Electric cars have led to ‘people blagging electricity from someone else’s home,’ study finds

Wiping greasy hands on the sofa, putting your feet up and breaking wind are among the biggest faux pas for guests visiting friends and family, research has revealed.

As restrictions for meeting indoors are eased, a survey of 2,000 UK adults revealed just one in five think it is fine to walk into someone else’s house without taking their shoes off.

Only a quarter think it is perfectly acceptable as a guest to swear inside someone’s home while a mere one in 10 see no issue with asking for the Wi-Fi password within 30 minutes of arriving.

When it comes to use of the house’s facilities, 26% of hosts say you should never go for more than a wee when visiting.

The research, by Kia, also revealed it is vital to call ahead – with 51% saying it is rude to turn up at someone else’s home unannounced.

More than a quarter (26%) of respondents have banned a guest from their home for bad behaviour, while a similar figure (23%) has refused to go back to see a host following a negative experience when they visited.

Guests should typically wait around 50 minutes before asking for the Wi-Fi password – however 40% say you should never ask for it.

The findings were revealed by Kia as a wave of electric car sales could create a phenomenon of people wanting to plug their electric cars in at their friends’ houses.

Six in 10 Brits think it would be rude for a guest to ask to use their electricity to charge their electric car.

But as a nation known for its politeness, 56% would let them, with 23% doing it without hesitation and 33% with some reluctance.

Commenting on the findings, etiquette expert William Hanson said: “I feel very lucky that I have never had to ban anyone from my house, although some may have come closer than others.

“Nothing is more annoying than guests who turn up late – possibly ruining the host’s timings for the meal and protracting their effort.

“It is always people who don’t themselves host who are late.

“Asking for the Wi-Fi password is a modern manners sin – unless there is a very good reason to use your host’s Wi-Fi, you are there to socialise with your host and their family, not the people on your phone.

“With new technology, comes new etiquette. Interestingly, Kia’s survey reports the public think asking to charge your car at a friend’s house is bad manners.

“Is this due to e-charging being a newish concept? I wonder if this will change over time.

“Ultimately, a can of petrol costs a lot more than an hour’s electricity for the car, so is it directly comparable?”

More than half (51%) of Brits think it’s acceptable to ask to borrow the host’s phone charger so you can plug your phone in.

And almost two thirds of those surveyed for Kia via OnePoll said asking to plug the car in is no different to asking for a jerry can of diesel or petrol from their shed or garage.

Part of this will be down to confusion around costs, with 79% unaware how much electricity was being used to charge an electric car.

Kia recently launched its new KiaCharge service, which gives owners of the brand’s electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles access to around 17,000 charge points across the UK – around 68% of the public charging network – from a single account.

A spokesperson for Kia said: “Visiting friends and family or playing host can be a bit of an etiquette minefield. Throw in the rise in popularity of electric cars and it could create an awkward conversation between friends and relatives.

“Electric car charging is still a relatively new phenomenon for many people, but one which is becoming more popular every month.

“To make it easier, and avoid a tricky situation, we’re pleased to introduce KiaCharge which gives drivers access to thousands of charging points via one simple app.”

The worst things to do as a guest:

1. Wipe their greasy hands on your sofa

2. Put their feet on the sofa

3. Go upstairs without asking

4. Brings dog without asking

5. Go through the medicine cabinet

6. Come in without knocking

7. Break wind

8. Change TV channel without asking

9. Not take hints to leave

10. Ask to stay the night

11. Turn up unannounced

12. Turn up late

13. Go for a ‘number two’

14. Ask to plug the electric car in

15. Walk in without taking shoes off

16. Put a drink on a table without a place mat

17. Make themselves a drink

18. Leave the toilet seat up

19. Ask for some food

20. Ask for the Wi-Fi password