New wiring rules affect where you can install electrical systems

A man in a blue hard hat working on wiring in a roof void — (Image credit: Getty Images)

New UK wiring rules are now in effect from 15 April, changing how and where certain electrical systems can be installed in homes.

The updates focus on modern installations such as EV chargers, battery storage systems and smart wiring rather than basic household electrics.

Homeowners planning new installations or upgrades may need to consider where equipment can safely be positioned before work begins.

Article continues below

Battery storage: Where they can and cannot go

The rules place clearer expectations on where home battery systems can be installed.

Solar batteries should now be located in areas that are accessible for maintenance and positioned to reduce fire and heat risks, meaning tight cupboards, escape routes, and poorly ventilated spaces are generally unsuitable. Installations are expected to be placed where airflow and safe access for isolation are possible.

This effectively limits common “out of sight” locations and pushes installations toward utility areas, garages or purpose-designed spaces.

EV chargers: Driveway and access positioning

Electric vehicle charger installations are now more closely linked to safe positioning around the home.

Chargers must be installed where they can be accessed safely for maintenance and where cables do not create obstructions or hazards. This places greater importance on driveway layout, wall position and cable routing from the consumer unit to the charging point.

In practice, this means installation planning now needs to consider access, clearance and proximity to parking space rather than just electrical capacity.

Smart wiring and data systems: Inside-the-home placement

A man with a yellow handled screwdriver wiring a plug socket — *The* *building regulation* *changes are meant to make homes safer* (Image credit: Getty Images)

Systems that combine power and data, such as smart home wiring and Power over Ethernet, must now be installed in ways that reduce risk from heat and interference.

This affects where cabling can run within walls, ceilings and service voids, particularly where mains wiring and data systems are close together.

As a result, some retrofit smart systems may require more careful planning around existing electrical layouts.

For homeowners, the biggest change is not what can be powered, but where modern electrical systems can be positioned in the home.

Installations or rewiring now require more consideration of ventilation, access and layout before work is carried out.

Existing systems are not required to be moved, but new installations must follow the updated placement expectations.

News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.