Wallbox in a Rented Flat or Condominium: What Can I Ask For?

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Rented flat: the landlord's consent is required

Under Art. 260a of the Code of Obligations (CO), the tenant may not make any changes to the rented property without the landlord's written consent, and that includes a wallbox on a rented parking space or in the garage. The landlord can refuse this consent without giving reasons; there is no statutory entitlement to it. This is an important difference from Germany, where tenants have had a statutory right to consent since the end of 2021; no such rule exists in Switzerland.

In practice there are two common models:

• Individual solution: You, as the tenant, finance and bear all the costs yourself (installation, operation, maintenance, electricity, liability). The consent and the procedure on moving out (removal or compensation) are put in writing.
• Basic infrastructure provided by the landlord: The landlord invests in a basic infrastructure with load management, which, as a value-enhancing investment, can under certain circumstances justify a rent increase.

We are not aware of any relevant court decision on a dispute of the type "tenant versus landlord over a refused wallbox"; this apparently has not yet been clarified by the highest court.

Condominium: legally less clear than you might think

There is no separate law for charging stations in condominium ownership. Via Art. 712g of the Civil Code (CC), the general co-ownership rules (Art. 647c–647e CC) apply, which distinguish between three categories:

• Necessary measures (Art. 647c CC): a simple majority is enough.
• Useful measures (Art. 647d CC): a qualified majority is needed (a majority of the owners who also represent the larger share of the property value), with a right of veto for owners who would be permanently and significantly affected.
• Luxurious measures (Art. 647e CC): unanimity is generally required.

The catch: whether a charging station counts as "useful" or "luxurious" is not settled consistently in the legal literature, which makes it a genuine grey area. There is one exception, if the parking space is subject to the exclusive special right of use of one person and a separate electricity meter is possible: that person can then install it without the community's consent. If, on the other hand, the installation affects common parts (for example the main distribution board), a resolution of the owners' meeting is required.

A decision of the Cantonal Court of St. Gallen (BE.2021.21, 15.12.2021) shows how risky it is to act unilaterally: a condominium owner had installed a charging connection without consent in the underground car park, where empty conduits were already in place. The court ruled that this is a structural measure that needs a majority, and that existing empty conduits alone do not mean tacit approval. Because the meeting had previously rejected the request by 3 votes to 2, the installation had to be removed.

What is changing right now (but does not yet apply)

In June 2025 the Council of States confirmed Motion 23.3936, which demands that access to private charging infrastructure be anchored in law, for tenants as well as for condominium owners. In response, in June 2026 the Federal Council sent a corresponding amendment to the Energy Act out for consultation (deadline 12 October 2026). This means a political process is under way, but as of this article it is not yet valid law. Until a legislative change actually enters into force, the consent requirement described above continues to apply.

The practical steps

1. Written request: for a rental, to the landlord or property management; for a condominium, as an agenda item for the next owners' meeting.
2. Technical assessment by a licensed electrician: is the building's electrical installation sufficient, is load management needed?
3. Notification to the grid operator: charging power up to 11 kW must be notified, and a simple notification by the electrician is enough. Above 11 kW, explicit approval from the grid operator is needed before commissioning.
4. Plan a separate meter per charge point so that electricity consumption can be allocated correctly.
5. Put everything in writing: costs, maintenance, liability, and what happens when you move out or sell the unit.

Legal note

This article is not legal advice and does not replace a review of your individual case. For a binding assessment of your situation, we recommend consulting a professional or the relevant association: for tenants the Swiss Tenants' Association (MV), for landlords and owners the Swiss Homeowners' Association (HEV Schweiz) or the responsible property management.

As of: September 2026. The legislative reform on access to charging infrastructure is an ongoing procedure, and we will update this article as soon as anything changes.