Hot water has to come from elsewhere, such as an existing immersion cylinder, an electric water heater or a separate hot water heat pump. In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme now includes a grant of £2,500 for air-to-air heat pumps in homes, from 28 April 2026, subject to the scheme's conditions. The installer must be MCS-certified to apply, and the refrigerant work must be done by an F-gas certified engineer.
For terraced homes in Greater London, the outdoor unit can often sit in a rear yard with tidy pipe runs to each room. Extensions and garden rooms in Greater London that are hard to connect to the main heating can have their own air-to-air unit. Installers in Greater London plan condensate drains and pipe covers so indoor and outdoor runs stay neat.
Who it suits
- Rooms that get too hot in summer as well as cold in winter
- Households that already have, or will add, a separate source of hot water
- Homes where fitting radiators and pipework would be very disruptive
- Flats and apartments with storage or panel heaters
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
In England the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (£9,000 if it replaces oil or LPG, from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027), and since 28 April 2026 a valid EPC is no longer needed. The grant is applied for by the MCS-certified installer and shown as a deduction on your quote.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Since 29 May 2025, permitted development in England allows up to two air source heat pumps on a house, each up to 1.5 m³, with no blanket 1 m boundary rule — the installation must still meet the MCS planning standards, including the noise check. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation-area positions need extra consent, which we check at survey.
Air-to-air heat pumps prices in Greater London
Here are typical prices for air-to-air heat pumps in Greater London, installed and including VAT. Use the guide price tool for a figure based on your home, then a survey confirms it in writing.
| System | Installed guide price |
|---|---|
| Air-to-air heat pump, 1–2 rooms | £2,700–£5,600 |
| Air-to-air heat pump, multi-room 3–4 bedroom home | £4,500–£8,950 |
Installed, inc VAT. Air-to-air systems heat (and can cool) rooms but do not provide hot water. In England and Wales the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £2,500 towards an air-to-air system in a home, deducted from your quote where eligible.
Towns we cover in Greater London
We cover 90 towns in Greater London for air-to-air heat pumps. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Islington | N1 | Highbury | 7 h 49 min |
| Bexley | DA5 | Bexleyheath | 7 h 50 min |
| Barking | IG11 | Ilford | 7 h 49 min |
| Sutton | SM1 | Carshalton | 7 h 51 min |
| Croydon | CR0 | Purley | 7 h 51 min |
| Ilford | IG1 | Barking | 7 h 49 min |
| Harrow | HA1 | Pinner | 7 h 49 min |
| Tottenham | N17 | Wood Green | 7 h 49 min |
| Walthamstow | E17 | Leyton | 7 h 49 min |
| Dagenham | RM10 | Barking | 7 h 49 min |
| Romford | RM1 | Hornchurch | 7 h 49 min |
| Hayes | UB3 | Southall | 7 h 49 min |
| Wembley | HA9 | Hendon | 7 h 49 min |
| Fulham | SW6 | Putney | 7 h 50 min |
| Southall | UB1 | Hayes | 7 h 49 min |
| Putney | SW15 | Fulham | 7 h 50 min |
| Battersea | SW11 | Chelsea | 7 h 50 min |
| Purley | CR8 | Coulsdon | 7 h 51 min |
| Peckham | SE15 | Dulwich | 7 h 50 min |
| Chingford | E4 | Woodford Green | 7 h 48 min |
| Uxbridge | UB8 | Ruislip | 7 h 49 min |
| Wimbledon | SW19 | Morden | 7 h 50 min |
| Brixton | SW2 | Clapham | 7 h 50 min |
| Hounslow | TW3 | Twickenham | 7 h 50 min |
| Finchley | N3 | Hendon | 7 h 49 min |
| Mitcham | CR4 | Morden | 7 h 51 min |
| Feltham | TW13 | Hounslow | 7 h 50 min |
| Acton | W3 | Chiswick | 7 h 49 min |
| Beckenham | BR3 | Bromley | 7 h 50 min |
| Chelsea | SW3 | Battersea | 7 h 50 min |
| Streatham | SW16 | Balham | 7 h 50 min |
| Eltham | SE9 | Blackheath | 7 h 50 min |
| Morden | SM4 | Mitcham | 7 h 51 min |
| Carshalton | SM5 | Sutton | 7 h 51 min |
