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MY HOA Banned Me From Charging My Tesla Cybertruck in the Common Area, Says “It Needs to be Unplugged Due to Fire Concerns”

A Cybertruck owner shares his frustration after a neighbor reported him for charging his truck in a common area. His HOA says the truck is a fire risk. And he also starts a debate on whether it’s fair to use a shared outlet to charge an EV every night.

Brad Poirier is a Cybertruck owner from Las Vegas, Nevada, and says his Homeowners’ Association has banned him from charging his truck in the common area.

According to Brad, the HOA's primary justification for this ban is that charging his Cybertruck in the shared space raises fire concerns.

Brad is still allowed to charge his Cybertruck in his home; unfortunately, the Cybertruck’s size means it’s too big to fit in his garage.

The Cybertruck owner, who says he didn’t like his HOA in the first place, shared his latest frustration on the Tesla Cybertruck group on Facebook.

Here is what he wrote…

“The HOA only reinforces my dislike for them. I parked my Foundation Series Cybertruck at my place and couldn't fit it in the garage. So, I parked in spaces on the edge of the garage and plugged into an outlet on the outside wall of the garage.

I got a call today from HOA telling me my Cybertruck has been reported for charging using a "common area" plug-in and needs to be unplugged due to a "fire concern." I told them my situation, and they said they were "talking to the board" and "understanding my inconvenience." 

The last part about understanding his inconvenience might seem like Brad has a chance of sorting things out; however, he says, “The last time, the HOA said “we’re talking to the board,” they fined me for having a flag in my window.”

Finally, Brad concludes his post by asking the Tesla community what he should do, writing…

“Any thoughts on course of action?”

It must be frustrating to get banned from charging your $100,000 vehicle in your own neighborhood, especially when the reason given is that the vehicle is a fire concern.

The recent fires in California may have spooked people, which could explain why his neighbors, after so many months of ownership, finally reported him to the HOA for charging in the common area.

However, after reading through Brad’s situation further, it appears that in addition to the fire concerns, there is an issue with using a common-area plug to charge his Cybertruck practically for free.

All residents pay for electricity in the common area, and by plugging into a shared outlet, it appears that everyone in the community is chipping in to charge Brad’s Cybertruck.

A fellow forum member, Scott Chou, even goes so far as to say that he is stealing power from the community by charging his Cybertruck using a shared outlet.

In response to Brad’s original post complaining about his HOA’s decision, Scott writes…

“You should either move into a house or find a way to use public chargers. The fire concern is stupid, but you can’t argue with fear. It just is what it is. But stealing power from the common area plug is a no-no.”

However, in response, Brad argues that he is not stealing power since he pays almost $300 every month in HOA fees.

Brad writes…

“How is it stealing power when you literally pay for common area usage? I pay for common area usage in my HOA fees. I am paying almost $300 a month, and I am more than paying my fair share for the outlet use.”

Taking Las Vegas’s electricity rate of 15 cents per kilowatt hour, it means that one full charge on a Cybertruck costs about $20.

Assuming Brad drives 1500-2000 miles a month, charging his Cybertruck, which his HOA covers, costs $100- $150 a month.

Naturally, the first thing people suggested was that Brad install an outlet outside his garage and charge his Cybertruck using his own power; however, Brad says that the unique setup of his neighborhood doesn’t allow him to do so.

Brad writes…

“The garages are separated from the residents, and all run side by side.”

Overall, looking at the comments, people seem conflicted between their general dislike for HOAs and a feeling that Brad is trying to get away with charging his Cybertruck for free using the common area plugs.

However, please let me know what you think in the comments. Share your ideas by clicking the “Add new comment” button below. Also, visit our site, torquenews.com/Tesla, regularly for the latest updates.

Image: Screenshot from DragTimes YouTube channel

For more information, check out: I’m Suing Tesla & Selling All My Tesla Stock After My Cybertruck Failed Me at a Critical Moment During the Los Angeles Fires – I’ve Been Trying to Get This Issue Sorted Out for 5 Months

Tinsae Aregay has been following Tesla and the evolution of the EV space daily for several years. He covers everything about Tesla, from the cars to Elon Musk, the energy business, and autonomy. Follow Tinsae on Twitter at @TinsaeAregay for daily Tesla news.

Comments

J (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 10:41AM

Why did you move into a HOA controlled house in the first place? You apparently did not read their idiotic rules when you bought the house. Now you're stuck there unless you sell

Jack Nunley (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 1:59PM

In reply to by J (not verified)

$300 dollars seems like a lot of money to pay somebody to be nosy and in your business if you would like I have some neighbors that I will send you they provide this same service for free without charge

Akel (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 11:06AM

It seems no one has mentioned if any other people who own electric vehicles are also charging their vehicles using the common area or their plug in the garage. If you are able to park in the garage is there is plug situated there suitable for charging? Can you run a charger from the garage to your Cyber Truck?

Steven Smite (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 12:18PM

In reply to by Akel (not verified)

Common Since is why would you charge Any Vehicle with a outlet that you do not own?? And second question which I fully understand is many of those outlets are not equipped to handle the charging of a Vehicle.

Perhaps the Association should install a proper Electric Outlet in Common space area (charge you to access it). This is not a Association issue at all. A Safety Issue!

Fully understand why the Association says NO.

