A small landlord with one tenant and no billing platform bills for EV charging from a meter read, not a system. The working routine is: agree the method in writing before the first session, read the charger’s circuit submeter — or the charger’s own session records — on the same day each month, price the energy from the property’s utility bill, and add one line to the rent statement. No platform, no per-session invoicing, and nothing to argue about later.
Key Takeaways
- A small landlord bills from a monthly read — submeter, charger records or an agreed flat amount — not from a platform.
- Price the energy from the property’s own utility bill, and keep the reads on both sides.
- Agree the rate basis, read day, records, authorised users and the final read before the first session.
- Per-kWh billing to a tenant can count as reselling electricity; confirm the local position first.
Three Workable Methods Without a Platform
| Method | How it works | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Submeter on the charger’s circuit | An electrician fits a meter on the charging circuit; landlord and tenant read it monthly and bill the difference | Most accurate record; a one-off fitting cost |
| The charger’s own session records | A charger or app that logs energy per user supplies the monthly total | No extra hardware; depends on the unit’s records being shared honestly |
| Flat monthly amount | A fixed sum written into the lease, reviewed against real use once or twice a year | Simplest; heavy and light users pay the same — hence the review date |
Buildings with many residents need networked chargers and a platform to do this fairly; a single tenancy does not. The arithmetic is the same at any scale: energy used, times the rate on the bill. For orientation, the U.S. average residential price is 18.31 cents per kWh — but the figure that belongs on a tenant’s line is the rate on the property’s own utility bill.
What to Write Down Before the First Session
The method only stays friendly if five fields are settled in the lease or an addendum — fields to agree, not a template:
- The rate basis. Which number prices the energy — normally the per-kWh rate from the property’s own utility bill for that month.
- The read. Which meter or record is read, on which day, and by whom.
- The records. Both sides keep the reads; a photo of the submeter on read day settles most questions before they start.
- Who may charge. The tenant’s car, or any car at the property — guests change the fairness of a flat amount.
- The end of the tenancy. A final read on the last day, settled with the final statement.
The Resale Caution
Charging a tenant per kWh can count as reselling electricity, and whether a landlord may do that — and on what terms — is set by local rules that vary by state and country. Many landlords therefore bill at the documented cost from the utility bill, or fold charging into a flat amount, rather than selling energy at a marked-up price. Confirm the local position before choosing per-kWh billing; the checks are the same ones our overview of charging pricing models describes for larger sites.
Hardware That Keeps a Small Tenancy Simple
Where the tenant parks at a house with a suitable outlet, a plug-in unit avoids fixed work entirely: the EV-ACS4005T is a 9.6 kW NACS portable charger on a NEMA 14-50P plug, adjustable at 16/24/32/40 A, IP66. Where the landlord provides a fixed unit and wants records without a platform contract, the EV-ACT3204PE 22 kW Type 2 wallbox carries RFID and app control, so sessions are recorded per user and the monthly total comes from the unit’s own log. Either way, the routine above — not the hardware — keeps it fair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just add a flat fee to the rent instead?
Yes, if it is agreed in writing. A flat amount is the simplest route, but set a review date and check it against a submeter read or the charger’s records once or twice a year, so the amount stays close to real use for both sides.
Do I need a separate utility meter for the tenant’s charging?
No. A second utility service is the heavy option. A submeter fitted on the charger’s circuit by an electrician gives you the number you need for a tenancy settlement; it is a private record, not a utility billing meter.
What if my tenant charges a second car or lets a guest plug in?
That is a lease-wording question, settled by the “who may charge” field you agreed at the start. Metered billing handles it automatically — every kWh is counted whoever used it — while a flat amount needs the agreement to say whose cars it covers.
Related Reading
- Can I Have an Electric Car Charger at Home? Houses, Rentals and Condos
- How Much Do EV Charging Stations Charge? Pricing Models Explained
- How to Charge an EV When You Live in an Apartment
- Apartment and Condo EV Charging: Solutions for Shared Parking
