Millions of homeowners could miss out on £2,500 air con grants

Millions of homeowners could miss out on new grants for air conditioning, with those living in flats likely to face the biggest hurdles.

Ministers have launched £2,500 grants for air-to-air heat (A2A) pumps, which offer air cooling and heating, meaning those with smaller homes or flats could upgrade to the new system for around half price.

But there are several potential hold-ups to consider, from issues securing planning permission to a lack of space either indoors or outdoors, building experts have warned.

Ministers said they will be consulting on planning rules this summer to make it easier to install heat pumps, especially in flats.

It comes as the Conservatives promised to overturn their own 2021 building regulations, which state that developers can only install air conditioning as a last resort if “passive” cooling methods are not enough.

Claire Coutinho, the shadow Energy Secretary, said Britons are “de facto banned” from having air conditioning under the net zero rules, leaving many “suffering unnecessarily” in hot weather.

As temperatures hit 35°C in this week’s heatwave, here’s which homes are suitable for subsidised air conditioning – and who is excluded.

Who can access new air con grants? 

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which offers Government grants for green energy upgrades to homes, has been expanded to include a £2,500 grant for A2A heat pumps, as The i Paper revealed last summer.

But installers – who apply for the grants on behalf of homeowners before passing on a cost reduction – are still awaiting accreditation to be able to fit the heat pumps, meaning the scheme may be unavailable to customers until later this year.

A2A heat pumps can either heat or cool the air inside a building. They are often used alongside another heating system, such as a gas boiler or heat pump, but can also be used as an air-conditioning system during hot summers.

The grant is for homeowners who are replacing a fossil-fuel heating system, meaning you must own the property you are applying for. It cannot be used to install an air conditioner alongside a fossil-fuel system, such as a gas boiler.

Which homes could miss out? 

A2A heat pumps are often a good option for flats or smaller homes as they are affordable, easier to install than other types of heat pumps and do not necessarily require outdoor space.

They require the installation of connected indoor and outdoor units that transfer heat to provide both heating and cooling.

However, there are several barriers which could trip homeowners up, from planning regulations to leasehold agreements.

Why homes could miss out

Planning rules

Flats, homes in conservation areas and listed buildings face the most planning restrictions when installing air conditioning.

Most houses in England could have an A2A heat pump installed under “permitted development” rights without needing formal planning permission, according to planning lawyer Philip Kratz. This allows heat pumps according to a set of criteria, including the size, location and number of units.

But “specific planning permission” is required for listed buildings and homes in conservation areas or world heritage sites, said Kratz, consultant solicitor at Seddons GSC law firm.

There are “around two million homes in conservation areas, and around 400,000 homes are listed”, according to Rico Wojtulewicz, policy director at the National Federation of Builders.

Wojtulewicz said there are “potentially millions of homes” that may not be suitable for air conditioning, with converted buildings, especially in London, likely to be the most restricted.

“Flats do not benefit from the same permitted development rights as single-family houses,” Wojtulewicz said. “Apartments will typically require planning permission for external air conditioning equipment, along with consent from the freeholder or management company.”

Nesta, a charity that supports innovation, said planning permission remains a “key barrier” to installing an A2A heat pump.

Currently, permitted development states that installing two outdoor units on anything other than a detached home requires planning permission, as does installing units on the highway-facing side of properties above the ground floor.

Shaan Jindal, a manager at Nesta’s sustainable future team, said these regulations “disproportionately affect A2A systems, which are more likely to require multiple units”, and called for planning rules to be relaxed.

The former director of the Heat Pump Federation, Bean Beanland, said apartment blocks covered in air-conditioning units are “not attractive” and instead called for “innovation” to make the technology more aesthetically pleasing.

A Government consultation is set to explore changes to permitted development rights, amending some siting restrictions and seek views on how to enable more installations in flats.

Leasehold issues

Jindal said that rules affecting flats and leaseholders are “another challenge”, as flat owners need freeholder consent because changes to the building exterior are required.

Leaseholders usually cannot decide to install a system themselves, as they do not own the fabric of the building, and the work affects common parts of the exterior.

However, Rick Moore, the owner of domestic building firm InControl, said it “depends on the actual terms of the lease” as some are more relaxed than others about what changes can be made.

The Government is looking at how to remove barriers to the installation of clean tech, such as A2A heat pumps, for leaseholders.

Building practicalities

Finding a suitable space to mount the outdoor unit, such as a garden, balcony or roof area, is often the largest barrier to accessing an A2A system.

Moore said that in a block of flats, builders must either be able to run pipework down to the ground or mount it to an outside wall.

He said there is a “limited” amount of outdoor space at the ground-floor level in large tower blocks, while mounting it to a high-rise building means the builder has to “physically get up there, not just to install it, but to maintain it as well”.

There also needs to be enough space for the indoor unit to be installed and for any work to be completed.

Beanland, a long-term heat pump advocate, said there are also devices that are “specifically designed to go on balconies”, which are “less intrusive”.

However, your balcony must be large enough to accommodate the unit while leaving enough clearance for air flow, and these units must comply with local noise limits and building regulations.

A Government spokesperson said: “Brits are showing record demand for heat pumps and our Warm Homes Plan will help roll out clean power technology to millions.

“The Boiler Upgrade Scheme will provide new £2,500 grants for air-to-air heat pumps and we will be consulting this summer on planning rules to make it easier to install heat pumps.”

Other air con options

Consumers who are not eligible for the grant can access smaller-scale air-conditioning systems to cool just one or two rooms.

The white boxes that are commonly known as air-conditioning units are actually a kind of air-to-air heat pump.

Portable air conditioners are ideal for cooling a single room and have an attached hose that needs to dangle out of a nearby window. They are usually on wheels and can be moved from room to room.

Customers can also get split-unit air conditioners, which are very similar to A2A heat pump systems and work by connecting a condensing unit mounted outside to an evaporator mounted inside.