Sixty per cent of the flat owners said yes. Forty per cent said no. Could the customer go ahead with an EV charger in a communal car park because most owners supported it?
This was a real enquiry we received about a Scottish property. The car park was collectively owned by all the flat owners, and nobody had a dedicated parking space.
We took the question to a solicitor. On that occasion, the advice we received was that the customer needed 100% agreement from the other owners before proceeding with the installation.
We are electricians, not solicitors. We are sharing the advice given to us about that particular situation, and another property needs its own assessment.
For anyone hoping to charge outside their flat, the enquiry raises some useful questions. Who can approve the work, where will the car actually park, and how would the charger operate in a space everyone shares?
Why 60 per cent agreement was not enough in this case
The customer had support from a clear majority of the flat owners. That was encouraging, but it did not settle whether the proposed work could go ahead.
The important details were the collective ownership of the car park and the absence of dedicated spaces. This was not a straightforward proposal to fit a charger beside a parking bay belonging solely to the customer.
After we explained the circumstances, the solicitor advised that agreement from all the other owners was needed for this installation. The 60% support therefore did not meet the requirement explained to us.
That is the useful lesson from the enquiry. Before relying on a vote, find out what approval your particular proposal requires and who has authority to give it.
A show of hands can establish interest. Your solicitor can advise whether it provides the consent needed for the proposed work and how any agreement should be recorded.
Who can approve an EV charger in a communal car park
Start with the ownership documents and the proposed installation. A description such as shared parking does not, by itself, explain who owns the ground, what rights each flat has or how changes can be authorised.
Scottish housing charity Under One Roof advises owners considering EV charging to check ownership of the ground and walls, along with relevant conditions in their titles. Those are questions to take to a solicitor who can review your property documents.
Give them a clear description of the work. A wall mounted charger, a post in the car park and a cable trench through shared ground may involve different parts of the property.
Useful questions include:
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Who owns the proposed charger location and the full cable route?
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What consent is required for this specific installation?
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Who can give that consent, and how should it be documented?
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Does the proposal also change how residents use or park in the area?
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What arrangements are needed for future maintenance, replacement or removal?
Ask these questions while the scheme is being planned. Discovering an ownership issue after choosing equipment or agreeing an installation date can mean revisiting the whole proposal.
What role does the property factor play
A factor can be a useful starting point for discussing a shared project. Ask what information they need, how they will consult owners and what authority they have to act.
The Scottish Government’s Code of Conduct for Property Factors requires their written statement of services to explain the basis of their authority. Request the relevant information rather than assuming management of the car park includes authority to approve your installation.
Where there is no factor, owners still need a clear contact and an agreed way to handle the proposal. An electrician can provide installation details, but questions about ownership and the approval process belong with the appropriate legal adviser.
No allocated space means more to resolve than permission
Even if the necessary consent can be obtained, a charger must work with the way people park. In an unallocated car park, the space beside the equipment may be occupied when you arrive home.
Imagine paying for a charger near the building, then finding another resident parked beside it every evening. Unless suitable parking arrangements have been agreed, the charger may be available while the space you need is not.
Do not build the proposal around an assumption that installing equipment will reserve a bay for you. Ask how parking rights and any proposed changes should be addressed, and make the intended arrangement clear to other owners.
Think through an ordinary evening
Where will your car park while charging? Can you connect it without crossing a footpath, obstructing another bay or stretching the cable through a busy part of the car park?
Consider how people reach the entrance, bins and other vehicles. Someone using a wheelchair or walking aid needs a usable route even when a vehicle is plugged in.
Also consider what happens when a second resident buys an electric car. A position that works for one driver might become awkward if several people need access at similar times.
Give the other owners a proposal they can understand
Asking whether neighbours support electric cars is different from asking them to consider a particular installation. People need to understand what would change outside their homes.
A practical proposal can show the charger position, cable route and any excavation. Include how disturbed paving or tarmac would be reinstated and whether work would temporarily affect parking or access.
Photographs with the proposed route marked on them can make the discussion easier. Label them as a proposal, so nobody mistakes an early layout for an approved design.
Explain who would pay for the installation and electricity. Also identify who would deal with faults, damage, maintenance and any eventual removal.
If only one owner would use the charger, say so. If you are proposing a facility for several residents, explain how users would access it and how their charging would be paid for.
Concerns will vary between developments. Asking owners about their specific concerns can reveal whether a revised position, clearer costs or a different shared arrangement would help them consider the proposal.
What an electrician needs to check
Ownership advice and electrical assessment answer different questions. An installer needs enough information to establish whether the proposed arrangement can be supplied, installed and used safely.
The IET’s guidance on EV charging installations covers the technical requirements behind safe charging. The design needs to account for the existing installation, suitable protective measures and the equipment manufacturer’s instructions.
The electricity supply
Where would the electricity come from? Possible arrangements to investigate include an individual flat’s supply or a suitably designed supply for shared charging.
The nearest communal electrical cupboard is not enough information to make that decision. The installer needs to assess the proposed demand, available capacity and the suitability of the existing equipment.
SSEN’s EV connection guidance explains the installer’s role in assessing demand and following the appropriate network connection process. Any required network work needs to be understood before an installation date is committed to.
The route from the supply to the charger
The shortest route on a photograph may cross several shared areas. An actual survey needs to consider the full route, how the cable will be protected and what work the ground or building requires.
Granite walls, paved paths and the distance between the supply and parking area can all influence the proposal. This is why a standard driveway installation price does not necessarily describe a communal car park project.
