Increasingly, many properties offer electric vehicle charging points. If you are selling or buying a property or considering adding a vehicle charging point to your home, find out about the legal issues you need to be aware of.
When selling a property, your solicitor will need the relevant paperwork to provide to the buyer’s solicitor. Checking you have this in order at the time of installation can prevent difficulties and delays when you come to sell.
Electrical vehicle charging installation
For most properties, planning consent will not usually be needed, provided the charger is located in an area lawfully used for off-street parking. There are also restrictions on the size and location of the charging unit, namely no higher than 2.3 metres and no nearer the public highway than 2 metres. If a property is in a Conservation Area or is a listed building, you will need to obtain consents from the local authority to the work.
All installations need to comply with building regulations and you will need official building regulations approval for the work. Once the installation is complete, you should obtain a compliance certificate. Some installers are registered and able to provide this. If they are not, you should contact the building control department of your local authority. They will send an inspector to check the work and issue the certificate.
You should also check that the local authority’s building control body has been advised of the work. The person carrying out the installation may do this, but it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that it is done.
Before going ahead with the installation, you must check that the location of the charging point is within your land and that any cables are also within your land. If they are not and they cross someone else’s land, you will need to obtain an easement from the land owner giving you the right to put the cable over their property.
If your property is leasehold, you should not carry out any work without the consent of the landlord or freeholder. You will also need to check your lease to ensure that the installation does not breach any restrictive covenants.
Electrical vehicle charging guarantee
The installer should provide you with guarantee documentation. This must be kept safely as it will be required by your buyer’s solicitor when you sell the property. The guarantee should cover both the equipment and the installation work.
Can you take an electrical vehicle charger with you when you move house?
If you are moving house, you may be able to remove the charging unit, leaving just the cabling at the property. If you do this, you must make it clear to the buyer that this is what is happening, and ensure that the cabling is left in a safe condition. The removal should be handled by a registered electrical engineer.
Contact us
Speak to one of our experienced residential conveyancers today and make your home purchase a stress-free experience. Get an instant online conveyancing quote on our website.
LPL are one of the leading UK residential conveyancing firms!
