# Charging point in a rental apartment – rules and permission for tenants *Ulrika Justusson* *13 november 2026* > Are you allowed to install a charging point in a rental apartment? Here is what you as a tenant need to know about permission, the Swedish Land Code and what applies when you move out. # Charging point in a rental apartment – rules and permission for tenants Are you allowed to install a charging point in your rental apartment? Short answer: yes, but only if the landlord approves it first. Installing a charging point counts as a material change to the apartment or the property, and under the Swedish Land Code (Jordabalken) chapter 12, section 25, a tenant may not make such a change without the landlord's consent. This article explains what applies, how to apply, and what happens if you install without permission. ## Do you need the landlord's permission for a charging point? Yes. The Swedish Land Code chapter 12, section 25, states that the tenant may not make any material change to the apartment or its fixed fittings without the landlord's consent. A charging point is mounted on the wall, wired into the property's electrical system and connected to the building's power supply. It is a fixed installation that affects the building, not just a movable item you place in a room. Therefore, the landlord's approval is required before you drill, run cables or connect anything. If the landlord says no, you do not have an automatic right to install it anyway. You cannot refer to the fact that you drive an electric car or that other tenants want to charge. The decision rests with the landlord, who owns the property and is responsible for the electrical system. ## What the law says about changes to the rental apartment The Swedish Land Code chapter 12 regulates the tenant's obligations regarding maintenance and changes to the apartment. In addition to section 25 on material changes, there are rules that the tenant must maintain the apartment and not cause unnecessary damage. If you install a charging point without permission, you breach both the tenancy agreement and the law. The landlord can then require you to restore the apartment to the condition it was in before the installation, at your own expense. This means the charging point must be removed, holes in the wall repaired and the electrical system restored. The landlord can also claim damages if the installation has caused damage to the property. ## How to apply for permission for a charging point Start by contacting the landlord in writing. State that you want to install a charging point, where it should be placed and how the installation will be carried out. Ask whether the landlord has their own electrician who must be engaged, and whether there are specific requirements for what type of charging point may be used. Some things that are good to include in your application: - Exactly where the charging point should be mounted (which wall, which parking space if there is one) - Which model and power rating the charging point has - Who will carry out the installation (authorized electrician) - How electricity consumption will be measured and billed Keep copies of your application and the landlord's reply. If the landlord says yes, ask for written approval so that you both know what applies. A verbal yes is difficult to prove if a dispute arises later. ## What happens if you install without permission? If you install a charging point without the landlord's approval, you risk several things: - The landlord can require you to immediately remove the charging point and restore the apartment - You may be liable for removal and repair costs - The landlord can terminate the tenancy agreement if you do not rectify the issue - You may be liable for damages if the installation causes damage to the electrical system or the property It is therefore not worth taking a chance. Wait for written approval before any installation begins. ## Who pays for the charging point? If the landlord approves the installation, it is common for the tenant to bear the cost of the charging point, the installation and the ongoing electricity consumption. There is no statutory right for the tenant to demand that the landlord pays for the charging point. At the same time, the landlord can condition the approval, for example by requiring that the installation be carried out by a specific electrician or that the charging point remains in the apartment when you move out. If you agree that the landlord should own the charging point after you move out, that should also be stated in writing. Otherwise, there is a great risk that you will have different ideas about what happens to the equipment when you move out. ## Charging an electric car in a regular socket – what applies? Charging an electric car in a regular wall socket in the apartment is a different matter from mounting a fixed charging point. A socket is already installed and intended for household electricity. But even here, you should be careful. Electric car charging draws a lot of current for a long time, and if the electrical system in the apartment is not dimensioned for it, there is a risk of overheating in the wiring. Ask the landlord if it is allowed to charge an electric car in regular sockets before you start. If you charge at your parking space in a socket belonging to the property, the same principle applies: you need the landlord's permission to use the socket for electric car charging in a way that goes beyond normal household use. ## What happens when you move out? When you move out, the same rules apply as for other changes you have made to the apartment. If you have installed a charging point with the landlord's approval, the agreement on what happens to it should have been clarified in advance. Common alternatives are: - You remove the charging point and restore the wall and electrical system at your own expense - The charging point remains and is transferred to the landlord or the next tenant - You and the landlord agree on compensation for the equipment What applies should be in writing, preferably in connection with the approval being granted. If nothing is agreed, the landlord can require you to restore the apartment to its original condition. ## Checklist before installing a charging point 1. Ask the landlord in writing for permission before you buy anything. 2. Wait for written approval. 3. Engage an authorized electrician for the installation. 4. Make sure electricity consumption is measured and billed correctly. 5. Keep copies of all agreements and approvals. 6. Agree in writing on what happens to the charging point when you move out. Installing a charging point in a rental apartment is entirely possible, but it requires planning and the landlord's consent. If you do it right from the start, you avoid disputes, extra costs and the risk of termination of your tenancy agreement. For more about the tenant's rights regarding changes to the apartment, see our guide on [the tenant's rights in connection with renovation](/artiklar/hyresgastens-rattigheter-vid-renovering), and on what you can do if the landlord does not respond or act, see the article on [landlord refuses to fix defects](/artiklar/hyresvard-vagrar-atgarda-fel). Sources: the Swedish Land Code (riksdagen.se), the Swedish Union of Tenants (hyresgastforeningen.se), Wikipedia (sv.wikipedia.org).