A practical guide to installing a charging point in a house or community, including Moves grants.
Updated July 1, 2026·6 min read
Quick answer
Installing an electric car charger at home
A practical guide to installing a charging point in a house or community, including Moves grants.
Types of charging point
For domestic use a 7.4 kW single-phase wallbox is typical, enough to charge most vehicles overnight. In communities a pre-installation and individual meters are fitted.
Requirements in communities
You only need to notify the owners' association; no vote is required. A licensed installer manages the project and the additional protection.
Moves grants
The Moves plan covers part of the cost of the charger and installation. Your electrician can process the application for you.
Home electric-vehicle charging: Facts that change the decision
Before deciding, collect available capacity, cable route, existing consumer unit, parking bay and normal mileage. A useful survey or study explains how those inputs were obtained and the limits of its estimate.
The answer changes with contracted capacity, dynamic load management, supply type and garage rules. Ask for a base scenario and another showing the effect of changed conditions.
Provide twelve months of bills or consumption readings where available.
Ask for access, space and capacity constraints to be identified in writing.
Check that equipment brands and model references match the technical sheets.
Home electric-vehicle charging: Evidence, scope and rules
Request a load calculation, protection diagram, charger specification and community approval where applicable. The scope, exclusions and responsibility for each procedure should be unambiguous.
ITC-BT-52 and the REBT provide the technical framework; selecting power and features is editorial advice. Do not replace documentary checks with a sales explanation.
Request a timetable separating survey, work, testing and document handover.
Keep drawings, work photographs, serial numbers and certificates received.
Confirm in writing which authorised professional signs where the work requires it.
Home electric-vehicle charging: Compare without shortcuts
A common mistake is using a standard socket as a permanent solution or skipping the circuit assessment. Compare equivalent proposals rather than headlines, and ask which assumption explains every difference.
A more complete option may be preferable even when it is not the shortest to read. Where there is electrical risk, do not manipulate anything to test a theory; arrange qualified help.
Compare materials, protective devices, labour and paperwork as separate items.
Ask which specific condition can create an extra charge and how approval works.
Review product and workmanship warranty as well as the fault-contact route.
What to verify
Use this list to turn the guide into specific questions before approving any work.
Exact scope, exclusions and final outcome in writing.
Installer authorisation for the work and any required certificates.
Included protective devices, tests and safety measures.
Itemised price, taxes, travel and possible extras.
Permits, legalisation, registration and handover documents.
Any grant or tax relief checked against the current official call.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to increase my contracted power?
Not always. A load-management system can avoid increasing the power and therefore the fixed part of the bill.
Can I install a charger in my community garage space?
Yes, the law gives you the right to install it by notifying the community, with no approval needed.
Official source
Sources and regulations
Primary public sources used for the regulatory and administrative framework. Always check the current version and the procedure that applies to your case.