Why Landlords Should Offer EV Charging
Tenant demand is rising — More renters and commercial tenants expect EV charging as a basic amenity.
Property value & competitiveness — Buildings with EV infrastructure tend to command higher rents or sales premiums.
Low capital risk via operator models — Landlords can lease land or parking bays to Charge Point Operators (CPOs) with minimal upfront cost.
Government support & grants — Various grant schemes help offset installation costs for landlords.
The landlord grants a lease or licence to a CPO, who installs, operates, and maintains the charging infrastructure while paying rent or sharing revenue.
Rent models: fixed rent per charger, index-linked uplifts, or revenue-share (profit/rental share) models.
Lease terms: must consider rights for redevelopment, “lift & shift” relocation clauses, and renewal/termination flexibility.
Security obligations: tenant will often take full repairing and reinstatement responsibility.
Substation leases: where new power infrastructure is needed, separate long-term leases may be required with DNOs.
The landlord installs and operates the chargers, retaining full revenue and control. This route requires capital, technical oversight, and ongoing maintenance.
Revenue upside is higher, but so is risk exposure to downtime, energy cost, and technology obsolescence.
Partnerships where landlord and operator share installation cost, revenue, or responsibilities. This balances control and risk.
A tenant requests installation, and landlord grants permission under defined terms — often requiring legal agreements to manage responsibilities.
Electricity capacity & load balancing: Ensure grid capacity and employ load-management to manage multiple chargers on limited infrastructure.
Planning and building regulations: EV charger installations may be “development” — check whether planning permission is needed.
Title, access & rights: Ensure rights to cable runs, access to parking, and landlord consent in leases.
Lease drafting: Include clauses for assignment, substation rights, termination, relocation, and reinstatement.
Maintenance & uptime: Define responsibilities and service levels.
Scaling & future-proofing: Pre-cabling and modular systems to accommodate growth.
Rent per charger: In commercial leases, typical rent bands are £2,000 to £4,000 per charger per year (index linked).
Operator models growth: CBRE notes two core revenue models — lease-out to CPOs and full landlord ownership — depending on risk appetite.
Apartment / multi-unit solutions: Providers such as Connectric provide turnkey solutions for flats and landlord portfolios.
Load-balancing systems: iDACS offers scalable systems for apartment blocks and landlord schemes.
| Challenge | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Technology obsolescence | Include upgrade or refresh provisions in lease |
| Capacity constraints / grid costs | Use smart load balancing; negotiate DNO upgrades |
| Tenant turnover / assignment complexities | Require assignment or novation clauses, direct agreements with funders |
| Lease renewal / security of tenure | Exclude from Landlord & Tenant Act 1954, or include break clauses |
| Legal & planning delays | Undertake pre-appraisal, conditional leases pending planning |
| Removal & reinstatement costs | Define responsibilities and agreed limits in the lease |
Feasibility & demand modelling — footprint, usage, grid, payback
Operator sourcing & deal structuring — connecting landlords to proven CPOs
Drafting & negotiation — ensuring lease terms protect your interests
Regulatory & compliance support — planning, title, DNO engagement
Exit & asset strategy alignment — integrating EV infrastructure into your property’s roadmap
To explore EV charging solutions tailored to your London or UK property portfolio, visit FraserBond.com and request our EV infrastructure advisory service.
