My tenant in the townhouse wants an EV plug installed — who's supposed to pay for this?
I own a townhouse up in NJ that I've rented out for about 8 years now — I'm down in North Carolina myself, so it's a long-distance landlord situation, but this tenant has been great. Three years, always on time, never a maintenance headache. Last week she texted asking if she could have an electrician put in a 240V outlet in the garage for a new EV she's getting. Her equipment, her cost to install, she says.
Here's my hang-up. She's said herself she doesn't see herself there forever — maybe another year, two tops. So say she installs this thing, I'm now the guy with a 240V outlet in a townhouse garage and the next tenant might not even have an EV. Do I make her pay for removal too? Split the install cost since it arguably adds value to my property either way? Just say no and let her figure out a portable solution instead? I've never dealt with this before and want to do right by her without setting myself up for a headache.
Filed under: Renters, Apartments & HOA Charging
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11 answers
11 ANSWERS
@misty_waffleJuly 24, 2026
In my building the landlord made the tenant pay 100% and sign an addendum saying it stays behind if they move, no reimbursement. Worked out fine, nobody fought about it because it was in writing before anything got installed.
@gravelfox88July 29, 2026
From a pure economics standpoint, a 240V outlet in a garage is a selling point for basically any future tenant or buyer, EV or not. It's not like it hurts you. Typical job for just the outlet, no panel upgrade needed, runs $150-$600 depending on distance from the panel.
Honestly hadn't thought about it that way, I was picturing it as this weird niche thing sitting unused. Fair point that it's just... an outlet.
@duskravenJuly 24, 2026
I've got a couple rental properties and every landlord I've talked to on this splits it some way, usually landlord fronts material cost tenant fronts labor or vice versa. Also worth knowing it's a depreciable improvement on your end come tax time, so it's not pure cost to you.
This tracks with what's generally been discussed here before — a lot of landlords in similar threads ended up covering part of it because it's a permanent improvement to the unit, then some recoup a slice through a small rent bump at renewal instead of asking for cash upfront.
@wrenlee_kJuly 26, 2026
I went through this as the tenant. My landlord and I did 50/50 with a one-page written agreement, nothing fancy, just who pays what and what happens if I move before X years. Made both of us way more comfortable.
What happened with the clause if you left early, did you owe anything back?
We didn't do a payback schedule, just agreed the outlet stays and neither of us owes the other anything if I leave, since it was pretty cheap to begin with. If it'd been an expensive panel upgrade I'd guess that changes the math.
@picklewindowJuly 26, 2026
Gonna be the dissenting voice here, I think tenant pays it all. It's her equipment, her choice, her convenience. You didn't ask for this, she did. If she wants to negotiate a split that's on her to bring to you, not something you owe by default.
Yeah I keep landing back on that too honestly, especially since she brought it to me not the other way around. Just feels a little cold given how good a tenant she's been, but maybe that's separate from who pays for the outlet.
@tinycabinetAugust 05, 2026
wow didn't realize this got this complicated
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