A practical guide to protecting your work, your reputation, and your income when it comes to customer and installation data in the EV charging industry
As an EV installer, your reputation lives and dies by your work, but once the job is complete, it’s the data that protects you.
From compliance and warranty claims to grant audits and customer disputes, if you don’t hold the photos, certificates, and technical records… you’re left exposed.
More worrying? Some manufacturers and platforms are now trying to centralise, control, or delete that data, even telling installers they have no right to keep it, as they were just a subcontractor.
This white paper lays out exactly:
Under the Limitation Act 1980, a customer can make a legal claim for breach of contract or negligence for up to 6 years after an installation.
So even if you installed a charger in 2021, you could still face a claim in 2027.
If that happens, and you’ve deleted your:
…you may not be able to defend yourself, even if the work was done perfectly.
If you don’t keep the data, you can’t prove the job was done right.
Both NICEIC and NAPIT require their approved contractors to:
Failure to do this doesn’t just put your work at risk, it can result in deregistration and damage your business credentials.
The IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) say:
This isn’t admin, it’s a safety and traceability requirement.
For installers who claimed under:
…the rules are clear:
You must retain all supporting documentation for at least 6 years.
That includes:
If OZEV audits you and you can’t provide that data, you must repay the grant, potentially £350 to £14,000 per job.
Even if the job came via a third party, you’re liable.
Let’s clear something up... If a platform or manufacturer shares a job with you, including customer details, and you use that data to:
You are not just a Data Processor.
Under UK GDPR, you are a Data Controller for the installation data you handle and generate. That means:
If someone tells you to delete that data, and you comply, you could be in breach of GDPR, especially if it later results in lost evidence or an unresolved complaint.
You’re not handling someone else’s data on their behalf, you’re handling your own records for your own compliance. That’s a legal difference that matters.
Here’s a clear, no-nonsense checklist of what you should retain for every job:
| Data Type | Description | Keep For |
| 📑 Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) | For new installations | 6+ years |
| 🧾 Minor Works Certificate (MEIWC) | For alterations / additions | 6+ years |
| 📋 Test Results & Schedules | Proof of compliance and safety | 6+ years |
| 📷 Photos (Before, During, After) | Location, routing, finish | 6+ years |
| 🧾 Invoices & Payment Records | Proof of transaction | 6+ years |
| 📤 DNO Applications / Responses | Grid approval evidence | 6+ years |
| ✍️ Signed Customer Docs | Job sheets, acceptance, declarations | 6+ years |
| 💷 OZEV Documentation | All forms & evidence | 6+ years |
TOP Tip:
Use a secure platform that you control and own the licence for as your companies ‘one source of truth’, regardless of the platform where and how the job is shared, and by who.
When it comes to accountability, it doesn’t matter where the lead came from, the moment you take on the job, the responsibility becomes yours. From the first communication to the final test result, the paper trail is what protects you.
If there’s ever a fault, a dispute, a claim, or an audit down the line, it’s your name on the certificate, and that means you need to own the data that backs it all up.
Don't hand away control of your installation data.
Don't delete your records because someone else says so.
Don't leave your future unprotected.