadly no offices nearby who could use it!

You are plain nasty.

I am surprised most people think yabu, its no different to renting out your driveway. Your neighbours are batshit.

I wouldn't like the extra cars and strangers coming and going near my home so I'm with your neighbours.

I'm amazed so many people would be upset by 3 people over the course of one day, drive onto a neighbours drive, plug in their vehicle and walk to the office. I doubt I would even notice! I think its a brilliant idea.

You and me both! Three cars would drive people mad!?!

I don't think I'd be overjoyed at a regular stream of random people coming and going outside my house, so I can see why the neighbours aren't happy.

Can I just ask why? A person parking next door and walking to their office would upset you?

Three a day- during business hours. It’s not really so unsociable, is it?

Don’t your neighbours ever have visitors?

I hope no one in your street needs a carer... they often visit multiple times a day. Imagine the outrage of these strangers parking in your street. Dont get me started on cleaners, dog walkers, delivery drivers...The stress!

You need to increase your marketing and set up a booking site so people can reserve charging spots. Once you’ve earned back the cost of installation, install a 2nd charger (if your driveway allows)

oh gosh! That's a rather sweeping statement.

There is even an app for this - where you can rent out your home charger.

Exactly… the horror of endless streams of carers, which are often more than three times a day including the evening….

They just willy nilly walk near other peoples houses!

As an early EV implementer, I used driveway charging on a few occasions, mostly when travelling for work and near hotels and workplaces before the charging network was mature - hotels almost never had chargers in the early days. Zapmap used to have a rental option and it was an absoute godsend, those few who allowed access to their home chargers. I think one of the main charger suppliers offered it in their app - ?Podpoint maybe. I have also used Your Parking Space to access parking on driveways.

To the people who do this - I appreciate you.

My former NDN used to do hairdressing from home, so had people coming and going all day. It never bothered me at all!

The 'riff-raff' from the local estates tend, in my personal view and experience, to be far less judgmental and better neighbours than people like you, OP.

That comment says a lot about you. Nasty and unnecessary.

So professional ev drivers are welcome, as long as none of the pesky riff raff from estates local to you show up. How rude.