Most leasehold flats and some leasehold houses need freeholder or managing agent consent before installing an EV charger that alters structure, common parts or parking surfaces. Consent is a property-law step separate from electrical certification and separate from any OZEV grant. Prepare a clear pack with drawings, product details, insurance and make-good commitments, and do not rely on a neighbour's informal approval. Grant applications that require third-party permissions usually expect that paperwork before you apply.
Read the lease before you email
Find clauses on alterations, parking, service media and absolute versus qualified covenants. Some leases ban external alterations without consent; others are silent on EV kit and still need landlord blessing for common-part cable routes.
Share the relevant pages with your installer so the design respects demised versus common property.
Build a consent pack agents can approve
Include a site photo, marked-up plan, charger datasheet, proposed cable route, risk method notes for the car park, and confirmation of who maintains the unit. Offer a make-good plan for cable penetrations and decorations.
Vague "we want an EV point" emails invite delays or blanket refusals.
- Named applicant matching the lease
- Bay number and title plan excerpt
- Public liability and installer credentials
Fees, conditions and time
Expect administration fees, maybe a solicitor review for complex blocks, and conditions on working hours, noise and reinstatement. Ask for a decision date in writing.
If consent is refused, request reasons tied to lease clauses so you can redesign rather than argue in abstracts.
Link to grants and surveys
OZEV guidance for flats, renters and landlords has stressed that required third-party permissions should be obtained before applying. A survey quote that assumes consent is not the same as consent granted.
Keep the consent letter wording aligned with the final mounting position to avoid claim mismatches.
Communal decisions
Where the only workable answer is a multi-bay landlord system, individual leaseholder consent processes may sit inside a wider resident consultation. Budget political time as well as electrical time.
Right-to-manage companies and resident management companies still need proper resolutions even when neighbours are friendly.
Frequently asked questions
Can the freeholder refuse consent unreasonably?
That depends on the lease covenant type and circumstances. Take advice if refusal seems absolute under a qualified covenant. This guide is not legal advice.
Is managing agent approval enough?
Only if they have authority to grant the licence. Ask them to confirm they act for the freeholder or RMC with power to approve.
Do I need consent for a charger wholly inside my demised garage?
Often yes if the lease still restricts alterations or if works touch shared electrical infrastructure. Check rather than assume.
Should consent come before the installer survey?
A preliminary survey can inform the pack, but do not authorise intrusive works until consent is written.
Core buying guides
Start with these high-intent guides, then dig into the rest of the library.
Related guides
Sources and further reading
How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local EV Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.