Possibly Facing Eviction; Advice Needed

[AKgrampy]

I'm almost 100% convinced yes. Surely this is a joke. Surely! Surely?

You are probably right and I should have figured it out when he said his lawyer only cost $175 an hour!

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[Kamuelaflyer]

Surely! Surely?

 

[SightUp]

... willingly.

There isn't a single apartment that is EV ready. Best I could do is get a private garage that has a power outlet that I am told I can use.

 

[TheSteelRider]

There isn't a single apartment that is EV ready. Best I could do is get a private garage that has a power outlet that I am told I can use.

I get it, man. So, get off the internet and ignore all of us random strangers giving you bad advice and go work it out with the staff there. You'll be paying it forward for the next fella with an EV that chooses that complex.

 

[JCHLi]

I apologize, but I didn't read all 13 pages, so maybe this was addressed already or maybe it's all worked out.

But, let's consider the cost here.. roughly $35 a month... using the 110v charger drawing roughly 12 amps, for 8 hours a night, and the average residential electrify cost for the state of $0.117 per kWhr.

It's actually probably less then 8 hours every day of the month of active charging.

Seems like the landlord might not want to evict someone over $35 a month, and I wouldn't necessary chose to move over that amount either. Maybe split the difference and everyone will be happy knowing no one is happy...

 

[generaltso]

Seems like the landlord might not want to evict someone over $35 a month

There was no mention of eviction other than in the clickbait title of this thread.

 

[JSW]

I believe your best argument is based on the equitable doctrine of promissory estoppel. Essentially, you need to prove: (1) a statement/promise; and, (2) detrimental reliance.

Said another way, they made statements with the intention that you would rely on them. You in fact relied on the statements to your detriment by leasing an expensive unit when you had other alternatives. Now that you took the action they intended, they are legally estopped from refusing to honor their representation/promise.

 

[hyrulianruffio]

You are probably right and I should have figured it out when he said his lawyer only cost $175 an hour!

Must be Lionel Hutz.

 

[Shelbeast]

Also previously stated, several people have come to me and stated the previous apartment manager also told them they had free reign over their outlets.

You should be good then.

 

[waldo1949]

I need help. I have already consulted a local attorney but I am still anxious about the situation.

I moved into my apartment complex earlier this year, three months there about, and was told that the plugs in the garage unit were mine to utilize. I pay an additional charge of $125 dollars a month for my garage unit. They are also not connected to my meter. It was only a 120v trickle but I live in a small town and work is only about 10 miles away. I could live with that easily arrangement. The manager was either fired or resigned shortly after I moved in.

Last week, on 11/22/2022, I arrive to my garage door with a note that management would be entering to lay mouse traps. Not a big deal.

Here is where my email chain begins.

management:


Me:





Management:




Me:


Here is when I contacted my attorney. When I texted my attorney, he immediately called me back and said they don't have any ground to stand on. Over the phone we read backwards and forwards over the lease agreement and the sub section specifically of the garage. They are using a leasing contract from 2016 that has nothing about EVs or any acceptable use policy about what can be plugged into your wall ports, when, for how long, other than extension cables.

I then met my neighbors. I waited for the people who actually own appliances in their garage and spoke to them. They recall the same conversation with the previous property manager as well. However, they were not contacted via email like I was. They said they would be up for the fight too as it was one of the conditions as they stored lots of meat throughout the year. I am guessing the husband is a hunter.


Today, I finally received a follow up from management:




So, my problems are this. My attorney cost 175 dollars per hour. I want to assume the last email where it states "Garage or carport may be used only for storage of operable motor vehicles unless otherwise stated in our rules or community policies." I am still within my right to utilize as the sockets are within my domain, a light with a switch on the wall, that there is a garage door associated with it that also is plugged into another socket on the ceiling. In addition, I was told verbally by several people pre and post moving into this apartment complex that I am allowed to use the sockets. Other people are. I am worried that at the end of this road an eviction notice that I will have to fight will be coming my way. I cannot charge anywhere else. The only fast charger is 15min, so 30min total out of my way so, two hours every other day gone just to charge. I don't want to break my lease just yet because I am almost done with the VA home loan process.

I need some advice here. What are you guys thoughts? What should I do?

Looks to me like you are charging on someone else’s nickel. Pay for your own electricity!!!

 

[richsi]

I don't feel you guys read my post in the entirety. I moved into this place because I was told that the garage was mine and I could use the 120v charge. That has changed several months into the lease here. I am the bad guy now?

120v trickle charge as you call it is 12 Amps continuous for how many hours you are plugged in. That is not cheap by any means, get a meter and pay your fair share!

