ChargePoint £10 extra charge

[Neil Fellows]

I used a ChargePoint charger for the first time at McArthur Glen Cheshire Oaks the other day. Downloaded the app, setup an account, added a payment method and (finally) got charging.

All good and charged fully at a cost of £10. BUT, one thing that REALLY bugs me about setting up a ChargePoint account is receiving an email a few hours later in the day saying they've taken another £10 in reserve for a future charge.

No doubt this is entirely my fault for not reading the T&C's fully when signing up, but this kind of unregulated behaviour stinks. They need to much, much clearer up front (with an option to refuse) if they're going to do this.

Another reason we need a regulator?

 

[marcopolomt]

It annoys me too, but I reason it's only a tenner (wouldn't even tickle the diesel tank of my van).

It's likely because it's cheaper for them to have fewer card transactions as all merchants pay transaction fees with cards. This way it's one charge to load your account.

I agree with them needing to be more transparent though, but the last thing we need is more red tape, and with it higher costs. Vote with your feet and more nefarious firms like BP will have to sort themselves out or go the way of Ecotricity. The market will correct itself over time, even faster with the current rates in EV growth. Personally, I would always avoid ionity, BP, and any firm that's still charging a minimum fee of £1 or similar. I rarely see the charger at my local Morrisons used, whereas Chargepoint and Tescos podpoint rapid are always popular.

 

[Neil Fellows]

Yup, agree. It's all about transparency. If Tesco charged me for my groceries and added a tenner for 'the next time I shop' there'd be uproar!

I think my main beef is that I'll likely never use this charger again so will never get to see that tenner used, it will just sit in ChargePoints bank earning them interest. If I keep doing this with different chargers it can get pretty annoying.

Saying that, my diesel S-Max was £100 to the brim so I'm still happy

 

[Alb]

earning them interest

Not very much at today's rates

 

[Neil Fellows]

Not very much at today's rates

How very dare you, I was relying on that interest to see me through Christmas!!