Question: A tenant wants to charge their EV from the storeroom power point. Can the council charge the owner for a safety and metering inspection?
A tenant asked our council for permission to plug their new plug-in hybrid vehicle into the power source in their storeroom next to their car bay. We believe the electricity is metered to the owner.
We gave the tenant a notice asking for an electrical certificate confirming that the power is charged to the owner or tenant, and that the connection meets basic Australian safety requirements. They haven’t replied or provided the certificate, but they bought the EV.
Can the council request an electrical inspection of safety and metering and have the owner reimburse the strata company for it under our “duty of care”?
Answer: Check the scheme’s by-laws and plan. These may affect how the power can be used, what approvals are needed and who bears the cost.
The short answer is that the strata company can investigate a genuine concern about common property electrical infrastructure, but it should not assume it can charge the inspection to one owner. The first step is to check the scheme’s by-laws and plan. These may affect how the power can be used, what approvals are needed and who bears the cost.
The Council should then establish whether the storeroom and relevant electrical infrastructure form part of the lot or common property. If common property infrastructure is involved, the strata company can arrange for a licensed electrician to assess the proposed charging arrangement. The inspection should answer two practical questions: is the outlet and circuit suitable for charging the vehicle, and whose meter supplies it? The owner and tenant should be told what is being checked, and access should be arranged where needed.
Who pays for the inspection is a separate question. The council should review the by-laws for any provision on inspections or recovery of costs. It may also ask the owner to agree in writing to pay or contribute before the work is commissioned. A safety concern alone does not automatically allow the strata company to add its electrician’s invoice to the owner’s account.
If the inspection confirms that the outlet is suitable and connected to the lot’s meter, the council can consider the tenant’s request in light of the by-laws and the electrician’s advice. If it reveals a safety issue or confirms that the outlet draws power paid for by the strata company, the council should address that issue with the owner before charging proceeds. Such a finding may support a request for the owner to meet relevant costs, but recovery of the inspection fee still needs a basis in the by-laws or an agreement.
If changes are needed, the owner should submit a proposal setting out the electrical work, how electricity will be measured and paid for, and who will maintain the installation. Where new electrical infrastructure is proposed on common property, the owner and strata company may need to enter into a formal agreement covering its installation, ownership, maintenance and costs (see section 64 of the Strata Titles Act 1985 (WA)). Depending on the arrangement, approval by the strata company at a general meeting may also be required.
This post appears in the October 2026 edition of The WA Strata Magazine.
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