Buying for everyday life
Electric-car charging on Costa Blanca South: checks before buying a home
How to assess charging at your future home without confusing a parking space with a working charger.
At a glance
- Identify the exact bay and confirm what charging equipment, if any, is included.
- Check the prior-notification rule for a qualifying private point in an individual garage bay. [1]
- Have an authorised electrical installer assess the route, supply and cost before relying on home charging. [2]
For an electric-car owner, the important property question is whether charging fits an ordinary week. When comparing homes in San Miguel de Salinas, Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa, investigate the exact parking space, supply route and equipment. A listing that includes parking does not establish that a charger is installed or that your intended setup is ready to use.
Start at the actual parking bay
Ask to see the bay connected to the sale, not just a representative garage. Confirm its ownership or use rights in the purchase documents. Unallocated communal parking, a rented bay and an individually owned space raise different questions; ask your lawyer to establish your position before planning works.
Park your vehicle there if possible. Check its charging-port position, cable reach and the proposed equipment location, alongside ordinary access and manoeuvring. A cable must not become an improvised route across shared access space. Ask the installer to identify a suitable arrangement rather than judging feasibility by distance alone.
Understand the community-notification rule
Article 17.5 of Spain’s Horizontal Property Law provides for prior notification to the community for a private-use charging point in an individual garage bay in the building’s parking area. The interested party or parties bear installation and electricity costs. This is a defined case, not a statement that every shared charging project follows the same process. [1]
Have your lawyer confirm how the rule applies to your bay and proposed work. As a practical step, keep a written record of the notification and coordinate access and the cable route with the administrator. Notification does not replace the electrical design or applicable technical requirements.
Obtain a design and an itemised estimate
Spain’s ITC-BT-52 sets out connection schemes, load assessment and electrical protections for vehicle charging. It includes arrangements using the home’s meter and arrangements with a separate charging meter. The suitable design depends on the installation; it is not determined by the charger’s advertised maximum power alone. [2]
Ask an authorised installer to inspect the meter location, cable path, available capacity and any need for load management, a supply change or a new connection. Request an estimate separating equipment, cabling, protection, work and required documentation. Keep installation spending separate from future electricity charges.
Distinguish preparation from an operational charger
For a new development, ask what “preinstallation” actually includes for your specific bay: conduits, cabling, electrical protections, metering and the charger itself are different items. Put the agreed inclusion and any buyer-paid work in the contract. A provision for future installation is not a demonstration of an operational point.
For a resale with a charger, request its model, installation documents and maintenance information. Confirm that it stays with the sale, how electricity is billed, and how account access will transfer. With permission, test it with a compatible vehicle and repeat the check at handover if it is essential.
Test a public-charging backup
Red Eléctrica’s Reve map combines operator-supplied information about public charging. [3] Use it to shortlist options, then check the operator’s current connector, access hours, payment method and terms. A point shown near a home does not guarantee that it will be available when you need it.
Try the real trip from the property and a charging session before making public charging your routine. Compare a town-centre address with an outlying development on its own merits; do not infer convenience from a municipality’s name. For occasional stays, include arrival-day charging and an alternative if your first choice is unavailable.
Questions buyers ask about electric-car charging
Does included parking mean an included charger?
No. Confirm the exact equipment and readiness for your bay in writing. Preinstallation and a working charging point are different.
Does a private garage point always need a community vote?
For the case covered by Article 17.5, the requirement is prior notification. Have your lawyer confirm that your ownership and proposed installation fit that case. [1]
Can I estimate installation costs from a charger’s shop price?
No. The route, supply, protections, work and documentation also matter. Obtain an installation-specific estimate. [2]
Sources and further reading
- BOE — Ley 49/1960, de 21 de julio, sobre propiedad horizontal: artículo 17.5 (texto consolidado)
- BOE — Real Decreto 1053/2014: ITC-BT-52, Infraestructura para la recarga de vehículos eléctricos (texto consolidado)
- Red Eléctrica — Reve: puntos de recarga de vehículos eléctricos
Sources checked on 7 November 2026. General buying guidance, not a legal opinion or electrical design. No charger availability, installation price or charging provision for a particular listing is certified here.