Electric vehicle charging stations in a condominium: rules and resolution

Electric vehicle charging stations in a condominium are now a frequent request, and the administrator must be able to tell apart the cases where the individual owner's initiative is enough from those that require a resolution of the meeting. The installation of charging stations in a condominium is governed by the Civil Code in a way favourable to electric mobility, but it remains subject to safety and decorum limits. Here are the rules, the majorities and the financial aspects.

Charging stations in a condominium: what the law says

The rules distinguish two situations. When the system is promoted by the condominium as a whole and installed on the common parts, it falls within the facilitated innovations provided by article 1120 of the Civil Code. When instead it is the individual owner who wants a socket or a wall-box serving their own parking space or garage, the law recognises an individual right, provided the work is at their own expense and respects the common parts.

Installation by the individual owner

The individual owner may install, at their own expense, a charging point serving their own unit, giving notice to the administrator. The meeting, once informed, may prescribe appropriate methods of execution or indicate alternative solutions, for example for safety reasons or to coordinate several requests. The aim of the rule is to allow charging without locking it behind the unanimous consent of the other owners.

The limits to respect

Even individual installation is subject to the general limits on innovations set by article 1120: it must not harm the stability and safety of the building, must not alter its architectural decorum and must not make any common part unusable or unenjoyable even by a single owner. Compliance with the technical and safety rules of the electrical system is also required.

The system resolved by the meeting

When it is the condominium that decides to equip the common parts with a shared charging infrastructure, the resolution falls among the facilitated innovations. In this case the majority indicated by the second paragraph of article 1136 of the Civil Code applies, namely the majority of those present representing at least half the value of the building. This is a lower majority than the ordinary one for innovations, precisely to encourage this kind of work.

Allocating the expenses

The allocation criterion depends on who uses the system. If the charging station is installed by the individual, the installation costs and consumption remain their responsibility. If the system is shared and resolved by the meeting, the expenses are allocated among the owners who use it, while consumption must be measured and charged to whoever actually charges. It is good practice to provide dedicated meters to separate individual consumption from that of the common parts.

• Individual owner's station: installation and consumption at their expense.
• Shared system: expenses allocated among the owners who use it.
• Electricity consumption: measured and charged to whoever charges, with dedicated meters.
• Maintenance of the common infrastructure: according to the criteria resolved.

Tax incentives

Over time various incentives for installing charging stations have followed one another, such as dedicated grants and deductions linked to building works. The rates, spending limits and deadlines change from year to year and should not be taken for granted: before resolving, it is worth checking the incentives actually in force and the requirements involved, also with the support of a professional. In some cases the installation may fall among the works giving rise to a deduction, with the duty to send the relevant communications.

System safety and electrical capacity

Before installing one or more charging stations it is essential to assess the capacity of the condominium's electrical system. A growing number of charging points may exceed the available power and require upgrades to the meter or load-management systems that distribute power among users. The work must be carried out by a qualified installer, with the related declaration of conformity, and must comply with the technical rules of the sector. Neglecting these aspects exposes the building to safety risks and possible disputes among owners.

In larger buildings it is worth thinking ahead: laying the conduits and supply points to accommodate future charging stations is often cheaper than intervening several times. Planning shared at the meeting avoids disorderly solutions and reduces overall costs.

The administrator's role

The administrator plays a coordinating role: they receive the owners' notices, check the compatibility of the works with safety and decorum, bring to the meeting the requests concerning the common parts and see to the allocation of expenses and the measurement of consumption. An orderly management of requests avoids conflicts and puts the condominium in a position to welcome electric mobility without disputes.

Managing charging stations with management software

Condominium management software helps track installation requests, manage the meeting resolutions on the charging infrastructure and allocate expenses and consumption transparently. Reading the dedicated meters and charging consumption to each owner become part of the ordinary accounting.

AmministraPro lets you manage the installation of charging stations in a condominium, from resolutions to the allocation of expenses and consumption, with integrated accounting and a document archive. You can see how it works on the features page or compare the plans in the pricing section.