 

[Bodyshopguy]

I need help. I have already consulted a local attorney but I am still anxious about the situation.

I moved into my apartment complex earlier this year, three months there about, and was told that the plugs in the garage unit were mine to utilize. I pay an additional charge of $125 dollars a month for my garage unit. They are also not connected to my meter. It was only a 120v trickle but I live in a small town and work is only about 10 miles away. I could live with that easily arrangement. The manager was either fired or resigned shortly after I moved in.

Last week, on 11/22/2022, I arrive to my garage door with a note that management would be entering to lay mouse traps. Not a big deal.

Here is where my email chain begins.

management:


Me:





Management:




Me:


Here is when I contacted my attorney. When I texted my attorney, he immediately called me back and said they don't have any ground to stand on. Over the phone we read backwards and forwards over the lease agreement and the sub section specifically of the garage. They are using a leasing contract from 2016 that has nothing about EVs or any acceptable use policy about what can be plugged into your wall ports, when, for how long, other than extension cables.

I then met my neighbors. I waited for the people who actually own appliances in their garage and spoke to them. They recall the same conversation with the previous property manager as well. However, they were not contacted via email like I was. They said they would be up for the fight too as it was one of the conditions as they stored lots of meat throughout the year. I am guessing the husband is a hunter.


Today, I finally received a follow up from management:




So, my problems are this. My attorney cost 175 dollars per hour. I want to assume the last email where it states "Garage or carport may be used only for storage of operable motor vehicles unless otherwise stated in our rules or community policies." I am still within my right to utilize as the sockets are within my domain, a light with a switch on the wall, that there is a garage door associated with it that also is plugged into another socket on the ceiling. In addition, I was told verbally by several people pre and post moving into this apartment complex that I am allowed to use the sockets. Other people are. I am worried that at the end of this road an eviction notice that I will have to fight will be coming my way. I cannot charge anywhere else. The only fast charger is 15min, so 30min total out of my way so, two hours every other day gone just to charge. I don't want to break my lease just yet because I am almost done with the VA home loan process.

I need some advice here. What are you guys thoughts? What should I do?

I have a Mach-E GTPE... Unfortunately, my 100 amp panel is just not enough to add the 220 volt 50 amp charger to my home... It's too expensive to charge at home with 110 volts... Not to mention, it takes 95 hours to fully charge at the highest cost "peak hours". My bill increased about 100-125 dollars a month. I usually charge at the my place of business or stop at a "Electrify America" for 40-60 minutes... it's only $30.00 to $40.00. I would get in a routine like others do... you don't actually have to charge at home... I have a few Tesla owner friends that don't charge at home unless, they have solar panels. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Art]

I've gotta be honest. The communication from the management company sounds professional and reasonable to me. The communication from you.....not so much. I know that's not what you want to hear, but that's my opinion.

They said you can pay extra rent to account for the electricity usage. How much extra? Can you figure out what your average usage is in a month and try to negotiate it to be that amount?

The management seems reasonable to me so I would offer to pay for a meter to collect the usage. There are meters on Amazon that are between $16 to $30.
See if they will accept the meter.
If they accept this solution, then it would be better than approximating usage and raising your rent.
It's a short term fix and you can resell the meter when you leave.
This solution is less than the cost of a lawyer and It beats traveling to a charger.

 

[ZoNiE]

Get a Kill a Watt meter. Work out a deal with the landlord to pay whatever the rate they pay per KwH what the kill a watt logs. At the end of the month, take a photo of the usage, reset it, wash, rinse, repeat.

Also, suggest this for the "appliance users"

Yeah, you are taking this a bit too far. If something is not in the lease, it is generally excluded, regardless of what someone told you you wanted to hear. Get it in writing, Always. It's only fair to pay for the power you use.

 

[MJ's Mach E]

Stupid question, why are the 120V plugs in the garage if you're not allowed to use them?

FWIW, I think you're in the right, but it's going to be hard to "win" this fight because you have to pay to fight.

It should be really easy to put a monitoring device b/w your L1 EVSE and the car. Get a couple days of use recorded, offer to apply some reasonable multiplier, pay the $20 (if that) extra a month. A lot of people have no concept of how cheap it is to charge an EV.

The local electrical code requires a light and 120 volt 20 amp receptacle in all enclosed spaces. This is often forgotten in the initial plans and get added as a change order in order to get their U&O permit. I always mentioned that these circuits should be run back to the individual unit assigned to the garage space. But never could get the folks that have to pay to do it.
And this man's free advise, pay the additional amount they want in rent to use the receptacle. That will be your cheapest path to resolution of this one issue.

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