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EV charging infrastructure is changing the way we utilise vacant areas in our property. Landlords are constantly looking to increase their revenue per square foot, and there is only so much you can do for residential properties like flats to increase your revenue.
This is where EV chargers come in. What if you could further utilise the empty areas in your premises and install an EV charger?
Since the adoption of EV technology is skyrocketing in today’s world, installing an EV charger will be perceived as an added value to your property. EV charging flats are all the rage these days because tenants are constantly looking for convenient ways to charge their vehicles. So, why not give them the ultimate benefit by installing it on the premises?
Confused about the installation process and the costs associated with it? Then this guide is just for you. Read below to learn more about landlord EV charging flats and HMOs, how to access landlord grants, how to tackle load-sharing, and much more:
EV charging flats are becoming popular due to the high demand for EVs. Tenants who own EVs typically search for charging stations near the area where they live. Sometimes their renting decision stems only from their proximity to a charging station.
This is why it has become important for modern landlords to jump on the EV train and optimise their premises to add more value and earn from their EV investment.
EV charging flats are made affordable thanks to landlord grants, especially the OZEV grants. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) provides two main grant streams that landlords can use to support EV charging installations:
This landlord grant is designed to facilitate property owners by paying 75% of the cost of the purchase of a charge point socket. This means that landlords can get up to £350 per socket or whichever value is lower.
Landlords can apply for up to 200 residential grants per financial year, plus 100 grants for commercial properties. However, the grants must be used with an OZEV-approved installer and use an eligible charger model.
This landlord grant is designed for multi-home residential car parks or estates. It provides up to 75% of the infrastructure costs with a maximum ceiling set to £30,000.
To be clear, “infrastructure” here means wiring to multiple spots, feeder cables, trenches, ducting, and similar activities. The grant also provides provision for future sockets and not just the chargers themselves, which is a bonus. The requirement for this grant includes at least 5 parking spaces and more than 1 operational socket installed.
Please keep in mind that, as per the latest updates, both schemes are currently confirmed until 31st March 2026, but OZEV reserves the right to change terms with at least a 4-week notice.
EV charging flats require considerable management strategies since multiple users will be drawing power from a shared electrical supply.
Here are two tips on how to manage this:
The OCPP is the default choice for open communication standards between chargers and a central management software. This protocol enables seamless and highly integrated communication that allows for real-time control, usage reports, billing support, interoperability, and more.
There is also a newer version of the protocol in the market (OCPP 2.1) that further includes advanced features like power management interfaces, grid integration control and monitoring, and more. These additional features can prove to be very useful when coordinating many chargers in one site.
Landlords can opt for professional installation companies like Calder Electrical to help them make the right decisions and figure out a system that works best for the property.
Additionally, landlords using OCPP-compliant chargers will have the ability to not be locked into one vendor and opt for various back-office software for power management.
There are two important aspects for busy residential sites:
This involves distributing the available electrical capacity across multiple charge points, so the total building supply isn’t exceeded.
The static load sharing module enables many chargers to run simultaneously, often between 7kW to 22kW levels. Static load sharing or balancing is inherently included in smart charger ecosystems, especially the ones that use the OCPP protocol.
Also known as DLM, this load management system uses real-time data and feedback to throttle or prioritise charging sessions across sockets. This improves distribution and efficiency and can help the property remain within its allocated supply.
The DLM is useful for maximising the number of usable bays without upgrading the building’s supply. The system will automatically detect the usage per charger and allocate or prioritise the supply across the charging station.
DLMs are excellent for futureproofing because they help avoid costly utility upgrades later when you incrementally scale the system within the current supply limit. The system is also crucial for allocating power fairly between the tenants and preventing overloading the circuits, which can cause blowouts and, in extreme cases, even fires.
Bay planning begins by categorising the bays into two types.
The first can be dedicated to the tenants. This bay will be assigned or possibly be metered to just one tenant (or multiple in the context of flats). It can be supported individually via the landlord grants discussed above.
The second can be a shared or communal bay. This will be a cluster of chargers managed centrally via the OCPP platform. The bay will support RFID or mobile application payments, and billing can be done through an OCPP backend that supports per-session kWh billing.
Landlords must opt for a professional installer who can inspect the property and conduct an electrical audit.
As a best practice, before installation, a load and capacity study must be conducted to highlight system capabilities and limitations. Additionally, load sharing and OCPP smart charging technology must be used to avoid costly supply upgrades in the future. Landlords should consider 3-phase supplies if they plan to install multiple sockets.
By going with three phases, you can manage the supply load effectively and future-proof the building for later tweaks.
