Commercial electricity connection advisory,
handled properly.

You can — but in practice, London's Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) such as UK Power Networks process hundreds of applications simultaneously. Without knowing exactly how to frame a request, which application route to use, or how to interpret a connection offer, the process is slow and error-prone. Most landlords and solicitors who approach a DNO directly experience significant delays, receive offers they don't understand, or accept suboptimal connection designs. We know the process end-to-end and handle it on your behalf. Get in touch if you want to understand where your application currently stands.

A capacity constraint means the local electricity network — the cables and substations serving a specific street or area — does not have enough spare headroom to supply additional load without reinforcement. This is common in dense London neighbourhoods where older infrastructure hasn't kept pace with commercial demand. A constraint doesn't necessarily block a connection, but it does mean the network operator will require an upgrade — and that upgrade has a cost and a lead time that must be factored into your project. Our Pre-Lease Power Check tells you within 24 hours whether a property is in a constrained area before you commit to a lease.

Timelines vary significantly. A straightforward connection where sufficient capacity already exists — and where the application is submitted correctly first time — can be completed in six to twelve weeks. Where network reinforcement is required, timescales of six to eighteen months are not unusual. The single biggest cause of delay is not the network itself; it is poorly submitted applications, missed information requests, and failure to respond to connection offers within the acceptance window. Professional management significantly compresses real-world timescales. If your project has a fixed opening date, contact us as early as possible.

These terms are often confused, and conflating them leads to real problems in commercial transactions. The connection is the physical infrastructure — the cables, meter point, and capacity — that links a property to the public electricity network. This is managed by the DNO and is what we advise on. The supply is the commercial contract you hold with an energy retailer (your electricity bill). You cannot have a supply without a connection, and a connected property can still be unfit for a particular tenant's intended use if the connection is undersized. Both need to be checked at the pre-lease stage.

Not necessarily. An existing meter confirms there is a historical connection, but it tells you nothing about the available capacity (measured in amps or kVA) or whether that capacity matches the incoming tenant's requirements. A premises previously used as a small office may hold a 60-amp single-phase supply — wholly inadequate for a restaurant, gym, or any electrically intensive commercial use. Upgrading an undersized connection after a lease is signed is costly, slow, and often a source of significant landlord-tenant dispute. Our Pre-Lease Power Check confirms the exact existing capacity and whether it is sufficient for the proposed use.

This depends on the lease terms, but disputes arise most often when responsibility is ambiguous at heads of terms stage. The connection from the public network to the building boundary is generally a landlord responsibility; the internal distribution within the demise is typically a tenant responsibility. However, the cost of upgrading an undersized incoming supply — including any network reinforcement charges imposed by the DNO — can run to tens of thousands of pounds and is frequently not clearly assigned in standard commercial leases. Solicitors benefit from a written capacity assessment before heads of terms are agreed. We can provide that within 24 hours — request a verdict here.

Our focus is London commercial property. The UK Power Networks distribution area — which covers Greater London — has specific characteristics in terms of network age, capacity constraints, and application processes that reward specialist knowledge. We do not operate as a generalist across all UK regions. If your property is within the M25, or in the UK Power Networks licence area more broadly, we can almost certainly help. Submit your postcode and we'll confirm in our initial response.

Yes. EV charging is one of the most common reasons a London commercial property needs a new or upgraded electricity connection. A bank of even four or five rapid chargers can require a supply upgrade from single-phase to three-phase, or a significant increase in kVA capacity — both of which require a formal connection application to the DNO. Demand for EV connection applications has grown sharply in recent years, and the local network in many parts of London is under pressure. We advise on the connection requirements and manage the application process. Select "EV charging" as your proposed use when submitting your details.