My Airbnb guests from hell spent a fortune charging up e-cars from my sockets – they could have burnt my house down
AN AIRBNB host has been left furious after her guests spent a fortune charging up electric cars from the sockets.
Amanda, who lets out a property in Anglesey, Wales, was flooded with calls from neighbours telling her that the tenants were hooking their motors up to the mains.
With no purpose-built charging stations nearby, a group of holidaymakers allegedly used an extension cord hung out of the window to fill up their batteries.
Amanda believes that as many as 20 cars piggybacked onto her supply in recent years, sending her energy bills through the roof.
While she has not been able to confirm the full cost, she expects the ordeal to add about £600 onto her outgoings amid a cost of living crisis.
She slammed the group for their "total lack of regard" for their energy usage, while she was left worrying about a potential fire risk.
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Amanda told The Mirror: "It’s not just the cost – it’s also about safety.
"Charging a battery using a three-pin plug can take around 30 hours.
"That’s a significant amount of power flowing through a standard household socket for an extended period of time."
The fuming homeowner has now taken steps to avoid similar "electricity theft" including installing specialist charging points at her property.
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She advised other hosts to do the same, adding: "Any holiday homeowner will tell you that they take an incredible amount of pride and joy in their property, and a key priority is the safety of our guests.
"As soon as I realised the risk – both in terms of fire hazard and the increased risk of burglary due to wires being hung out of windows – and the potential home insurance implications, I had to act."
It comes after an electric car owner admitted he wished he had never bought it and revealed what drivers need to know before switching from traditional engines.
Meanwhile, a beloved car brand discontinued their top range electric model after it was blasted by motorists.