Electrical car Charging Points
By Jane Pringle
Thinking about purchasing an electric car? What are the legal requirements regarding the installation of an electrical charging point?
Currently planning permission will not be required for the installation of a ‘wall-mounted’, electrical charging point, in areas lawfully used for off street parking, provided certain conditions are met. The Property upon which the charging point is to be installed must not be within a site designated as a scheduled monument or a listed building.
The electrical charging point must not exceed 0.2 cubic metres in size and must not face onto, or be within, two metres of a public highway.
The rules for installing an ‘upstand’ with a mounted electrical charging point are similar in that planning permission is not required, providing the upstand unit does not exceed 1.6 metres in height from the surface level of the area used for parking.
The charging point will, however, be subject to Building Regulations. The charging point will require an electrical NICEIC certification (or equivalent). You should not attempt to install a charging point yourself. Always hire an experienced and certified installer.
Consideration should also be given to installations where the Property is leasehold. You may need to obtain Landlord consent to the installation of the charging point and the terms of your Lease may need to be varied to include provision for rights of access, maintenance and repair. There is also the possibility that the Landlord may require the Property to be reinstated, i.e., the charging point removed at the end of the lease term. Buildings Insurance Premiums may increase because of the installation, which may impact service charges.
Our Property Lawyers can offer further advice on the considerations to take into account if you are a tenant or landlord.
It should be noted that the Government has recently announced a new initiative, to reduce carbon emissions and end the sale of traditional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. The initiative will make use of planning regulations, so that any new build properties and buildings which have ‘major renovations’ will be forced to provide electrical charging points. The measures will apply to both residential and non-residential properties.
The average cost of installation of an electrical charging point is around £800.00, however, financial grants are available from the government.
At Sampson Coward we will be monitoring the proposed reforms with interest and advising clients appropriately as and when the legislation is implemented.
Please contact Jane Pringle on 01722 820938 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jane Pringle