EV Chargers for Landlords: Adding a Charger to a London Rental

More tenants in London now drive electric cars, and a home charger can make a rental property more attractive and help it let faster. For landlords, adding a charger raises practical questions about safety checks, who pays for electricity and what happens at the end of a tenancy. This post covers the main points. It is general information, not legal advice.

Is the property suitable?

A charger needs off street parking, such as a drive, garage or allocated bay, and a supply that can take the extra load. We check the main fuse, earthing and consumer unit first. Many rented homes have older boards that need upgrading before a charger can be added. Our guide on whether you need a new consumer unit for an EV charger explains why.

Flats and leasehold properties

If the rental is a leasehold flat, you will usually need the freeholder's consent before fitting a charger in a shared car park. Our guide to grants and building regulations for flats covers the funding side, and our main blog explains who is responsible for what in leasehold flats.

Electricity and billing

If the charger runs from the tenant's own supply, the tenant simply pays for the electricity through their normal bill. In shared houses or blocks, chargers with their own account or card access can track who uses what. Agree the arrangement in the tenancy agreement.

Safety checks and paperwork

• The charger circuit is part of the electrical installation and is covered by the property's EICR, which landlords need at least every five years.
• Keep the installation certificate with your other safety records.
• Give tenants the user guide and app setup instructions at check-in.
• At the end of a tenancy, make sure the previous tenant's account is removed from the charger.

Our main blog's landlord electrical checklist covers the rest of the paperwork for a new tenancy.

Get a landlord quote

Energy North Ltd installs chargers in rental properties across North, East and West London with City & Guilds certified electricians, and can combine the survey with an EICR. See our EV charger installation page.