Ability to Charge: EV Chargers for Renters and Leaseholders

The government has opened a consultation on an ability to charge: a formal right, or at least a clear process, for tenants and leaseholders in England to get permission to install an EV charge point at their own parking space. It was published on 21 October 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on 16 December 2026 (GOV.UK). Nothing changes yet, but if you rent or own a flat and want a charger, this is the first serious attempt to fix the permission problem. Here is what is proposed, what is still undecided and what you can do today.

What is the ability to charge?

At the moment, a tenant or leaseholder who wants a home charger needs the landlord or freeholder to say yes, and there is no standard timetable or test for saying no. The consultation’s core proposal is to streamline the permissions tenants and leaseholders need, so a request gets a timely, reasoned answer (consultation document). It is run jointly by the Department for Transport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

England only. Housing is devolved, so the consultation does not cover Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Guidance or law: the two options

The government has not picked a route. It is asking for views on two:

• Non-statutory guidance. Landlords and freeholders would have no obligation to agree. They would simply be encouraged to explain and evidence why a request is unreasonable.
• Legislation. This would require timely decisions and bar unreasonable refusals. It would need future primary legislation, and the consultation points to similar policies in France and Norway.

There is no binding response deadline in the proposals. The document gives an example of a written formal response “within a period, such as 28 calendar days”, with an acknowledgement once a request is received, and any refusal would need reasons.

Proposed grounds for refusing a charger

Even under the stronger option, a landlord or freeholder could still say no for a reasonable cause. The consultation lists these proposed grounds:

• The request breaches an existing lease term or another statutory obligation.
• Local electricity network upgrades would be needed, including where a property has a looped connection.
• The resident has no off-street parking.
• A building-wide charge point approach is already being adopted in a block of flats.
• The installation would not comply with BS 7671, the UK wiring standard (see our BS 7671 Amendment 4 guide).
• There is not enough parking space at the building.

Who would pay, and which homes are covered

Cost. The tenant or leaseholder would pay the up-front cost, including installation and any fee for the permission to alter the property. Who covers maintenance, electricity use and removal afterwards is left open for views.

Parking. The proposal aims to cover as many parking types as possible, including demised parking (owned by the leaseholder or tenant) and allocated bays. Communal parking is included for comment, with the document noting it “brings additional charges”. Eligible residents include tenants, leaseholders, shared ownership leaseholders and people in mixed-tenure or mixed-use developments. Short-term arrangements such as temporary accommodation are open for views.

Disputes. An escalation route is mentioned but not specified, and the government is asking what it should look like.

Why it matters: how many homes are affected

The consultation puts England’s leasehold dwellings at 4.8 million (2023 to 2024). The rented sectors make up 35% of households: 4.6 million private rented (19%) and 4 million social rented (16%). Not every one of those homes has off-street parking, and the consultation gives no figure for how many do, but the proposal only applies to those that do.

What you can do now

Ask anyway. You do not need to wait for new rules. Put your request to the landlord or freeholder in writing, include the charger model, the proposed cable route and a certified installer’s details. Our EV charger planning permission guide and home requirements guide cover the technical side.

Use the grant while it lasts. Until 31 March 2027, grants of up to £500 are available towards chargepoint installation for individual flat owners and tenants, subject to eligibility, and private landlords can apply for up to £500 per property with private off-street parking (GOV.UK). Since 2022 the flat and rented grant has supported 26,504 sockets, with a further 5,564 through the landlord grant. Details are in our EV charger grant guide. Landlord permission is a condition, so get it before you book anything.

Think about solar too. If you rent, a roof array is usually the landlord’s call; our solar for rental properties and solar panels for flats guides explain your options, and the Renters’ Rights Act explainer covers what tenants can already request. For equipment, start with the best home EV charger comparison.

Have your say

You can respond until 11:59pm on 16 December 2026 through the online survey on the GOV.UK consultation page, by email to ability_to_charge@dft.gov.uk, or by post to the Charging Infrastructure Deployment team at the Department for Transport. Responses from tenants, leaseholders, landlords and installers all count. The government has not said when it will publish its decision, and any legislation would take longer still, so plan on the current rules for now.