As more tenants drive electric, "is there anywhere to charge?" is becoming a normal question at viewings — especially for houses with a driveway. For a landlord it is part cost, part opportunity: a chargepoint can make a property let faster and future-proof it, but it also means grants, consents and a bit of electrical compliance. This guide covers what actually applies in 2026.
Guidance, not legal or planning advice. Grant rates and planning rules change — confirm the current position on GOV.UK and with your local planning authority before you commit.
Do you need planning permission?
Usually not. Installing an EV chargepoint on off-street parking you own — a driveway or private parking space — normally falls under permitted development (Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2, Part 2), so no planning application is needed.
The common exceptions where you should check with the council first:
For the typical house-with-a-driveway let, it is a straightforward install. For anything unusual, a quick call to the local planning authority saves a lot of doubt.
The grants — this is where landlords save real money
The government runs chargepoint grants aimed squarely at the rental sector:
You must use an approved installer and meet the scheme conditions, and figures change at fiscal events, so check the current rates on GOV.UK before you budget. The practical upshot: with 75% funded, a landlord-installed chargepoint is a modest net cost for an amenity that genuinely helps let the property.
Consent — who has to say yes
Getting consent in order first is also a grant condition — the schemes require any third-party permission to be in place before you apply.
Installation, safety and compliance
An EV chargepoint is part of the property's fixed electrical installation, so:
Keep the installer's certificate with your property records; it is the evidence the work was done to standard.
Should you bother? The honest maths
For a house with a driveway, the case is increasingly easy: 75% of the cost is grant-funded, the install is permitted development, and a chargepoint widens your applicant pool to the growing number of EV drivers and can shorten voids. It does not transform your EPC band on its own, but it is exactly the kind of amenity that future-proofs a property as petrol and diesel are phased out and as new-build and major-renovation rules already require charging provision.
Where it is harder to justify: flats and sites with shared parking, where freeholder consent, cabling and metering (who pays for the electricity?) turn a simple install into a project. There the infrastructure grant helps, but go in with your eyes open.
A sensible default: if the property has private off-street parking, treat a grant-funded chargepoint as a low-cost, high-appeal upgrade. If it is a flat with communal parking, scope the freeholder and electrical position before promising anything.
Flats and HMOs
Shared-parking sites are the tricky case. You will typically need the freeholder on board, a plan for cabling from the supply, and a decision on how each user's electricity is metered and billed. The landlord infrastructure grant is designed for exactly this — funding the shared groundwork so individual sockets can be added over time. For an HMO with a single shared driveway, one chargepoint on a fair-use basis may be simpler than trying to give every room its own.
How LetCompliance fits
Treat the chargepoint like any other property asset: record it in the property's key facts, keep the installer's certificate and the grant paperwork with the property's documents, and let the EICR renewal (which now covers the charger's wiring) run on the same compliance clock as the rest of the electrics. LetCompliance tracks the certificate dates, stores the documents, and keeps the consent record — so an amenity you added for lettability does not become a compliance loose end.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission for an EV charger at a rental?
Usually not. A chargepoint on off-street parking you own (a driveway or private space) is normally permitted development under the GPDO 2015. Check with the council first if the property is listed or in a conservation area, if the point would sit close to the highway, or if it is a block of flats with shared parking.
Is there a grant for landlords to install EV charging?
Yes. The landlord chargepoint grant covers 75% of the cost, up to £500 per socket (raised from £350 on 1 April 2026), and you can claim across several properties. A separate infrastructure grant helps with the wider electrical work for blocks and multi-let sites. Use an approved installer and check the current rates on GOV.UK.
Can my tenant install their own EV charger?
Only with your written permission. With that consent the tenant (or a flat owner) can claim the renters' and flat owners' grant of up to £500. Put the terms in writing — who owns and maintains the unit, and whether they leave it or make good at the end of the tenancy.
Does an EV charger need its own certificate?
No separate certificate, but it must be installed by a qualified, scheme-approved electrician to the wiring regulations (BS 7671) and be a smart charger. It then forms part of the property's fixed electrical installation, so your EICR covers it on the normal five-year cycle. Keep the installer's certificate with your records.