EV Charging in Blocks of Flats: A Complete Guide
A comprehensive guide to EV charging block of flats for leaseholders, freeholders, and managing agents. Learn about your rights under the right to charge legislation, how to access OZEV grant funding, the technical requirements for electric car charging in apartment blocks UK, and how a professional managing agent coordinates EV charging points for apartments from feasibility through to installation and ongoing management. Whether you live in a small conversion or a large purpose-built block, this guide explains everything you need to know about electric car charging block of flats.
EV Charging in Blocks of Flats: The Current Landscape
The demand for EV charging block of flats solutions is growing rapidly across the UK. With the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales confirmed and electric vehicle adoption accelerating year on year, residents of blocks of flats are increasingly looking for reliable ways to charge their vehicles at home. Yet for the millions of people who live in flats rather than houses, accessing electric car charging has historically been far more difficult than for homeowners with driveways and garages.
The challenges are real. Most residential blocks were built long before electric vehicles existed, and their electrical infrastructure was never designed to support the additional load of multiple charge points. Car parks may be underground, remote from the electrical intake, or shared between buildings. Ownership structures add complexity: the car park may be owned by the freeholder, leased to individual residents, or managed as a common part of the building. Installing EV charging points for apartments requires navigating these physical and legal considerations carefully.
Despite these challenges, the landscape is improving significantly. Government legislation now gives residents the right to charge, grant funding is available to reduce installation costs, and charge point technology has evolved to include smart load management systems that allow multiple vehicles to charge from limited electrical capacity. For those wondering how to charge ev in apartment settings, the answer is increasingly straightforward - provided the right planning and professional management are in place.
For details of our EV charging installation and management service, visit our EV charging service page. We help blocks of all sizes across England and Wales plan, fund, and deliver charging infrastructure that meets current demand and scales for the future.
Your Rights as a Leaseholder
If you are a leaseholder who wants to install an electric car charger, you have significant legal protections. The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 introduced the right to charge, which gives leaseholders and tenants in residential buildings the right to request the installation of EV charging infrastructure. This means that when a tenant wants to install electric car charger equipment, the freeholder cannot simply refuse the request without engaging with it properly.
The freeholder is required to consider the request in good faith and can only refuse on reasonable grounds - for example, if the installation would compromise the structural integrity of the building, pose a genuine fire safety risk that cannot be mitigated, or overload the electrical supply beyond safe limits. A blanket policy of refusing all EV charging requests is unlikely to be considered reasonable, and a leaseholder who is refused without valid justification can apply to the county court for an order compelling consent.
Your lease may contain covenants that are relevant to the installation of a charge point, particularly clauses relating to alterations to the common parts or external areas. A professional managing agent will review the lease, advise on any consents required, and ensure the installation process complies with both the lease terms and the statutory framework. For a full overview of your rights and obligations as a flat owner, see our leaseholder rights guide.
The OZEV grant for residential buildings is a key funding mechanism that can significantly reduce the cost of EV charging points for communal buildings. Administered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, the EV Infrastructure Grant covers up to 75% of eligible costs including electrical upgrades, cable routing, and charge point hardware, subject to per-space and per-building caps. Freeholders, managing agents, and resident management companies are all eligible to apply.
Freeholders also have obligations to engage constructively with EV charging requests and to consider the long-term needs of the building. For more on what freeholders must do, see our freeholder responsibilities guide.
Technical Considerations for Communal Buildings
Installing EV charging points for communal buildings is more technically complex than fitting a charger to a house with its own electrical supply. The starting point for any project is an electrical capacity assessment, which determines whether the building's existing supply can support additional load from charge points and, if not, what upgrades are required. Many older blocks have limited spare capacity, and a supply upgrade from the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) may be necessary - a process that can take several months and involves significant cost.
Smart load management technology has transformed what is possible for electric car charging in apartment blocks UK. Rather than requiring enough capacity for every charger to operate at full power simultaneously, load management systems distribute available electricity across active chargers dynamically, slowing or pausing individual sessions during peak demand and resuming when capacity frees up. This means a building with modest spare capacity can support far more charge points than a simple calculation would suggest, reducing the need for expensive supply upgrades.
Buildings must also decide between dedicated chargers - assigned to individual parking spaces - and shared communal chargers that any resident can use. Dedicated chargers offer maximum convenience for the assigned user but require more infrastructure. Shared chargers are more cost-effective per unit and work well where parking is unallocated, but they require a charge point management system to handle access control, billing, and scheduling. Many blocks adopt a hybrid approach, combining a small number of shared fast chargers with the option for individual residents to install dedicated units at their own parking space.
Car park infrastructure is another critical consideration. Underground and enclosed car parks require adequate ventilation, fire detection, and fire suppression measures. Cable routing from the building's electrical intake to the car park must be planned to minimise disruption and comply with wiring regulations. Surface car parks present fewer challenges but still require weatherproof enclosures and appropriate cable protection.
Our electrical safety team works alongside specialist EV charging contractors to ensure every installation meets Part P of the Building Regulations, complies with BS 7671 wiring standards, and is carried out by a qualified, accredited installer.
How Your Managing Agent Facilitates EV Charging
A professional managing agent plays a central role in delivering EV charging block of flats projects successfully. EV charging installation is not a simple maintenance task; it involves technical planning, legal compliance, financial management, resident consultation, and ongoing service delivery. At Block, our approach covers every stage of the process. For a full overview of what managing agents do, see our managing agent responsibilities guide.