Rudy. (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 1:24PM

In reply to by Akel (not verified)

Let's pretend the cyber truck used gasoline as fuel, and this guy siphoned fuel for his truck from the common area, as long as everyone is doing it and his HOA fees or rules specify that the fuel is for everyone who pays into the fund then its OK but the electric he is stealing from the common area is not for his own use. Unless this vehicle is available for all in the common area, it's stealing electric. Apparently it's normal for this turd to feel entitled to steal this electric. Tell this turd everyone who drives must pay for fuel.

Mike S (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 1:17PM

I don't mean to point out the abundantly obvious, but why you buy a vehicle that doesn't fit in your garage?
Was home depot out of measuring tapes?
It's akin to those who buy houses and park on the street becuase they don't have enough parking.
I beleive this is a YOU problem.
Enjoy you cyberproblems!

Vplw1226 (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 1:27PM

Well you are the jackass who moved into a neighborhood that's run by HOA Nazis and you are complaining when they enforce one of their rules? Smh you are also the jackass who bought a vehicle that wouldn't even fit in your garage. Sounds like your problem but you are trying to make it everyone else's. If you don't like the rules there are plenty of places not run by Hitler with a bigger garage also plenty of smaller vehicles that will fit in your garage if you don't mind Hitler ruling your life.

DOOM1000101 (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 4:02PM

Does the HOA provide gasoline to all the other residents? He wants something special, and the community told him to pay for it himself.

Ryan (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 5:42PM

He's absolutely stealing electricity. The HOA dues clearly do not account for someone charging their EV on that outlet overnight. The cost to charge the thing is over half of the dues he's paying every month! I'd be absolutely livid if he was my neighbor. His attitude reeks of entitlement and his behavior would only result in increased HOA dues in the long wrong. And how is this fair to other people that pay those same dues yet are still footing the bill for the electricity to charge their own EVs? Give me a break...

Additionally, many HOAs have laws against monopolizing common areas for personal use. That's exactly what he is doing. What happens if multiple people get EVs that also can't fit into their garages? The most likely scenario is that people will just start fighting over it.

Ron Dijcks (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 7:04PM

REGARDLESS of why this guy is parking outside of his garage, the following 2 points: He should have measured his garage, and allowed parking spaces BEFORE buying such a vehicle.
To use electricity as a selfish PERK (an outdoor outlet that providers power for convenience of the complex and related events (that are equally spread amongst the residents, And, NOT for his personal parking AND Costly Charging space), He was too stupid or too selfish to care whether his purchase would fit in the complex’s garages, or parking spaces and that is the definition of an “Entitled” Selfish “Narcissist”. SO NOW? The Board of that HOA will need to vote on restricting parking spaces usage, to PARKING ONLY, NOT charging or other piracy of the electric outlets.

David Smith (not verified)    January 15, 2025 - 10:38PM

He definitely should not be charging with a common area outlet. If everyone had an electric vehicle there, maybe everyone would be okay with it. Just because you were gullible enough to buy a battery powered vehicle does not entitle you to free electricity to charge it. Pay entirely on your own for an outlet that only you use.

Rick (not verified)    January 16, 2025 - 12:06AM

If there are outlets in common areas, what are they used for?

Is there an HOA rule against using common area outlets, or a list of approved devices that can be plugged in?

Does use of a common outlet that is not locked mean that anyone can plug things in? Weed eaters, lawn mowers, radios, hot tubs, etc?

Sam Smith (not verified)    January 16, 2025 - 7:38AM

Hey Brad,
Your $300/mo is allocated to maintaining the common area. You know, grass, pools, tennis courts and everyone pays the same amount for the same things. They do NOT pay a portion of *their* $300 to charge your fake panzer, nor do you.

That said maybe, given the increase in EVs of all types, they should invest in a charging station that everyone has equal access to and pays equally for. Course, that will raise your $300 ...

FATMAC (not verified)    January 16, 2025 - 10:23PM

"Foundation Series Cybertruck" Wow, there's a saying that's coming to mind. Something about idiots and money. This guy clearly has his priorities straight.

Mike (not verified)    January 17, 2025 - 10:48AM

If the car ran on propane could I take from the common area grill? We pay for utilities so why not?

The grill gas is used for the grill ..just as the common area plugs are for normal things. You want to plug in a cell phone charger or they need electric for lights at night that's fine but for max charging.

HOAs are terrible but I can absolutely see their side although their excuse of fire hazard seems weird unless it's a shared outlet with our outlets.
I'm pretty certain all chargers say they should have a direct line to the panel and not to multiple outlets before the charging outlet for safety reasons.

Peter Trinh (not verified)    January 17, 2025 - 12:31PM

As old saying if you can not beat them (HOA), join them. To me is vice versa, if you can not beat them, do not confront them. I moved away from SD Point Loma's HOA to Non HOA Las Vegas home.

Big Dig (not verified)    January 19, 2025 - 8:03AM

This snowflake seems to have lots of issues.

Buying a house with a HOA, displaying flags that violate the rules of the HOA, buying a car that doesn't fit his property, stealing electricity...

Maybe don't live in a HOA or follow the rules dumbass.

OMEGA (not verified)    January 19, 2025 - 6:05PM

¹) HOAs suck. ²) $100k vehicle which he should've known wouldn't fit in his garage...that's just something he should've considered. ³) HOAs suck and if he has the money to buy a $100k vehicle, maybe he should've purchased some land and had a house built.