Published 2026-10-22 by Neighbourhood Electrician
Apartment living is the norm in much of the Eastern Suburbs, from Bondi Junction towers to the art deco blocks of Bondi and Coogee. If you have an electric car, or are planning one, charging in your own car space is far more convenient than relying on public chargers. It is usually possible, but in a strata building it takes planning and approval. These are the steps.
Start with your strata committee
In most apartment buildings, the car park and the wiring to it are common property. That means you'll usually need owners corporation approval before a charger is installed.
NSW strata law has specific rules for sustainability infrastructure such as EV charging. Your strata manager can explain the type of resolution your building needs, the by-laws that may apply, and what the committee will want to see. Coming to the committee with a clear, written proposal speeds things up.
Where the power comes from
The charger can be supplied from your own unit's meter, which means a long cable run to your space, or from a building supply with sub-metering. Larger buildings sometimes plan a shared system for all car spaces.
- Your own meter: simplest for billing, but in older blocks the meter room can be several floors from the car park, and the cable route may be difficult.
- Common supply with a sub-meter: shorter cable runs, with a meter recording your use so the owners corporation can recover the cost.
- A shared building system: capacity and cabling installed for many car spaces at once, often with load management.
Older buildings
Many inter-war and post-war blocks in Bondi, Coogee, Randwick and Maroubra were built with small supplies and no thought of car charging, and some have open car spaces or garages at the rear rather than basement parking. That does not rule out a charger, but the load assessment and cable route need more care, and a shared approach may be the most practical option for the building.
Choosing a charger
A wall-mounted single-phase charger is the usual choice for apartments and will charge most cars overnight. Three-phase chargers are faster, but need a three-phase supply to the car park. Pick a charger that can work with load management, so it can share power with other chargers if the building adds more later.
What we provide
- A site inspection of the meter room and car park
- A written scope and quote for the committee
- Load assessment, so the building's supply isn't overloaded
- Installation, testing and a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work
Cable routes and fire safety
Cables have to be fixed and protected properly along the route, and any holes through fire-rated walls or slabs must be sealed to keep the fire rating. In heritage or older buildings, the route also needs to be tidy and agreed with the committee. These are the details a good scope covers.
Timeline
- Speak to your strata manager about approval
- Book an inspection
- We prepare a scope for the committee
- The owners corporation considers the proposal
- Installation and commissioning once approved
Next steps
Call 0421 772 661 to arrange an inspection. We can prepare the information your strata committee will need. More on our EV charger installation service.
If you rent
Tenants need the owner's agreement as well as the owners corporation's before a charger is installed, so involve your landlord or agent at the start. Some owners are happy to fund a charger because it adds appeal for future tenants and buyers.
Houses and terraces
If you live in a house or terrace with off-street parking, installation is usually much simpler, though the switchboard and supply still need checking. See our EV charger page for more.