- Commissioning a full electrical capacity assessment and feasibility study to determine what the building can support and what upgrades are needed
- Consulting with leaseholders and the freeholder on the proposed installation, including running a Section 20 consultation where shared costs exceed the statutory threshold
- Preparing and submitting OZEV grant applications to secure the maximum available funding and reduce costs for residents
- Selecting and managing specialist EV charging contractors, verifying qualifications, insurance, and OZEV-approved installer status
- Overseeing installation works to ensure compliance with electrical regulations, fire safety standards, and building regulations
- Setting up and managing the charge point management system for access control, energy metering, and resident billing
- Arranging ongoing maintenance contracts for charge point hardware, software updates, and fault resolution
- Recovering installation and running costs transparently through the service charge, with clear reporting in annual accounts
Cost recovery is an important aspect of any EV charging project in a communal building. Installation costs, ongoing electricity, maintenance, and charge point management fees must be allocated fairly between those who use the chargers and the wider body of leaseholders. We work with freeholders and directors to establish a cost recovery model that is transparent, equitable, and compliant with service charge legislation. For more on how service charges work, see our service charge management guide.
By managing the entire process from initial enquiry through to day-to-day operation, a professional managing agent removes the complexity and risk from electric car charging block of flats projects, ensuring residents can charge their vehicles reliably while the building's infrastructure, safety, and finances are properly protected.
Frequently Asked Questions About EV Charging in Blocks of Flats
Can you install an EV charger in a block of flats?
Yes, you can install an EV charger in a block of flats. The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 established the right to charge, which gives leaseholders and tenants the legal right to request the installation of EV charging infrastructure in residential buildings. However, the process requires cooperation between the resident, the freeholder, and the managing agent. The freeholder or managing agent must assess the building's electrical capacity, identify a suitable location for the charge point, ensure the installation complies with Part P of the Building Regulations and fire safety requirements, and consult with other leaseholders where costs will be recovered through the service charge. A professional managing agent can coordinate the entire process, from the initial feasibility study through to installation, OZEV grant applications, and ongoing charge point management.
How will people in flats charge electric cars?
People living in flats can charge electric cars through several methods depending on their building's infrastructure. The most practical long-term solution is the installation of dedicated or shared EV charging points in the building's car park, coordinated through the managing agent. Shared communal chargers with a charge point management system allow multiple residents to use the same infrastructure, with energy costs billed individually. Where on-site installation is not yet in place, residents may use the growing public charging network, including on-street charge points, supermarket chargers, and dedicated charging hubs. For blocks of flats, a phased approach is often recommended: the building's electrical infrastructure is upgraded to support future demand, and individual charge points are added as residents request them, spreading cost over time and taking advantage of OZEV grant funding.
Do apartment freeholders have to put EV chargers in?
Apartment freeholders are not automatically required to install EV chargers proactively, but they cannot unreasonably refuse a leaseholder's or tenant's request to install one. The right to charge provisions in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 give residents of leasehold properties the legal right to request EV charging infrastructure. The freeholder must engage with the request in good faith and can impose reasonable conditions, such as specifying the location of the charge point, requiring the work to be carried out by a qualified and accredited installer, and ensuring the installation does not compromise the building's electrical system or fire safety. If the freeholder refuses without valid justification, the resident can apply to the county court for an order compelling consent. In practice, a proactive managing agent will facilitate the process and find a solution that works for all parties.
How does EV charging work in apartments?
EV charging in apartments typically works through charge points installed in the building's shared car park or parking area. Each charger is connected to the building's electrical supply, either through the communal supply or via a dedicated circuit. A charge point management system controls access using RFID cards or smartphone apps, tracks energy consumption per user, and handles billing so that each resident pays only for the electricity they use. In buildings with limited electrical capacity, smart load management systems distribute available power across multiple chargers, slowing or pausing charging during peak demand periods and resuming when capacity is available. The managing agent oversees the installation, maintains the equipment, manages the billing system, and ensures the infrastructure is scaled as more residents adopt electric vehicles.
Can a landlord refuse EV charger installation?
A landlord cannot unreasonably refuse an EV charger installation request. The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 established the right to charge, meaning leaseholders and tenants have a legal right to request permission to install EV charging equipment in residential buildings. A landlord may refuse only on reasonable grounds, such as genuine structural or electrical safety concerns that cannot be mitigated, or where the proposed installation would materially damage the building. A blanket refusal without proper consideration of the request and its feasibility would likely be deemed unreasonable. If consent is refused without valid justification, the leaseholder can apply to the county court for an order requiring the landlord to grant permission. A competent managing agent will work constructively with both the landlord and the requesting resident to identify a safe, compliant, and practical installation solution.
What is the EV grant for flat owners?
The EV Infrastructure Grant, administered by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), provides funding for the installation of EV charging infrastructure in residential buildings with multiple dwellings. The grant covers up to 75% of the cost of installing charge points and associated electrical works, subject to per-parking-space and per-building caps. Eligible applicants include freeholders, managing agents, resident management companies, and right-to-manage companies responsible for residential buildings with at least two dwellings and off-street parking. The grant can be used towards electrical capacity upgrades, cable routing, charge point hardware, and installation labour. Applications must be submitted before the work is carried out and the installation must be completed by an OZEV-approved installer. A professional managing agent can handle the entire grant application process, ensuring eligibility criteria are met and the maximum available funding is secured.
Expert EV Charging Solutions for Your Block of Flats
Whether you need help with EV charging block of flats planning, want to understand your options for EV charging points for apartments, or are looking for a managing agent that can deliver electric car charging in apartment blocks UK from feasibility through to installation and ongoing management, Block is here to help. We coordinate every aspect of the process, including OZEV grant applications, electrical capacity assessments, contractor management, and charge point installation across England and Wales.