Increase in property listings mentioning electric car charging points

The number of homes listed for sale with an electric car charging point nearby has increased by 541% over the past year across Britain, according to a property website.

Rightmove, which released the figures, said a third of the total number of homes mentioning electric car charging points have been added to its website since the start of September – with the recent fuel shortages being a likely prompt for more estate agents to highlight them as a selling point.

The website said electric car charging points will rise up buyers’ priority lists over the next few years as people continue to look for ways to improve their green credentials.

Rightmove analysed property listings with an electric car charging point installed on the premises, or in a nearby street.

The study excluded new build homes, to focus on the uplift in older homes with charging points installed or available nearby.

Tim Bannister, Rightmove property expert, said: “The number of electric vehicle charging points is continuing to rise, and in turn, we’re hearing from agents that potential buyers are increasingly adding access to a charging point to their list when choosing the right home.

“Alongside the energy performance of a home, we anticipate electric car charging points will become more important for buyers over the next few years, and will be an additional selling point for movers listing their home.”

Charlie Gladding, senior consultant at Peter Joy Estate Agents, said people are more conscious of “futureproofing” their home.

He said: “With Cop26, our carbon footprint, and climate change in general, more people are certainly aware of their actions, and inquiries about whether electric car chargers are installed, or it is possible to install them, will be a theme that consistently grows into conversations over the next couple of years.”