Charging station at a rental home

Are you considering switching to an electric car? If so, it’s a good idea to figure out how you’ll charge it. The cheapest way is with a home EV charger. Many people also prefer to charge their car as close to home as possible. If you own your home and have your own driveway, that’s of course very easy. But what if you rent? Is it possible to install a charging station at a rental property?
If you own your home, you’re the owner and you decide what to do with your property and the associated driveway. With a rental home, ownership—and therefore control over the property—lies with the landlord. In some rental situations, you can also rent your own driveway or parking space in a garage. However, this isn’t the case for most homes.

Charging station at a rental home

Do you have your “own” driveway and would you like to have a charging station installed there? If so, as a tenant, you’ll first need to obtain written permission from your landlord. The cost of the charging station for a rental home is generally the tenant’s responsibility. If you move out of the property at some point, you’ll often be required to return it to its original condition. This means you’ll have to remove the charging station and cover the costs yourself. If the next tenant would like to take over the charging station, different arrangements can, of course, be made.
In some cases, the meter box will also need to be modified during the installation of the charging station. You often do not need permission from your landlord for this, as it falls under“home improvement.” However, the costs incurred are still the responsibility of the tenant.

Public charging station

If you can’t install a charging station at your rental home or can’t get permission from your landlord, you can apply to the municipality for a public charging station. Not every municipality will grant your request. Check with your local municipality for the conditions and rules.
Of course, you can also use public charging stations that are already in place. Many shopping centers and public parking garages already have charging stations.
Want to know more about home EV chargers? Learn more about our zappi or contact us.