Finally, landlords must focus on a transparent and effective billing and reporting system. Luckily, the OCPP system allows for segmented billing. For example, you can get separate bills for charging per kWh or per session. Landlords will find it useful to allocate costs directly to tenants or integrate costs into service charges with transparency.
The cost of installing a commercial-grade EV charger in a residential block of flats is typically around £1,000–£1,500 per charge point, depending on the number of units installed, charger type, and installation specifics such as cabling distances, trenching, electrical upgrades, and mounting fixtures.
As mentioned above in our guide, landlords of residential properties (including flats and apartment blocks) may be eligible for the OZEV landlord grant, which is a voucher-based scheme designed to help with the upfront cost of installing EV charging infrastructure.
Under this scheme, landlords can claim up to £350 per charging socket, covering up to 75% of the total purchase and installation cost. A dual-socket charge point can therefore qualify for a grant of up to £700. Thanks to this scheme, landlords can apply for up to 200 charging point grants per financial year across their properties.
To qualify for the landlord grant, you will need to meet the following conditions:
With EV infrastructure, landlords can choose how charging is managed on their property. Some landlords may decide to provide free charging as an amenity. This can especially be true in cases where the property has its own solar generation system. Other landlords may offer free charging for a limited time and then charge for use.
The goal of EV infrastructure is to increase the perceived value of your property. By installing these chargers and using a charging strategy, you can manage demand, prevent charger hoarding, and ensure fair access.
Charging times depend on the type of charger used and the capabilities of your EV. However, in most cases, the speed usually depends on the type of charger.
Slow chargers are rated at 3kW – 6kW and take around 5-8 hours to fully charge an EV from a drained battery to 100%, and around 12 hours or longer for EVs with longer ranges and bigger batteries.
Due to the amount of time they take, they are best suited for overnight charging in domestic properties, though they can also be found at places of work. These chargers may be suited for EV charging flats due to their ability to slowly charge EVs overnight. This can ensure that the property does not go over its energy allocation and that the electrical components remain safe from excessive wear and tear.
Fast chargers are the most common type of EV chargers in the UK. They are typically rated at 7kW – 22kW, where a 7kW variant takes 3-5 hours to fully charge an EV, and a 22kW unit charges it within a couple of hours!
This speed comes at a cost, though. Since these chargers use high currents and voltages, they generate significantly more heat than slow chargers. Speed isn’t the problem when it comes to damage to infrastructure. It is heat that is the main culprit.
While in ideal weather conditions, this heat isn’t a problem, during the summer months, landlords may have to install a shade or protect the equipment from excessive heat.
As the name suggests, these are the fastest type of chargers in the market, available in both AC and DC variants. These chargers fulfil their namesake and provide very fast charging speeds.
Compared to other chargers on this list, these chargers operate at a whopping 43kW – 50kW of power. They can charge an EV’s battery to 80% in about 30 minutes to an hour, going up to 1.5 hours for EVs with larger batteries.
Rapid charger speed is calculated to an 80% charge, as opposed to a complete 100% charge. This is due to the charging technology and battery limitations. Lithium-ion batteries need to be charged slowly (also called trickle charge) when they reach 80%. This is done to decrease the strain on the battery and to improve its overall efficiency and life.
Rapid DC chargers are faster than rapid AC chargers, with DC-only ultra-rapid chargers powering at 100kW and above, and ultra-rapid chargers at 150kW – 350kW.
While not typically suitable for flats and HMOs, rapid EV chargers can normally be found at highways where users don’t have enough time to wait hours for a charge. These chargers are expensive and require a significant allocation of power and an advanced power management system to balance the load.
To get the most out of the EV chargers, landlords must strive to educate the tenants or users of the EV chargers on how to maximise the efficiency and life of the charging bay. This can be done by following charging etiquette when using a charger, especially one that is shared by many:
Choosing the right EV charger for your home or commercial property and navigating through all the requirements and regulations can be a bit tricky. For this reason, it is best to seek professional advice and have someone guide you along the way so that switching to EVs becomes even easier.
At Calder Electrical, we can install and maintain EV chargers for domestic and commercial premises in line with the current regulations and can offer a government incentive to reduce installation costs. We are authorised and registered OZEV installers, and our charge points come with a 3-year warranty.
There are various EV chargers currently on the market, and it can be a little confusing to choose the best one for your property. We will take out the hassle and provide you with the most suitable and affordable option, ranging from the standard systems to the smart ones that are becoming increasingly popular.
We offer all kinds of different options to choose from, such as wall-mounted to freestanding pedestal units, and from fast charging to rapid charging units. Depending on the size and demand of the premises, our experts will help assess the best solution for your property’s needs.
Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 3001 for a quick consultation with our leading industry experts and more information on landlord EV charging for flats & HMOs.
Photo by Oxana Melis on Unsplash
