In most leasehold blocks, a leaseholder cannot install an EV charger in a common area or shared car park without the freeholder's written consent. Where a leaseholder holds a lease granting sole use of a private parking space, the position is more nuanced — the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 provide a procedural framework, but lease covenants and the extent of common parts remain decisive. This guide explains the full picture for UK managing agents in 2026.

Does a leaseholder need landlord consent to install an EV charger?

The answer is almost always yes — but the precise mechanism depends on what the lease says and where the charger is being installed.

The starting point is the lease itself. Most residential long leases contain an absolute or qualified covenant against alterations. A qualified covenant (the more common form) prohibits alterations "without the prior written consent of the landlord, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld." An absolute covenant prohibits alterations entirely, meaning the freeholder has no obligation to consent at all.

Beyond the lease, installing an EV charger typically involves one or more of the following:

• Licence to alter — required where the installation involves works to or through common parts (e.g., running a new sub-circuit through a shared riser or car park ceiling void)
• Freeholder's consent to fix equipment to a structure that forms part of the building (not demised to the leaseholder)
• Management company consent — where a residents' management company (RMC) holds the head lease or maintains the car park under a tripartite arrangement

The Building Safety Act 2022 has also introduced heightened duties on accountable persons for higher-risk buildings. In blocks over 18 metres, any significant electrical upgrade for EV infrastructure must be considered in the context of the building's safety case.

Who pays for EV charging installation in a leasehold block?

The funding question divides into three distinct scenarios, each with different service charge implications.

Scenario 1 — Individual leaseholder installs at sole cost. Where a leaseholder installs a charger for their exclusive use in their allocated bay, they typically bear the full installation cost. The freeholder grants a licence to alter (usually for a fee), and the leaseholder is responsible for maintenance, insurance uplift and reinstatement on assignment. The service charge is unaffected unless the installation draws on the building's shared electrical infrastructure.

Scenario 2 — Communal charging hub funded through service charge. Where the freeholder or management company installs a multi-bay charging hub for the benefit of all leaseholders, the cost is recoverable through the service charge — provided the lease contains a sufficiently wide service charge definition. Many older leases restrict service charge recovery to repairs, making a major EV infrastructure project potentially irrecoverable without a deed of variation.

Scenario 3 — Partial shared infrastructure, individual charger. The most complex scenario: a leaseholder wants to self-install, but the only practical supply route requires upgrading the building's main incoming supply or installing a new distribution board. Here the infrastructure cost may need to be apportioned — part funded by the individual leaseholder, part through service charge as a building-wide electrical upgrade.

When is a section 20 consultation required for EV charging works?

Section 20 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 requires landlords to consult leaseholders before carrying out qualifying works where any one leaseholder's contribution would exceed £250.

For EV charging in leasehold blocks, the s.20 threshold is crossed more readily than managing agents sometimes expect:

• A communal charging hub with four charge points typically costs £8,000–£20,000 installed, including supply upgrade — well above the threshold even in a large block
• A supply upgrade to the main incoming cable to accommodate future EV load is a qualifying work if leaseholder contributions exceed £250
• A long-term agreement with a charge point operator (CPO) running for more than 12 months is likely to be a qualifying long-term agreement, triggering the separate s.20(2) consultation process

Failure to comply with s.20 carries a significant penalty: the landlord's recovery through service charge is limited to £250 per leaseholder for the works in question, regardless of actual cost.

How should the service charge be structured for shared EV infrastructure?

Recovering capital costs. Where the lease permits recovery of improvements (not merely repairs), the capital cost of EV infrastructure can be included in the service charge, spread over a reasonable period via a sinking fund contribution or charged as a special levy. PAS 1899:2022 — the BSI's specification for EV charging infrastructure — provides a useful framework for scoping works and ensuring installations meet the smart-charging requirements of the 2021 Regulations.

Revenue and usage charges. Where a CPO is engaged under a commercial arrangement, the service charge should account for any licence fee, insurance and maintenance obligations that fall to the landlord. Revenue generated by the CPO's metered charges typically offsets these costs; any surplus should be credited back to the service charge account.

Ring-fencing EV costs. Managing agents increasingly include a dedicated EV sub-account within the service charge to ensure transparency and avoid cross-subsidisation between leaseholders who use the chargers and those who do not.

What happens when a leaseholder sells — does the charger stay?

A wall-mounted AC charge point that has been hardwired into a dedicated circuit is almost certainly a fixture — it passes with the property on sale unless the licence to alter expressly permits removal. Most licences to alter include a reinstatement clause requiring the leaseholder (or their successor in title) to remove the installation and make good on the freeholder's written demand.

The ongoing obligation to maintain the charger, pay any electricity metering charges and comply with the smart-charging requirements of the 2021 Regulations passes to the buyer on completion. Managing agents should ensure solicitors are aware of these obligations during the enquiries process, and that the building's EV charging register is updated.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to review the lease before granting EV consent — or is a standard form sufficient?

You must review the lease. Standard-form consent letters do not account for variations in alteration covenants (absolute vs qualified), the extent of the demise, or whether the parking bay is included in the leasehold title or merely licensed. An incorrect consent on an absolute covenant could expose the managing agent and freeholder to a breach of lease claim. Instruct solicitors or a suitably qualified chartered surveyor to review lease terms before issuing any consent documentation.

Does a new EV charger affect the building's insurance policy?

Yes, and this is frequently overlooked. EV chargers represent a new electrical risk, and some insurers require notification of any new fixed charge point installation. Failure to notify could invalidate the policy in the event of an electrical fire. Managing agents should alert the building insurer when any charger is installed and obtain written confirmation that the policy remains in force.

Can the cost of a communal EV hub be recovered through service charge where the lease only permits "repairs and maintenance"?

Generally no — a communal EV hub is an improvement, not a repair. If the service charge schedule is limited to repairs and maintenance, the cost is not recoverable unless the lease also includes a sweeping "improvements" provision, or a deed of variation is executed to widen the recoverable costs. Managing agents should take legal advice before proceeding.

What should a block-wide EV charging policy include?

An ARMA-compliant EV charging policy should cover: eligibility criteria (allocated bay required), application and consent process, technical requirements (PAS 1899:2022, DNO notification, NICEIC/NAPIT-certified installer), service charge and metering arrangements, insurance obligations, reinstatement on disposal, and a register of approved installations. The ARMA Annual Survey (2025) found that blocks with a published EV policy resolved installation requests in an average of 23 days, versus 67 days for those without one.

What happens when a leaseholder sells — do EV charger obligations transfer automatically?

Obligations under a licence to alter that run with the leasehold estate transfer to the buyer on completion. The buyer's solicitor should be informed of the EV installation as part of the seller's LPE1 (Leasehold Property Enquiries) replies. Managing agents should maintain an accurate EV register so that LPE1 responses are complete and accurate.

Is PAS 1899:2022 a legal requirement or best practice?

PAS 1899:2022, published by the British Standards Institution, is not a statutory requirement in the same sense as the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 — but it is increasingly referenced by DNOs, insurers and local authorities as the baseline technical standard. Most managing agents and freeholders now require PAS 1899:2022 compliance as a condition of any licence to alter.