I have to charge my £50k BMW EV through my first floor window after being forced to REMOVE my outdoor socket

A disgruntled motorist was left with no choice but to charge his £50,000 electric BMW from a socket on the first floor of his home – after his estate agent asked him to remove an outside socket.

Joe Keating, from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, has to run a long yellow cable through the window of his first floor flat to charge the battery of his luxury electric vehicle.

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The eco-conscious driver has had to put up with the extra work since the manager of his rented home asked him to unplug his car.

Joe had set up an outside socket for his flashy BMW next to his parking space.

It made charging his car a lot easier, helping save on rising fuel costs and addressing the growing climate crisis.

But a letter from agent Stevenson Whyte told him to remove the outlet because Joe hadn’t asked permission to install it.

The EV driver found their response “a little heavy-handed” and should have made more effort to support their green transition.

The company said residents could not simply start developments and installations of their own accord, as doing so could lead to “significant problems in long-term management, aesthetics and security.”

Nonetheless, Joe has “welcomed” a frank discussion with Stevenson Whyte, who denied him the opportunity to appeal.

He said Manchester evening news: “I can’t be the only person living in a shelter like this who is now going to think about trying the transition to a low-carbon economy and at some point we will all need vehicles like this.”

“There are no immediate plans from the developer to include charging stations. So what should I do?”

The Rochdale resident is frustrated by this obstacle to driving his electric car – especially as global warming has contributed to record high temperatures in the UK this summer.

He added: “With the highest temperatures the UK has ever had, it just feels a bit sluggish.”

“We’re facing charges around Greater Manchester over all the Clean Air Zone plans. As a society, we need to remove those barriers that are unnecessarily standing in our way.”

Currently, motorists can apply for a 75 per cent contribution towards the cost and installation of charging points after the Government pledged £620m to support the roll-out of electric vehicles.

But drivers who live in rented or communal buildings must first contact their landlord.

In November, the government announced new legislation that will see thousands of electric vehicle charging stations installed across the UK.

The new plans aim for up to 145,000 new charging points across England per year, including installations in newly built homes, to make it easier for drivers to charge their cars.

Building regulations require developers to install electric charging stations on new properties.

The regulation announcement came as the government announced plans to end sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030.

A spokesman for Stevenson Whyte, who manages the building, said: “We have a duty of care to ensure the safety of everyone in the development and a responsibility to ensure lease terms are met. If all tenants did their installation.” Adding their own equipment to the development without permission or inspection would create significant long-term management, aesthetic and safety issues.

“The installation of electric charging points in apartment blocks is an issue that all tenant/owners across the country will continue to face for years to come and hopefully over time safer and more compliant methods will be within the reach of all tenants.”

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