Air conditioning in Bexleyheath

Why is a Bexleyheath semi the simplest job on this site?

Because it is the most common house in the most semi-detached borough we work in. At the 2021 Census, 42,154 of Bexley's 95,298 households lived in semi-detached houses, 44.2% and the highest share anywhere on our patch, against 22,536 in terraces, 7,054 in detached houses and 20,318 in purpose-built flats. Nearly all of Bexleyheath's semis went up after the heath north of Bexley was enclosed in 1814 and, much later, after the railway arrived; they have a side return, a rear wall and a garden, which is everything an outdoor unit needs. Permitted development gives a semi its first outdoor unit without an application, provided the unit heats as well as cools and the sound at the neighbour's nearest window passes the test. Sources: Census 2021; Wikipedia; Planning Portal.

Where in Bexleyheath do conservation-area rules apply?

In a very small area, but an important one. Bexley Council lists 23 conservation areas; the one in Bexleyheath itself is Red House Lane, which the national planning register dates from 25 July 1973. It exists for Red House, built in 1859 by Philip Webb for William Morris, listed at Grade I in May 1950 and owned by the National Trust since 2003. An Article 4 direction removes further permitted development from the odd numbers 1 to 9 Red House Lane and from 44 Upton Road, so on those houses even a porch or a front wall needs permission. Inside the conservation area no road-facing wall or roof may carry an outdoor unit, and anything within sight of Red House is best discussed with the council's conservation officer before a bracket is ordered. Sources: Bexley Council; planning.data.gov.uk; Wikipedia; Wikipedia on Red House; Kirby; Planning Portal.

What about the flats around the Broadway?

They are the growing part of the town. The London Plan counts Bexleyheath as one of London's 35 major centres; its covered Broadway Shopping Centre opened in 1984, the Civic Offices conversion began in 2012, and in June 2018 Bellway won approval for 518 homes beside them, 110 of them affordable, including a 13-storey block. A new block of flats changes the sums: permitted development gives the entire building a single outdoor unit, and the freeholder or management company decides what may be fixed to it. Bexley also has an Article 4 direction, in force since 10 December 2025, under which turning shops, offices and other commercial premises into homes in 13 of its town centres needs planning permission. The flats guide covers who has to say yes. Sources: Wikipedia; Bexley Council; Planning Portal.

What should a Bexleyheath landlord know?

Two Bexley rules. An Article 4 direction covering small houses in multiple occupation across the whole borough was made in 2016 and has been in force since 24 September 2017, so turning a house into a shared let for up to six people needs planning permission. Selective licensing, on the other hand, covers only Belvedere ward, from 13 January 2025 to 12 January 2030, so a Bexleyheath landlord needs no licence for an ordinary let. Neither rule prevents a landlord putting air conditioning into a let, but a tenant cannot commission it alone; the landlord's consent comes first, in writing, and the Part P certificate for the circuit should go in the tenancy file. Sources: Bexley Council on Article 4; London Property Licensing; Bexley Council on licensing.

What we fit and look after in Bexleyheath

The whole of our service list reaches Bexleyheath. Pick one for the detail.

From first call to first cool night

1. Tell us about the room

   A call to 01322 952910 or the form with your postcode in it. Which room overheats, what the building is, and whether the outside wall is yours to drill.

2. Survey, then a figure in writing

   We measure the room, choose a position for the outdoor unit, calculate the sound at the neighbour's window, look inside the consumer unit and ask about leases, landlords and covenants. The price arrives in writing with the electrics itemised.

3. Consents settled first

   If a freeholder, landlord, management company or council has a say, we wait for it, and we supply the drawings and sound figures they will ask for.

4. Installed, tested, shown to you

   Units, pipes and the new circuit are fitted; the pipework is pressure tested and evacuated before charging; the system runs in both modes while we measure it; the certificates are yours and so is a tour of the remote. After that, a service once a year.