Electric Vehicle (EV) charging in strata schemes
Overview
"I live in a strata and I want to buy an EV, can this work?" This type of enquiry is becoming increasingly common and with multi-level schemes usually having enclosed communal car parking areas on the lower floors, things are a little different to an owner of a house who has their own garage and Synergy account.
Common Power - the Strata Company (all owners) don't want to pay for the electric use
Keeping track of electricity usage and being able to charge owners for what they use can be simple. A digital solution such as Chargefox allows users to either pay per session / or by set period. Then the Strata Company will be reimbursed every quarter for the common consumption.
Do we need to set aside bays for EV charging or can owners have a unit installed in their own bay?
It is recommended that EV charging is installed in the owner's bay. Many schemes won't have the capacity to set aside EV bays for communal use and this option isn't really futureproofing anyway. Most EV owners charge up during the night time - so it makes sense to have the hardware installed in the bay the owner uses.
Who pays for the installation?
The lot owner will be responsible for the installation cost to their bay. There may be other charges prior to the installation charge - for example having a by-law written and submitted to Landgate, giving the lot owner permission to place a conduit over the common property from the main meter to their bay. This cost will vary from scheme to scheme and the Strata Company (all owners) may decide to put in place a blanket agreement (by-law) for all owners who may want to install a charging unit at a future date.
The good news is that following the amendments to the STA 1985, installing sustainable infrastructure within schemes is now easier with the vote requirement amended to an Ordinary Resolution.