Electric car charging at home - installation and maintenance of EV points

Frequently asked questions about EV car charger installation at home

Can I get away without having an electric car charger installed?

You can use a standard 3-pin cable to charge your car, but it’s not ideal.

Firstly, 3-pin cables charge your car really slowly. It can take over 13 hours to fully charge your car – not good if you need to be somewhere in a hurry!

Secondly, 3-pin cables aren’t very safe. Not only is the charging cable a trip hazard but sockets aren’t intended for them. This can increase the risk of overloading your electrical installation.

What do I do if I don’t have off-street parking?

You need to have off-street parking to claim an EVHS grant but if you only have on-street parking there are still many options.

• You can use public charging points.
• Check out Zap-Map to see where your nearest one is
• You can charge your car up at work if they have EV charging points
• You can speak to your local council to see if they can install on-street charging points on your road

I have more than one car. Do I need more than one charging point?

If you have multiple cars you can install multiple charging points. However, the reality is that you won’t necessarily need one charging point for every EV you own. You don’t need to charge vehicles every day, and some people may charge their vehicles at work or at public charging points.

Do I need to get planning permission for an electric car charging point?

As a general rule, you do not need to get planning permission as EV charging points are considered to be ‘permitted developments’.

However, if you live in a listed building, close to a highway or your charging point is over a certain height or size, then you will need to get permission. If you install your charge point and don’t get permission beforehand, your council may tell you to take the charging point down.

If in doubt, check with your local council’s planning team

Where should I install my electric car charging point?

It depends on your home setup. Charging points are okay to be installed outside as they are waterproof and weather resistant. 

EV charging cables are not very long, so you will want your charging unit to be close to where your electric vehicle is parked.

Most customers choose to have their charging point installed on the wall next to their driveway. Your installer will be able to advise the best place for your car charging place to go.

How long will the installation take?

It depends on the type of home you live in, where you want your charging point installed and what type of electric charging point you want. 

For example, if your off-road parking is not next to your home, you may need groundworks to connect your charger to your distribution board. This will mean it takes longer for installation to take place.

Will the charging point work with my electric vehicle?

Yes. Different charge points have different sockets - these are known as Type 1 (with five pins) and Type 2 (with seven pins). 

Electric cars come with their own cables. This means if the EV and charge point don't have compatible cables, you can swap the cables over.

I’m renting my home – can I still get an electric car charger installed?

Yes, but you need to get permission from your landlord first. 

If you rent a freehold property and the freeholder is different to the landlord, you will need to get permission from them too.

If I move house, can I take the electric car charger with me?

You can. An accredited installer will be able to uninstall and reinstall your charging point if you want to bring it with you.

If you are renting your property, check with your landlord first. They may want you to leave the electric car charger in place for the next tenant.

Bear in mind that you can only claim your EVHS vouchers once. If you have two charge points installed at one property and move home, you will not be able to claim again.

The Government is currently looking to pass legislation so that all new-build homes come with charging points as standard. This means if you move house in the future, there may already be a charge point in place.

Can I install an electric car charging point myself?

Technically you can, but we wouldn’t recommend it. 

Installing an EV charge point is a tricky process. You need to wire it up to your distribution board and make sure the installation is safe. Using a qualified electrical engineer will give you peace of mind that your charging point will be installed correctly.

Bear in mind that you won't be able to take advantage of the EVHS grant if you install the charge point yourself - it must be done by an OLEV/OZEV approved installer.

Can I let other people use my electric car charger?

Yes. The majority of car chargers can be used by any vehicle so you can let friends, family and neighbours use your charging point if you like.

Can I secure my electric car charger so other people can’t use it?

If you want to keep your electric car charger locked down so you’re the only one who can use it, you can install a charging point with a key or a radio frequency identification (RFID) card. 

Do I need to get my electric car charger maintained?

It’s not a legal requirement to maintain your electric car charger, but you should check it regularly to make sure it is working as it should.

Give it a quick once-over every time you use it to make sure the charging cable and charging box are not damaged.

What is a clean air zone?

A Clean Air Zone, or CAZ for short, is a geographical area where action is being taken to reduce emissions.

Vehicles that do not meet emission standards have to pay a charge to drive in the area.

If the vehicle owner does not pay the charge, they will have to pay a fine.

Bath, Birmingham and Portsmouth currently have CAZ in place, with parts of Central London being part of an Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ. Many more cities are considering bringing in Clean Air Zones in the next few years.

Electric vehicles are exempt from charges meaning that if you are looking to change your vehicle in the next few years, an EV could save you money.