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She’s Electric
Debra Morley
Chartered Legal Executive (FCILEx)
We all know the feeling – you are running late in the morning, jump in the car and realise you don’t quite have enough fuel to get to the office. You arrive to fill up only to join a queue of other commuters doing the same thing!
But have you noticed lately the fuel stations are quieter…?
It is not surprising. The number of electric cars on our roads in the UK are rapidly increasing with an incredible 850,000 cars being fully electric at the end of August 2023. That is 20% of all new car registrations being electric vehicles in August alone.
Charging at home
If you have an EV charger installed at home you should make sure you have the appropriate consents in place.
Planning permission will not usually be required and the work is likely to fall within permitted development rights if the charger is located on your property. BUT if you have off street parking or require access over a neighbour’s land, OR if your property is listed, in a conservation area or subject to any planning restrictions such as an Article 4 direction, planning permission may be required. If you are unsure you should check with the local authority first.
If you need to trail cables over the pavement you could be liable for injury caused by the public. You should therefore request consent from the Highways Authority, failing which you could be committing an offence as this breaches the Highways Act 1980 Section 162 and Section 178.
Building Regulations consent will always be required for the installation of an EV charger. The installation must comply with BS 7671: Requirements for Electrical Installations (the IET Wiring Regulations) which sets out the minimum requirements for electrical safety and must also meet with the Building Regulations Part P standards.
You should ensure the work is carried out by an installer who is registered with the Competent Person Scheme who will issue you with a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate to confirm it complies with building regulations.
Moving home?
If you are selling a property with the benefit of an EV charger you should provide your solicitor with details of the installation to include the Building Regulations Compliance Certificate and planning permission (if required).
If the EV charger was installed without consent speak to your solicitor about this as to whether it is recommended to seek retrospective consent from the local authority.
Buying a new build property
As we await the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030, the Building Regulations 2010 have introduced ‘Part S – Infrastructure for charging electric vehicles’, imposing an obligation on developers of new build properties to offer car charging points for the majority of new build properties. This also applies to buildings converted to residential use and those undergoing major renovation work with more than 10 parking spaces. Different rules apply to non residential and mixed use buildings.
At Chubb Bulleid, we offer clients a wide range of services providing support in all areas of private life and business. If you have any questions or are thinking of moving home please get in touch and we would be pleased to provide you with an estimate of fees and assist with any questions you have along the way.
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