- Get at least 3 quotes
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Before deciding to contract with a business get at least 3 quotes. You should feel free to discuss any quotations you receive with a trusted family member or friend before making a decision, and take the time to compare the quotations as well as check information against independent sources.
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- Don't sign a contract or pay a deposit before understanding what you are signing up to
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Before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, make sure you read and understand all the information carefully, and ask for clarification if anything is unclear.
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- Read our consumer guidance
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Our guidance explains the main features of EV chargepoints and sets out questions you should ask your installer about getting a chargepoint before making any decisions.
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- Only approach companies listed on the EVCC website
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Use our site to find an EVCC member, or check that your chosen installer is an EVCC member, before signing a contract.
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- Check if you are eligible for any grants
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If you are looking for access any OZEV grants or the EST Scotland grant then check that the business is appropriately authorised before signing a contract.
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Questions to ask
Charging an EV is a simple process that requires you to connect it to a source of electricity using a cable. However, chargepoints come with different operational features, charge rates, sockets, and cables so it is good to know what might suit you best before you sign a contract.
For example, some chargepoints can have additional features such as charge scheduling, meaning you can set it to charge your EV overnight and/or at times of off peak electricity tariffs like Economy 7. And some can be monitored remotely, allowing you to check on it whilst it is charging, to change the settings and to switch charging on or off without being present. This is known as ‘smart’ charging.
Additionally, a qualified electrician will need to consider a few key issues to determine whether you can have an EV chargepoint installed at your home, including whether you need permission to install the chargepoint, whether you have an appropriate location for the chargepoint to be installed, the adequacy of your existing electricity supply and whether there are any safety concerns..
We have set out some questions below which you can use to ask your installer, before you buy a home chargepoint, to make sure you get all the answers you need:
• Do I have a suitable place to install a chargepoint?
• Can my electricity supply cope with the extra load of EV charging?
• Is the installer a qualified electrician? Have they trained in installing EV supply equipment? (A requirement for EVCC members).
• How much does the chargepoint/the installation cost for a standard install?
Will my property need extra work done to it in order to install the chargepoint, and if so, how much will this cost?
• What is the power rating of the chargepoint?
• Is it a tethered unit compatible with my EV or one with a Universal Socket?
• Is it ‘smart’ i.e. can it charge automatically when grid electricity is cheapest/ greenest/ between specific times/ when my solar PV is generating energy etc?
• Is there an app to go with the chargepoint that is easy to use?
• Is the chargepoint eligible for the OZEV grant or EST Scotland Funding?
• How long is the warranty?
• I have a solar PV system, will it work effectively with it?
• Find a list of current EVCC members here.
• Further guidance - For more on EVs and EV chargepoints, see out Consumer Guidance here.
• Once you have installed your EV home chargepoint, why not tell us how you found the experience? You can give us feedback via info@electric-vehicle.org.uk.
• To log a complaint about one of our members visit What to do when things go wrong.