If you are thinking about getting an electric vehicle, you will need to consider how and where you are going to charge it up.
Charging an electric vehicle at home is not always possible. We have created the below guidance to help you decide if an electrical vehicle will be a possibility for you and your property. If you have any questions then please contact us via your Housing Online account or on 01303 853300.
Charging on the street
It is against the law to place your own charger on public roads or run charging cables across paths. It is dangerous for pedestrians and could stop people with mobility impairments from using the path.
This means that unless you have your own private drive or off-street parking you cannot charge an electric vehicle at home.
Charging on your own driveway or off-street parking
If you have a driveway, you can use the 3-pin charging cable provided by your car's manufacturer to charge directly from your home energy supply. You can speak with your electricity provider about tariffs to support efficient charging.
For faster charging, you could consider installing a dedicated vehicle charger. You must get permission first, please see the ‘Installing a Charger’ section below for more information . The UK Government's Electric Vehicle Homecharge Grant helps some households with up to 75% of the installation costs.
If your charger faces onto the street and is installed within 2 metres of the road or pavement, you may need planning permission to install it.
You can find some general guidance on the planning portal or for more information you can contact the F&HDC Planning Team.
Installing a charger - houses
Installing a charger at your property is classed as a property alteration so you will need to get our permission first as your landlord.
Please note we can only consider requests where the property has its own driveway or off-street parking. You will be responsible for all costs associated with installing and maintaining the charger.
If you have a front garden and you want to use it to park/charge a car you must get have a proper vehicle hardstanding installed, and you will need to get our permission for this before you start any work.
You may also need to get a dropped kerb installed you can contact Kent County Council Highways for information about this.
Your electric vehicle charging point must only be installed by a skilled person registered with a competent person scheme and authorised by OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles).
The charging point will also need to meet all standards in force at the time – these will be supplied when permission is requested.
You can visit the gov.uk website to find out if you are eligible for a grant towards the costs of installation.
Installing a charger – flats
We cannot currently give permission for chargers to be installed in flats, or in the communal areas of flats.
If you live in a flat, you must not trail any cables or wires from your home to your vehicle at any time – even if your vehicle is in a private parking area