The Department for Transport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published a consultation on 21 October 2026 proposing an “ability to charge” for tenants and leaseholders in England who have off-street parking. The aim is to stop landlords and freeholders delaying or refusing charge point requests without good reason. The government is weighing non-statutory guidance against legislation, and responses close on 16 December 2026.
Key Takeaways
- England is consulting on an “ability to charge” for tenants and leaseholders with off-street parking.
- Options range from voluntary guidance to legislation with deadlines such as 28 days.
- Refusals would need a reason, such as BS 7671 non-compliance or a needed network upgrade.
- The consultation closes on 16 December 2026.
Key Figures
- An estimated 4.8 million leasehold dwellings in England in 2023 to 2024.
- Rented homes make up 35% of households: 4.6 million private rented and 4 million social rented.
- Charge point grants of up to £500 are available to people in flats and rented homes and to residential landlords.
- Since 2022 those grants have supported 26,504 sockets for flat and rental residents and 5,564 through landlord grants.
What Is Proposed
The first option is guidance that explains what tenants should include in a request and how landlords should respond. It would be voluntary. The second option is legislation requiring timely decisions and banning unreasonable refusals. One example given is a written response within 28 calendar days, with reasons if the answer is no. Under this model the tenant or leaseholder would normally pay the up-front cost of the charger and its installation. Legislation would need primary legislation and parliamentary time. The consultation notes that similar rights already exist in France and Norway.
The draft list of reasonable grounds for refusal includes a breach of lease terms, a need for local network upgrades such as a looped supply, no off-street parking, a building-wide scheme already planned by the freeholder, an installation that would not comply with BS 7671, and insufficient parking space.
What It Means
For installers, rental and leasehold properties are a large group of homes that have been hard to reach. Clear request rules could turn many stalled enquiries into jobs, but paperwork will matter: landlords are likely to ask for evidence of BS 7671 compliance, load checks and a plan for maintenance and removal. A wallbox with app control and RFID, such as the EV-ACT3204E, can help where access to a shared parking area needs to be controlled. Our residential charging solutions cover other home options.
Landlords and managing agents may also prefer one building-wide scheme over many single requests, which favours networked chargers with load management.
Related Reading
- How Do I Claim My EV Charger Grant? UK, Ireland and US Explained
- Is the EV Charger Grant Ending? UK, US and Ireland Status in 2026
- EV Charging News: UK Project Aims to Let Drivers Use Their Home Tariff at Public Chargers
