Home air conditioning, fitted across London
Tell us about the rooms you want to cool and we'll put you in touch with a local F‑Gas certified installer to survey and quote. Read on to learn what's different about fitting AC in a London home, and what kind of unit you'll need.
How it works
Tell us about the room
Email us a few details about the room or rooms, and your postcode.
We find a local installer
We put you in touch with an F‑Gas certified installer who works in your part of London.
They survey and quote
The installer checks the room, where the outdoor unit can go and the pipe route, then gives you a hand-written quote.
Before you buy: what's different in London
London homes raise a few questions that come up less often elsewhere. Here's the short version of each.
Flats and leasehold
Most leases need the freeholder's written consent before anything is fixed to an outside wall or roof. Ask the freeholder or managing agent before you book a survey.
Planning permission
Since 29 May 2025, a unit that heats as well as cools can count as permitted development in England, so it often won't need planning permission. A cooling-only unit doesn't qualify. A house can have one outdoor unit, or two if it's detached, and a block of flats can have one.
Conservation areas and listed buildings
In a conservation area the outdoor unit usually can't go on a wall or roof facing the road. A listed building always needs planning permission and listed building consent, so check the National Heritage List for England first.
Noise and neighbours
For permitted development, the installer has to show the outdoor unit passes the MCS 020(a) noise calculation at your neighbour's nearest window. In terraces and small gardens, where the unit goes matters as much as which unit you choose.
Full guides to each of these are coming soon!
Which type of system?
| System | What it is | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Split | One indoor unit on the wall, piped to one outdoor unit | A single bedroom or living room | Each extra room needs its own outdoor unit, and a terraced house can only have one without planning permission |
| Multi-split | Several indoor units sharing one outdoor unit | Two or more rooms, especially in terraces and flats | Costs more up front, and every room relies on the one outdoor unit |
| Portable | A unit on wheels that vents hot air through a hose in the window | Renters, or a quick fix for one room | Louder and less efficient, and the window has to stay partly open |
Common questions
Do homes in London have air conditioning?
Most don't. UK homes were built to keep heat in rather than out, so air con is still unusual, but a wall-mounted split can usually be added to an existing home.
Do I need planning permission for air con in London?
Often not, if the unit heats as well as cools and meets the permitted development conditions above. Listed buildings, cooling-only units and some positions in conservation areas do need permission. If you're unsure, check with your council before the unit goes up.
How long does installation take?
A single wall-mounted split is usually fitted in a day. A multi-split for several rooms can take two or three days.
Can air conditioning heat my home as well?
Yes, if it's a reversible unit, which works as an air-to-air heat pump. Most wall-mounted splits sold for homes are reversible, but check the model has a heating mode, because that's also what makes it count as permitted development.