For an initial discussion, photographs of the parking area and accessible electrical equipment can help. Our remote EV charger survey provides a starting point, with an on site assessment where needed.
Charging speed and everyday use
Discuss how long vehicles usually remain parked and how many residents would charge. Ask the installer what charging performance is realistic for the available supply and proposed equipment.
Where several chargers are planned, ask whether load management is appropriate and what happens when they operate together. The IET’s charging infrastructure guide covers the wider planning considerations for charging facilities, including supply and operation.
Would a shared charger be a better proposal
A charger for several residents may be worth discussing where nobody has a dedicated bay. It gives owners a different proposal to consider, particularly if more than one household already wants to charge.
It still needs the relevant approvals. Changing the proposal from individual use to shared use is not a way to bypass an unresolved consent issue.
Start with demand. How many residents need charging now, how often do they expect to plug in, and how might that change over the next few years?
Then discuss the everyday arrangements. A shared facility needs someone to manage access, handle problems and explain the charging costs to residents.
Agree how access and payment would work
Ask potential suppliers how authorised users would start a session and how electricity use would be recorded. Find out whether there are ongoing software, payment or management charges.
Agree what happens when charging finishes. Leaving a car plugged in overnight might suit one household but prevent another resident using the same equipment.
Think about visitors, tenants and changes of ownership too. Clear arrangements at the start can prevent the owners relying on one resident’s personal account or informal promises indefinitely.
Installation costs are only part of the discussion
Owners need a clear picture of what they are being asked to fund. Request a written scope that distinguishes the charger and electrical installation from any excavation, reinstatement or network work.
Depending on the proposal, there may also be legal advice, professional management or permissions to budget for. Ask what is included, what remains provisional and what further information could change the price.
Ongoing costs deserve their own discussion. Electricity, maintenance and any service subscriptions need an agreed payer and a way of dealing with future changes.
If one resident offers to pay everything initially, clarify what happens when they move. Ask the solicitor and factor how ownership of the equipment and continuing responsibilities should be recorded.
Check funding without assuming it settles consent
The Energy Saving Trust publishes details of factored development chargepoint funding in Scotland. Factors and property managers considering a communal scheme can check the current eligibility and application requirements there.
The scheme requires consent and authority from owners, and a grant offer must be in place before installation starts. Funding availability and terms can change, so confirm the current position before making commitments.
Keep the agreed layout and responsibilities together
Once a workable proposal has the necessary approvals, keep a copy of the layout alongside the written agreement and installation scope. Everyone should be able to identify the charger position, cable route and intended parking arrangements.
If the installer discovers that the route needs to change, check whether the revised work is still covered by the consent obtained. A different wall or stretch of ground should not be treated as an unimportant detail simply because it makes installation easier.
Ask what electrical certification and handover information will be provided. For shared equipment, agree who will hold the records and who residents should contact if a charger stops working.
Include a practical arrangement for maintenance access. A charger behind a parked vehicle, or electrical equipment inside a locked area, may need someone available to let the maintenance contractor reach it.
These details help the arrangement continue when residents change. They also give the factor or nominated contact something clear to refer to when questions arise later.
What to do if some owners say no
Start by understanding the objection. Someone concerned about paying for another household’s electricity may have a different concern from someone worried about losing access to parking.
A revised design or clearer explanation may help people assess the proposal. It may also reveal a problem that needs a more substantial change, such as a different location or a properly planned shared scheme.
Ask your solicitor what options are available for the actual property and proposal. Do not assume that repeating the vote or obtaining a larger majority will resolve the issue.
In our enquiry, the solicitor’s advice was that 100% agreement from the other owners was needed. We could not treat the 60% support as satisfying the requirement explained to us.
While discussions continue, plan how you will charge elsewhere. Do not rely on an ordinary household extension lead across shared access routes as a substitute for a suitable installation; Electrical Safety First provides EV charging safety advice.
Common questions about communal car park charging
Does every Scottish communal car park need 100 per cent agreement
We are not making that claim. It was the advice given by the solicitor for the particular enquiry described here, involving collective ownership and no dedicated spaces.
Your solicitor needs to consider your own property documents and the work proposed. Another development may have a different ownership or management arrangement.
What if I have an allocated parking bay
Provide the documents explaining the allocation when seeking advice. Also identify any shared ground or walls the installation would affect, because the bay is only one part of the proposed work.
Can a factor approve it without asking everyone
Ask the factor to explain their authority for the specific proposal and provide the relevant documentation. If the position is unclear, get advice from your solicitor before relying on an approval.
Does planning permission settle owner consent
Treat planning and property consent as separate checks. The Scottish Government’s guidance on EV charging in parking areas sets out permitted development provisions and their conditions.
Ask the local planning authority about your site where necessary, and your solicitor about ownership consent. Neither question should be left to an assumption based on somebody else’s installation.
Can I get a quotation before all the permissions are settled
An initial assessment can help establish a realistic proposal for owners to consider. Make clear that it is subject to the necessary approvals, and ask what further investigation is needed before a firm quotation can be provided.
Planning communal charging in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire
Before contacting an installer, gather the information you already have: photographs, the parking layout, any factor correspondence and an outline of who would use and pay for the charger. Keep legal advice about the property with the proposal so everyone is discussing the same work.
Faithful Spark Electricians can help assess the electrical installation and explain the practical options. Whether your property is in Aberdeen, Peterhead, Ellon or Fraserburgh, start with a clear description of the parking and ownership arrangements.
Contact Faithful Spark Electricians to discuss your EV charger proposal. We can help you understand the electrical work, while your solicitor advises on the consent your particular property needs.
