Why your holiday home needs a wallbox (electric car charging station)
The advantages of installing a private electric car charging station in your holiday rental
June 2025
Have you considered installing a private electric car charging station in your holiday rental? The electric car industry is on the rise, so this can be a very smart investment. Read on to learn about the advantages of installing a wallbox and how you can add one to your rental.
The benefits of installing a private electric car charging station in your holiday rental
In 2024, 20% of all new cars registered in the UK were fully electric. There’s no denying it: electric cars are on the rise, and with more and more people driving them, this is something that holiday rental owners should be paying attention to. Here are some of the benefits of installing a private electric car charging station in your holiday home:
1. Early adopter advantage
You’ll be ahead of the curve. Even though the number of electric car users is growing fast, most holiday rental owners haven’t caught up yet. Installing a wallbox now helps you develop a niche.
A wallbox means you’ll start to attract guests who drive electric cars to your rental. By the time other landlords in the area catch up, you’ll be in a stronger position than them, with more reviews and higher guest loyalty.
2. An extra feature
You’ve got an extra selling point. We all know how hard it is to stand out from the crowd on a holiday rental portal. A private charging station for electric cars is an extra amenity to add to your listing and attract guests.
Any time you can add something new and exciting to your holiday rental website listings, you’ll get more eyes on your property. That’s true here.
3. A premium product
At the moment, a wallbox may still be considered a kind of luxury amenity, as it is not common. Installing one in your property adds value to your rental. You may find that you can command a higher price thanks to features like this. If you want to establish a brand focused on luxury in your holiday rental, a wallbox is definitely a good call.
4. Attract the right kind of guests
When someone rents your house for holidays, you generally want them to be respectful and well-behaved. Guests renting a property with a private wallbox are probably eco-conscious individuals with high disposable income. If your home is also eco-friendly, then this work in your favour even more to attract these types of guests. For many holiday home owners, that’s the holy grail. Installing a wallbox is an excellent way to attract this segment of the market.
5. Carve out a niche
Eco-tourism is growing rapidly as more and more people want to rent a holiday flat or home with green credentials. If you install a wallbox, you’ll be able to focus tightly on this particular segment of the market. Think about other ways you can advertise your holiday home with green tourism in mind. For example, you could install solar panels, stock the property with eco-friendly cleaning products, and include some locally grown organic produce in the kitchen. All this will help you target a distinct and growing niche market.
How to install a wallbox in your holiday rental
There are a few things to consider when you choose to install a wallbox. First of all, you must have a safe location. This should be either a garage, a carport, or dedicated off-road parking. You’ll need a sturdy external wall with a connection to the mains supply. The exact location of the box on the wall is less important —not all vehicles have their plug-in point at the same stop.
You’ll also need to ensure that your wallbox is placed in a spot with good Wi-Fi coverage. As of 2022, suppliers are not permitted to sell charging points without Wi-Fi compatibility.
You cannot install a wallbox by yourself. Instead, you’ll need to hire a certified installer who can do it correctly, ensuring that it is safe to use.
How much does it cost to charge an electric vehicle?
Of course, money is an important consideration when it comes to installing a wallbox. There will be some ongoing additional costs as guests charge their electric vehicles in your holiday rental.
The exact cost of charging an electric vehicle varies, depending on the size of the battery, the speed of your wallbox, and your property’s electricity tariff. However, in the UK, a complete charge generally costs around £15.
You might want to choose a wallbox with an integrated electricity meter if you’re not sure about costs. This will let you easily monitor exactly how much your guests are spending on charging their vehicles, allowing you to adjust prices accordingly.
How to charge guests for using a wallbox in your holiday rental
When it comes to paying for charges, you have a few different options:
Firstly, you could raise your overall booking fee to compensate. You might lose some customers if you do this. Before adopting this strategy, make sure that your property is, overall, of a high enough quality to justify the extra charge. If you go down this route, then you should closely monitor your bookings in the period after raising your prices. If you find that occupancy decreases to an unacceptable level, you will need to rethink this strategy.
Alternatively, you might want to add a supplementary fee for guests who wish to use the charging point. On the one hand, this is a good option if you still expect a lot of guests who don’t have an electric vehicle. On the other, it may be off-putting as some guests will see it as a money grab.
Landlords who choose to add a supplementary fee will need to find a way of controlling the use of the charging point. An easy way to do this is by installing a lockbox. This means that guests will only be able to charge their electric vehicle if they have access. You can choose lockboxes with keys, which must be accessed physically, or opt for an online system that generates a code for guests to use.
Advertising a holiday rental with a wallbox
Remember, if you are adding a wallbox to your property, you need to advertise it. Many holiday rental portals will now allow you to list an electric vehicle charging point as an amenity. Make sure to do this, as guests may be filtering their searches to find a property where they can charge their vehicle by renting a private wallbox.
An electric vehicle charging point can be a great selling point for a holiday rental. Installing one is a great way to add value, stay ahead of the competition, and attract the sort of high-quality guests you want to see.