The charger is on the wall, the job isn't finished
The install went fine. Cable run through the garage, charger mounted, earthing arrangement sorted, customer's car charging by teatime. The electrician left happy. Three weeks later the office discovers the serial number photo is missing, the network operator was never notified, and a grant claim can't be submitted because the evidence photo of the charger in position is blurred.
The customer has moved on. The electrician is back on site elsewhere and has to go back for a photo.
Why EV installs leak paperwork
A charger install has more follow-on steps than most domestic electrical work, and they vary by charger make, by whether a grant or scheme applies, and by the property's supply. The electrician knows the physical job. The paperwork steps are spread across different websites and deadlines that change from time to time.
Most of it depends on something captured on the day: a serial number, a photo from a specific angle, a reading, the customer's details for the app. If it isn't captured then, it costs a return visit.
| After-install item | Depends on |
|---|---|
| Network operator notification | Details and readings from the day |
| Grant or scheme claim | Photos, serials, customer eligibility |
| Manufacturer commissioning or registration | Serial number, installer account |
| Customer app and tariff setup | Customer's email, Wi-Fi access |
| Electrical certificate | Test results |
Which items apply to a given install is for your business and the relevant scheme rules to decide. The point is to track them.
Multi-charger jobs at small businesses and blocks of flats make the list longer. There may be load management settings to record, several serial numbers, a different notification route and a site contact who is not the person paying. Each extra charger multiplies the chances of one missing photo holding up the whole job's paperwork.
What the gaps cost
Return visits for a photo or a serial number are pure loss. Late or missed notifications cause trouble with your scheme and with the network operator. Grant claims that bounce leave money waiting. Customers who can't get the app working call you, not the manufacturer.
The paperwork also affects cash. Where a grant or scheme payment forms part of the job's income, it will not arrive until the claim is complete and accepted. A missing serial photo can leave that money sitting unclaimed for weeks while the office tries to arrange a return visit around the customer's diary.
One record per install
- Checklist by type: your office defines the required items for each charger model and each scheme you work under. When a job is booked, the right checklist is attached.
- Guided capture on site: the electrician's phone asks for each photo and serial in turn, with an example of what a good photo looks like, and won't close the job until they are there or skipped with a reason.
- Pre-filled forms: notification and claim details are laid out from the job data, ready for whoever submits them on the relevant portal. Where a portal accepts uploads or has an API, we use it.
- Outstanding list: the office sees every install with any item missing, sorted by deadline, and who owns it.
- Customer handover: the customer gets their certificate, charger manual and app instructions in one message, with a note of anything still pending.
- Warranty log: registration details are kept per install so a later fault can be traced to the unit and date.
The install really is finished
Electricians capture everything once, while standing next to the charger. The office works from a clear list rather than hunting through camera rolls. Claims and notifications go in complete, and return trips for a missing photo stop being normal.
Signs you need this
- You have been back to a site for a photo or serial number.
- Notifications or claims have been late or rejected.
- Install evidence lives on electricians' personal phones.
- The office isn't sure which installs are fully closed.
- Customers ring you for app setup help.