Government Grants Available for EV Charging Points for Flats

Electric cars are becoming increasingly more popular, and it is no surprise when you look at today’s surging fuel costs.

Although, this isn’t the only thing driving an increase in popularity; Technology is getting better in terms electric vehicle performance and battery life, the government is planning to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030  and hybrids by 2035, the introduction of new clean air zones, such as the one being introduced in Bristol on the 28^th of November 2022, and finally consumers are becoming much more environmentally conscious.

When you take this all into account, it is no surprise that more than half of UK motorists 16-49 plan to make the switch to an electric vehicle over the next ten years.

A major barrier to making the switch is the ability for drivers to access charging points and to combat this the government is funnelling investment into this area.

A recent scheme that sets out to combat this is a charging point grant for buildings classified as flats.

How Does the Chargepoint Grant Scheme for Flats Work?

According to the UK GOV’s website, the government will pay 75% of the installation fee up to a cost of £350. To be eligible for the grant you need to be an owner occupier of the flat or rent a residential property. In order to streamline the process the government doesn’t even require you to make the claim for the grant, your installer will make the claim for you, and it will be supplied by The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.

What are the Requirements?

There are a couple more requirements that need to be met to take advantage of the scheme. Your flat needs to have its own clearly defined off street parking space, which you can access at any time, you also need to have the legal right to that space.

If you own or have the rights to a parking space that is not part of the property and is in a separate location, you will need to show the installer your Land Registry deeds for the spot. If the space is separate, it is required that no cables cross public land – even if it is just temporary – for safety purposes.

In addition to this, your vehicle also needs to qualify for the grant. Check the list of OZEV-approved electric vehicles here.

Why do I Need My Own Charging Point?

If you own or want to make the switch to an electric car, you need access to your own home charging point. Most electric vehicle owners choose to charge their car overnight, a full charge will cost around £15, and most vehicles will have a range of 200 to 300 miles with this charge. A typical petrol station would bill you around £11 for a rapid charge but this would only give you a range of around 90 miles (dependent on the electric car’s performance and your driving style).

We are currently experiencing a period of inflated energy prices but as these begin to fall, energy prices offered to homes will fall in line with market prices. The same cannot be said for commercial electric charging points, it is likely that these will remain inflated to maintain or indeed increase profit margins.

Both for economic and accessibility reasons making the switch just makes sense, especially when you can take advantage of the government grant.

What if I’m the Landlord of a Flat?

There are 2 grants available for landlords who wish to install chargepoints for electric vehicles at a property they own, they are as follows:

• an electric vehicle chargepoint grant (EV chargepoint grant)
• an electric vehicle infrastructure grant (EV infrastructure grant)

Landlords can apply for both an infrastructure AND chargepoint grant at the same property.

As a residential landlord you will be able to take advantage of the electric vehicle chargepoint scheme as it allows up to 200 grants a year. For commercial property landlords you can claim up to 100 grants a year.

Find out more about Chargepoints for Landlords here:

https://www.gov.uk/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-grant-landlords

What If I am A Tenant Living in a Rented Flat or the Owner Occupier?

As a tenant or owner occupier, you can take advantage of the scheme providing that you meet the above-mentioned conditions: owning a qualifying vehicle and having access to a suitable parking space.

A condition of the scheme is that you are only able to claim the grant once. So before claiming the grant you may want to consider your future.

If you are planning to stay in your flat for the long term, then it is worth the investment. However, if this isn’t the case, and you may be thinking about moving to a new property in the future, it might be best to wait.

If you’re a tenant or owner occupier you can apply for a chargepoint here:

https://www.gov.uk/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-grant-household/apply-for-an-ev-chargepoint-grant-

Conclusion

Increasingly people you know will make the switch to electric powered vehicles so you’ll probably see more chargepoint installations taking place in your area.

However if you’re new to all of this and are interested in owning and running an electric car then our Essential Tips For Electric Cars page is a good place to start! If you happen to be an electric car owner in or around Chepstow, Newport or Bristol and would like to book an existing electric vehicle in with us then check out our electric car servicing page.