When setting up EV charging at multifamily properties, the type of parking dictates how residents share the amenity, if at all.
- Under shared parking, where residents can all use the same set of parking spots, EV chargers are also shared and first-come, first-serve. Sometimes, the parking spots with EV chargers will be reserved for EV drivers.
- Under private or single resident parking, each resident is assigned their own spot for exclusive use. EV chargers must also be assigned since only one resident can access each spot.
There are a couple of additional complexities with single resident parking that operators may not initially anticipate. Two questions that frequently come up include:
- Who should own the charger? The resident, or the property owner?
- How can I make sure only the assigned resident can use their charger?
Below, we’ll answer these questions to advise on setting up EV charging for single resident parking.
Who owns the charger?
Official ownership of the charger depends on the agreement between the resident and the property owner.
In professionally-managed or renter-majority communities, the property management team often owns and maintains the chargers after procuring them.
In HOAs where residents own their own parking spots, EV chargers are sometimes deeded (official ownership is transferred to the resident).
For most properties, it makes sense for the property to own the chargers. When residents turnover, there’s no need to purchase new equipment for the next resident. However, each situation is a bit different and as long as both parties are on the same page about who owns the equipment and who is responsible for maintaining it, teams can choose what works best for them.
How to control charger access
The key challenge for single resident charger access is enforcing it - making sure that only that specific resident is ever able to charge.
A charging management software allows property teams to control exactly who can access each charger. For example, in Flipturn’s platform, one way to control access is to assign each charger to a specific driver using email or phone number.
In the example above, only “Will” is authorized to charge at this specific charger. His identity is verified when he scans the charger’s QR code to start charging and enters his email or phone number. If an unauthorized driver attempts to charge, the session will not start.
Using a charging management software enforces the single resident-to-charger mapping without actual surveillance - the backend simply will not allow unauthorized drivers to charge.
How it looks in the real world
Flipturn set up single resident charger usage at a condo HOA in San Francisco, successfully supporting resident charging where each resident owned their own parking spot.
Each charger was configured with a resident-specific access profile and a QR code that authenticated that resident's session. The property team could easily make updates in the backend at any point to add new residents when they moved in, without having to contact support.
Summary
While the access controls for single resident parking setups are more stringent, with the right charging management software, they are still simple to set up. Flipturn’s platform allows teams to map residents to chargers using email and phone number authorization.
Interested in setting up single resident EV charging at your property? Reach out and let’s chat.
If you’re looking for other ways to control access at shared parking setups, read our guide here on all the different ways operators can control charger access and pricing.
About Flipturn
Flipturn is the leading EV charging and energy management platform for businesses and fleets, helping organizations maximize charger uptime, process charging payments, and scale operations efficiently. Backed by leading investors including CRV and Accel, Flipturn serves Fortune 500 companies, commercial property owners, and major fleet operators across North America.
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