Can I get an EV charger if I rent?
Yes, if the conditions fit. People renting a residential property can apply (gov.uk). Lodgers living in the landlord's or homeowner's own home can't, and nor can anyone moving house or planning to (gov.uk). You upload a signed and dated tenancy agreement with your application (Find a Grant).
Flat owners: the freeholder or managing agent
If you own the flat you live in, including through shared ownership, you can apply (gov.uk). gov.uk gives the freeholder of a block of flats as its example of whose permission you may need (gov.uk). Ask early, and say where the charger and cable would go.
Allocated bays and car parks
Your space must be off-street, private and clearly defined, and it does not have to be part of the property (gov.uk). It must be accessible to you at all times, and you must own it or have the legal right to it (gov.uk). Your installer will assess whether the space allows an electric vehicle to charge safely (gov.uk).
Where the cable runs
If the cable from your supply to the space has to cross walls or ground that aren't yours, make sure your permission covers that route: gov.uk asks for proof of all legal rights and permissions (gov.uk).
Landlord permission for an EV charger: the letter
gov.uk asks for proof of permission but gives no wording for it (gov.uk), so here are two documents: the request you send, and the permission your landlord, freeholder or managing agent signs and returns, which you keep as proof. Fill in the brackets and delete the options that don't apply. (The same letter has its own page: landlord permission letter.)
1. The request: you to your landlord, freeholder or managing agent
[Your name] [Your address] [Date] Dear [name of your landlord, freeholder or managing agent], Request for permission to install an electric vehicle chargepoint I am writing to ask for your written permission to have an electric vehicle chargepoint installed at [property address], to charge a vehicle parked in [the parking space, for example the driveway at the property, or allocated bay number X]. The work would be done by an OZEV-authorised installer. [I will pay for the chargepoint and its installation.] [I would like to ask whether you would be willing to pay for the chargepoint and its installation.] [If your letting business is registered at Companies House, VAT registered with HMRC, or a registered social housing provider, you could instead apply for the government's chargepoint grant for residential landlords yourself: gov.uk/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-grant-landlords.] The government's electric vehicle chargepoint grant covers 75% of the cost of buying and installing a socket, up to a maximum of £500 (gov.uk/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-grant-household). I intend to apply for it myself. Nothing would be installed until the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) confirms I am eligible for the grant. The installer will confirm the position of the chargepoint and the cable route before any work starts. [Describe them here, if you know them.] When I leave the property, I propose that the chargepoint [is left in place] [is removed and the wall and any surfaces made good at my cost], or as we otherwise agree in writing. If you agree, please sign and date the enclosed permission and return it to me. I need it as proof of permission for my grant application. Yours sincerely, [Your name]
2. The permission: your landlord, freeholder or managing agent to you
Permission to install an electric vehicle chargepoint Landlord, freeholder or managing agent: [full name or company name] Address: [their address] Tenant or leaseholder: [your full name] Property address: [property address] Parking space covered: [for example the driveway at the property, or allocated bay number X] I give permission for an EV chargepoint to be installed at the above property by an OZEV-authorised installer. Conditions, if any: [for example the agreed position of the chargepoint and cable route, and what happens to the chargepoint at the end of the tenancy] Signed: ______________________ Printed name: [name] Signing as: [landlord / freeholder / managing agent for (name of landlord or freeholder)] Date: [date]
If you own a flat: send the request to the freeholder or managing agent, write "leaseholder" for "tenant", and delete lines that don't apply. If the cable crosses shared areas, describe the route and ask for it in the conditions. A managing agent signing for a freeholder should say so on the "Signing as" line.
What to upload with your application
The uploads include a signed and dated tenancy agreement if you rent, a utility bill under three months old, and a quote from an OZEV-authorised installer (Find a Grant). See how to apply.
Frequently asked questions
Does my landlord have to agree to an EV charger?
If the work needs their permission, yes. Find a Grant asks you to obtain any necessary third-party permissions before applying (Find a Grant).
Is there an official landlord permission letter?
No. gov.uk asks for proof of all legal rights and permissions but does not publish a template (gov.uk). Ours is above.
Who pays for the charger if I rent?
That is for you and your landlord to agree. The grant pays 75% of the cost, up to £500 (gov.uk), and the rest is paid by whoever agrees to pay it. A landlord can apply under the landlord grant instead (gov.uk), but only if their letting business is registered at Companies House or VAT registered with HMRC (Find a Grant), or is a registered social housing provider (gov.uk). If not, you apply, with their written permission (Find a Grant).
Where this leaves you
We're an independent guide, not an installer. There are three honest ways to get a charger fitted:
- Book a national installer online. Companies such as Pod Energy sell the charger and installation together (affiliate link: we may earn a commission). If you're applying for the grant, the quote must come from an OZEV-authorised installer (Find a Grant).
- Find a local installer yourself with gov.uk's Find an electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint installer search.
- Ask us for an introduction. If we pass your details to a local installer, your confirmation email names the firm. Installers may pay us for introductions; it does not change your price. Ask for an introduction.
Not sure where you stand? Use the grant checklist. The full rules are in our OZEV grant guide, and typical prices are in the Cornwall cost guide.