Thinking of getting an electric vehicle? Here is a list of our most frequently asked questions.


Electric Vehicle ChargePoint (EVCP) installation:

Do I need your permission to install an electric vehicle charger at my property?

Yes, as landlord and owner of the property, you will in the first instance need our permission – you can do this by completing a ‘Right to Make an Improvement’ form which is available on request.

What information do you need to be able to give me permission to install an EVCP?

There are a number of factors we have to consider when granting permission for you to install an EVCP such as, do you have your own dedicated off-road parking space and if yes, do you have adequate access to your electricity supply and is there capacity to be able to install one? All EVCP’s have to have a dedicated supply going directly to your homes consumer unit (fuse board) and cannot be installed off another supply within your home. You also cannot install a charger where the cable to your vehicle will trail across any footpaths or pavements etc – even for a short period.

Are there any grants/financial assistance available for help with the cost of installing my charger?

The governments Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has recently made some changes to the way you can claim a grant towards the cost of an EVCP which means people who live in rented accommodation can apply for a grant of upto £350 towards the cost of buying and installing the charger, more details can be found here.

Coastal Housing will not pay for any costs associated with your chargepoint installation including any additional work required such as ground works to lay cables, additional wiring or alterations to your household electrics which may be needed to accommodate the power supply of the charger.

If I can say yes to the above, are there any ‘rules’ about who installs the charger and any documentation I need to provide on completion?

Absolutely yes. Electric Vehicle Chargers can be very dangerous if not installed correctly and must be fitted by a fully qualified and competent electrician who is a registered installer under the Governments OZEV scheme. All chargers should have RCD built into the unit and be installed in accordance with:

  • BS EN 61851-2:2022
  • The current edition of the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installations (as amended)
  • The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations

 

Upon completion, your installer should provide you with a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate and a Building Regulations Certificate of Compliance which you must send copies of to us. Your installer should also notify the District Network Operator (DNO) of the installation by completing and submitting the relevant form.

What happens if I don’t have my own dedicated parking space or have easy access to my electricity supply or cannot charge without trailing cables?

As an organisation with sustainability high on our priorities, Coastal Housing are currently evaluating a number of schemes where we can install communal chargers on a ‘pay as you go’ type of system and will be happy to listen to any request to install one on your site.

Unfortunately, we cannot always say yes as there are some circumstances where we cannot install one for various reasons, but we will consider your request and advise you of the outcome. Please be advised that this can take some time so you may want to give us plenty of notice before committing to purchasing an electric vehicle as it may not always be possible.

If Coastal install an EVCP on my site, will this affect the service charges I pay, even if I don’t use it?

No. All chargers we install will be charged to users on a pay as you go system utilising an app so you will only pay if and when you use the charger and will not affect anyone else’s service charges.

How will I know if I will always be able to access any charger that Coastal installs?

Where chargers are installed, they will be in spaces that will be dedicated for EV charging only but will be on a first come first served basis. We do ask where chargers are installed that you only use these spaces for charging your electric vehicle and only for the duration of the charging period.

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