For most small domestic installations, planning permission is usually not required. However, there are factors to consider, such as the location and size of the outdoor condenser, its visual impact, noise, and how it affects the characteristics of the property. These can affect whether planning permission or other restrictions apply.

The Government states that, in most cases, planning permission is not required for a small home installation where it would not materially affect the appearance of the building from outside. It also advises homeowners to check with their local council because there is no blanket rule covering every property.

Consideration should be given to:

• Listed buildings
• Conservation areas
• Flats and leasehold properties
• Installations visible from public areas
• Properties subject to specific planning restrictions
• Systems where noise or appearance could affect neighbouring properties.

If you are unsure, check with the local planning authority in the first instance.

One of the most important considerations for homeowners is to ensure that their installer is F-Gas qualified to carry out activities such as installing, servicing, maintaining, leak checking and recovering refrigerant from stationary air conditioning equipment.

The refrigerant used by an air conditioning system matters because UK regulations restrict the use of certain F-gases in new equipment.

A professional installer will specify equipment that complies with the current requirements.

This is an important distinction between domestic and commercial installations.

The mandatory air conditioning energy inspection requirements commonly apply to systems over 12kW in buildings covered by the relevant Energy Performance of Buildings regulations. A typical single domestic split air conditioning system will generally be far below this capacity so will not require mandatory inspections.

However, domestic air conditioning systems still need servicing after installation. Regular maintenance can help maintain efficiency, performance and indoor air quality and can identify refrigerant or mechanical problems.

Modern air conditioning systems are air-to-air heat pumps and can provide both cooling and heating.

This can make them particularly useful for homeowners looking for a system that provides year-round temperature control rather than cooling alone.

The Government has extended the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include eligible air-to-air heat pumps, including systems capable of providing cooling. Domestic air-to-air heat pumps are also VAT free.