| Catford | SE6 | Lewisham | 7 h 50 min |
| Surbiton | KT6 | Kingston upon Thames | 7 h 51 min |
| Stratford | E15 | Leyton | 7 h 49 min |
| Chiswick | W4 | Acton | 7 h 50 min |
| Ruislip | HA4 | Pinner | 7 h 49 min |
| Greenwich | SE10 | Blackheath | 7 h 50 min |
| Barnet | EN5 | Mill Hill | 7 h 48 min |
| Wood Green | N22 | Crouch End | 7 h 49 min |
| Muswell Hill | N10 | Crouch End | 7 h 49 min |
| Highbury | N5 | Islington | 7 h 49 min |
| Coulsdon | CR5 | Purley | 7 h 51 min |
| Hornchurch | RM11 | Upminster | 7 h 49 min |
| Blackheath | SE3 | Lewisham | 7 h 50 min |
| New Malden | KT3 | Kingston upon Thames | 7 h 51 min |
| Woodford Green | IG8 | Chingford | 7 h 48 min |
| Richmond | TW9 | Twickenham | 7 h 50 min |
| Barnes | SW13 | Putney | 7 h 50 min |
| Notting Hill | W11 | Kensington | 7 h 49 min |
| Pinner | HA5 | Harrow | 7 h 49 min |
| Golders Green | NW11 | Hampstead | 7 h 49 min |
| Tooting | SW17 | Balham | 7 h 50 min |
| Chislehurst | BR7 | Sidcup | 7 h 50 min |
| Orpington | BR6 | Chislehurst | 7 h 51 min |
| Balham | SW12 | Tooting | 7 h 50 min |
| Bexleyheath | DA6 | Bexley | 7 h 50 min |
| Bromley | BR1 | Beckenham | 7 h 51 min |
| Camden | NW1 | Kentish Town | 7 h 49 min |
| Clapham | SW4 | Brixton | 7 h 50 min |
| Crouch End | N8 | Highgate | 7 h 49 min |
| Dulwich | SE21 | Brixton | 7 h 50 min |
| Ealing | W5 | Acton | 7 h 49 min |
| Edgware | HA8 | Mill Hill | 7 h 48 min |
| Enfield | EN1 | Southgate | 7 h 48 min |
| Forest Hill | SE23 | Sydenham | 7 h 50 min |
| Hackney | E8 | Stoke Newington | 7 h 49 min |
| Hammersmith | W6 | Notting Hill | 7 h 50 min |
| Hampstead | NW3 | West Hampstead | 7 h 49 min |
| Hendon | NW4 | Golders Green | 7 h 49 min |
| Highgate | N6 | Crouch End | 7 h 49 min |
| Kensington | W8 | Notting Hill | 7 h 50 min |
| Kentish Town | NW5 | Camden | 7 h 49 min |
| Kingston upon Thames | KT1 | Surbiton | 7 h 50 min |
| Lewisham | SE13 | Blackheath | 7 h 50 min |
| Leyton | E10 | Walthamstow | 7 h 49 min |
| Mill Hill | NW7 | Edgware | 7 h 48 min |
| Sidcup | DA14 | Chislehurst | 7 h 50 min |
| Southgate | N14 | Enfield | 7 h 48 min |
| Stoke Newington | N16 | Highbury | 7 h 49 min |
| Sydenham | SE26 | Forest Hill | 7 h 50 min |
| Teddington | TW11 | Twickenham | 7 h 50 min |
| Twickenham | TW1 | Teddington | 7 h 50 min |
| Upminster | RM14 | Hornchurch | 7 h 49 min |
| Wandsworth | SW18 | Putney | 7 h 50 min |
| Wanstead | E11 | Leyton | 7 h 49 min |
| West Hampstead | NW6 | Hampstead | 7 h 49 min |
| Woolwich | SE18 | Eltham | 7 h 50 min |
Air-to-air heat pumps questions
How much sound do the indoor units make?
Indoor units are designed to run quietly, with a fan you will hear most when heating or cooling at full output. Lower fan settings and night modes reduce sound in bedrooms. Siting matters for the outdoor unit too: it needs airflow and a position that passes the MCS noise assessment. Ask to see the sound levels of the proposed units at survey.
Are air-to-air heat pumps suitable for flats?
Often, yes. They need no radiators, pipework or cylinder, so they suit flats heated by storage or panel heaters. You need a position for the outdoor unit, such as a balcony, wall bracket or ground-floor yard, and leaseholders normally need the freeholder's or management company's consent. Planning rules for flats differ by nation, so we check what applies at survey.
Can an air-to-air heat pump heat my water?
No. An air-to-air heat pump heats and cools the air in rooms but does not produce hot water. You need a separate source, such as an existing immersion cylinder, a hot water heat pump or an electric water heater. If you want one system for heating and hot water, an air-to-water heat pump with a cylinder is the alternative.
How do I look after an air-to-air system?
Clean the indoor unit filters regularly, typically every few weeks during heavy use and following the manufacturer's guidance, and keep the outdoor unit clear of leaves and snow. Annual servicing is recommended and is often a condition of the manufacturer's warranty. Any work on the refrigerant circuit must be done by an F-gas certified engineer.