Home air conditioning in London
London's dense streets hold heat overnight, so top-floor flats and loft rooms often stay warm long after sunset. In London, heat soaks into brick and concrete during the day and comes back out at night, which is when it is hardest to sleep.
For a garden room in Westminster, the outdoor unit usually sits on a small stand behind the building. Loft conversions and top-floor bedrooms in Westminster gain heat through the roof all day and give it back at night. Replacements in Westminster can often reuse an existing bracket and wall opening where they are sound. If heating matters as much as cooling, an air-to-air heat pump sized for winter can replace old electric heaters room by room, and still cool in summer. For a single hot bedroom or living room, a wall-mounted split is usually the simplest answer. Two to four rooms often suit a multi-split on one outdoor unit, while a ducted system hides everything except the grilles.
Districts we cover in London
- Islington
- Westminster
- Bexley
- Barking
- Archway
- Sutton
- Croydon
- Ilford
- Enfield
- Harrow
- Tottenham
- Walthamstow
- Dagenham
- Becontree
- Romford
- Hayes
- Wembley
- Fulham
- Edmonton
- Southall
- Putney
- Battersea
- Canary Wharf
- Purley
- Peckham
- Chingford
- Uxbridge
- Wimbledon
- Stamford Hill
- Brixton
- Hounslow
- Finchley
- Cricklewood
- Mitcham
- Feltham
- Acton
- Beckenham
- Chelsea
- Streatham
- South Croydon
- Leytonstone
- Eltham
- Morden
- Carshalton
- Catford
- Willesden
- Canning Town
- Holloway
- Welling
- Shepherds Bush
- Surbiton
- Greenford
- Heston
- Stratford
- Chiswick
- Thamesmead
- Ruislip
- Greenwich
- Barnet
- Kilburn
- Wood Green
- Muswell Hill
- Bow
- Highbury
- Camden Town
- Northolt
- Coulsdon
- Hornchurch
- Blackheath
- Isleworth
- Chalk Farm
- New Malden
- Hanworth
- Woodford Green
- Hadley Wood
- Richmond
- Barnes
- Notting Hill
Planning and permissions
In England, most houses can have an outdoor unit under permitted development if it is no larger than 1.5 m³, meets the MCS 020(a) noise limit of 37 dB(A) at the nearest neighbour's window, and there are no more than two on a detached house or one on other houses. Listed buildings need consent.
If your home in London is replacing fossil fuel or electric heating, and no gas, oil or LPG boiler stays in use, an MCS-certified air-to-air heat pump may qualify for the £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, which the MCS-certified installer claims and deducts from the price.
Guide prices in London
A selection of services on our London figures, including VAT. Every service, with its local price, is listed below.
| Service | Guide price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Floor console air conditioning | £1,795–£3,895 | per room |
| Design-led and low-profile air conditioning | £2,445–£4,795 | per room |
| Garden room and home office air conditioning | £1,895–£4,145 | per system |
| Air conditioning for flats and apartments | £1,795–£7,845 | per flat, one room to the whole flat |
| New build and renovation air conditioning | £495–£1,195 | per indoor position (first fix) |
| Air-to-air heat pumps | £3,895–£15,095 | for 2–5 rooms, before any grant |
| Air conditioning servicing | £125–£245 | per system visit (first indoor unit) |
| Home service plans | £125–£220 | per system per year |