Air con prices · 6 West London boroughs · Prices checked September 2026
Air Conditioning Cost in West London
Air conditioning in West London costs £1,800–£3,500 to install for one room with a single split system, or £3,800–£5,200 for two rooms on a multi-split. For three rooms, expect £5,500–£8,000. That's more than the UK average of £1,500–£3,000 per room, mostly down to access, parking and the type of building you live in. Hounslow Air Conditioning arranges installations across Hounslow, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond and Kensington & Chelsea through local F-Gas certified installers.
- 0% VAT on heat pump air con until 31 March 2027
- Fixed price after a home survey
- F-Gas certified installers
West London air con cost calculator
Guide prices from published London price guides, 2026. Not a quote. Electrical work may be quoted separately.
Air conditioning installation cost by system type
An installation price covers the indoor units, the outdoor unit, pipework, the electrical connection and commissioning. The type of system you choose sets most of it, and the same system costs more in London than elsewhere in the UK.
| System | London installed cost | UK installed cost | Install time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portable unit | £300–£650 (no installation) | £300–£650 | None |
| Single split, 1 room | £1,800–£3,500 | £1,500–£3,000 | 1 day |
| Multi-split, 2 rooms | £3,800–£5,200 | £3,000–£4,500 | 2–3 days |
| Multi-split, 3 rooms | £5,500–£8,000 | £4,500–£7,000 | 2–3 days |
| Multi-split, 4–5 rooms | £8,000–£13,000 | £6,500–£10,000+ | 2–3 days or more |
| Ducted, whole house | Priced after survey | £6,000–£8,500+ | 2–3 days or more |
Sources: London single split from Local AC Installers' UK and London cost guide (September 2026, inc. VAT); London multi-room prices from Climatemix's London price list; UK figures from Air Con Adviser (July 2026) and MyBuilder (August 2026). Multi-split UK ranges match our multi-room air conditioning cost table.
0% VAT on air conditioning until 31 March 2027
Until the 31st of March 2027, installing a qualifying heat pump in your home actually carries 0% VAT, under HMRC's energy-saving materials relief! HMRC's own guidance says most air conditioning units are air source heat pumps, so most home split systems count (if you are unsure just contact us and we can let you know). The zero rate runs from 1 May 2023 to 31 March 2027, and goes back up to 5% on 1 April 2027.
On a £6,000 installation, that's a £300 difference.
Conditions for 0% VAT
- The system heats as well as cools. Cooling-only units are not heat pumps.
- It's installed in a home (residential accommodation).
- Whoever supplies the equipment also installs it. Supply-only purchases and portable units are charged the standard 20%.
Source: HMRC VAT Notice 708/6. HMRC decides borderline products on the facts of each case.
Air conditioning running costs in West London
To work out running costs, multiply the power the unit draws by what you pay per kWh. From 1 October 2026, the Ofgem price cap puts electricity at 26.32p per kWh. An efficient wall-mounted split draws 0.5–0.8 kW while it's cooling a room.
| Unit | Power draw | Cost per hour | 9 hours a day for a week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient wall split | 0.5–0.8 kW | 13p–21p | £8.29–£13.27 |
| Larger split | 2 kW | 53p | £33.16 |
| Portable unit | 0.8–1.5 kW | 21p–39p | £13.27–£24.87 |
Unit rate from Ofgem, 1 October to 31 December 2026. Power draws from Air Con Adviser.
Why West London homes run air con longer
Heathrow hit 40.2°C on 19 July 2022. And under the flight paths in Hounslow and Hillingdon, plenty of people keep their windows shut against aircraft noise, so opening a window at night isn't really an option.
A reversible split system heats in winter too. Those heating hours add to your yearly running cost, and to the servicing interval for heat pump air conditioning.
Air conditioning cost and planning by West London borough
Planning rules are the same across England, but each borough draws its own conservation areas. Inside one, you lose permitted development for an outdoor unit on a wall or roof facing the road. That usually pushes the unit to the back of the house, which can mean a longer pipe run and a higher price.
| Borough | Areas covered | Conservation areas | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hounslow | Hounslow (TW3, TW4, TW5), Heston, Cranford, Osterley, Isleworth, Feltham, Hanworth, Bedfont, Brentford, Chiswick | 29 | Article 4(2) directions in Bedford Park and part of Gunnersbury |
| Ealing | Ealing, Acton, Southall, Hanwell, Greenford | 30 | Conservation area map before siting a front or side unit |
| Hillingdon | Hayes, Uxbridge, West Drayton, Ruislip | 31 | Conservation area map before siting a front or side unit |
| Hammersmith & Fulham | Hammersmith, Fulham, Shepherd's Bush | 44 | Freeholder consent for flats; conservation area status |
| Richmond upon Thames | Richmond, Twickenham, Whitton, Teddington, Hampton | 85 | Conservation area status. Richmond has the most in West London |
| Kensington & Chelsea | Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill, Earl's Court | 38, covering nearly three quarters of the borough | Article 4 directions on some houses; freeholder consent for flats |
Sources: Hounslow, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hammersmith & Fulham, Richmond and Kensington & Chelsea council pages, September 2026. The full rules are on our air conditioning planning permission guide.
How to keep the installation cost down
- Size each room properlyAn oversized unit costs more to buy and more to run. Work out the kW each room needs with the room size calculator.
- Put several rooms on one outdoor unitAdding a room to a multi-split costs less than buying a separate system. On a semi or terraced house, sticking to one outdoor unit also keeps you within permitted development.
- Get it done before 31 March 2027A qualifying installation finished before then carries 0% VAT rather than 5%.
- Avoid booking in summerInstallers are busiest in heatwaves. Between autumn and spring, you'll have a much better choice of dates.
What we need to price your installation
- Your postcode and borough
- House, flat or mansion block
- The rooms to cool and their rough sizes
- Where an outdoor unit could go, and parking nearby
- Whether you're in a conservation area or a listed building
West London air conditioning cost: common questions
Is air conditioning more expensive in London?
Yes. A single split costs £1,800–£3,500 installed in London, compared with £1,500–£3,000 across the UK. One London installer puts the difference at roughly 15–25%, and it's down to access, parking and building type rather than the equipment.
Do I pay VAT on home air conditioning?
Not until 31 March 2027, as long as the system heats as well as cools and the supplier installs it in your home. After that it goes up to 5%. Portable units and supply-only purchases are charged at 20%.
How long does air conditioning installation take?
A single split system usually takes a day. A multi-split takes two to three days, and a ducted system in an older property can take longer.
How much does air conditioning cost to run per hour?
An efficient wall-mounted split costs 13p–21p an hour to run at the October 2026 price cap rate of 26.32p per kWh. A larger 2 kW unit comes to about 53p an hour.
Prices last checked: September 2026. Guide figures, not a quote.
Get a fixed air conditioning price in West London
Send us your postcode, the rooms you want cooled and what type of home you have, and we'll put you in touch with a local F-Gas certified installer who covers your borough. At the survey, they'll confirm where the outdoor unit goes, how the pipes will run, whether planning is an issue, and a fixed price.