Why Westminster flats get so hot
Dense central London holds onto heat. Brick, tarmac and traffic keep the middle of town warmer through summer nights than the suburbs, and Westminster sits right in the thick of it. The housing stock makes it worse. Marylebone's mansion blocks have solid brick walls that soak up heat all day and give it back through the evening. Top-floor flats in Pimlico's stucco terraces sit directly under the roof. And in Soho, plenty of flats above shops are single-aspect — opening the window means traffic noise and street air, not relief.
One thing worth knowing: a modern split-system air conditioner is a reversible air-to-air heat pump. It cools in summer and heats efficiently in winter, which matters in the many Westminster flats that have no gas supply and rely on expensive electric heating. As for price, we are not going to put a number on this page — in a borough like this, cost depends heavily on the building, the access and the consent position. Our cost guide explains what moves the price and why quotes vary so much.
In this borough, consent comes before kit
Much of Westminster sits within conservation areas, and listed buildings are everywhere from Mayfair to Pimlico. Before anyone talks about where an outdoor unit might go, the planning position needs checking properly — we won't assume it is fine, and neither should any installer you speak to.
- Flats and leasehold dominate here, and freeholder or managing-agent consent is almost always needed before any external unit goes up.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas need checking case by case — rear elevations and concealed positions are sometimes workable, but never guaranteed.
- Older blocks often have dated wiring, and it is worth knowing where you stand before you commit. Our guide on whether your home electrics can handle air conditioning covers what an electrician will look for.
Where Coolhouse is up to in Westminster
Straight answer: we are not live here yet. Our vetted installers currently cover Hertfordshire, and we are building the London network now. Westminster's mix of listed stock and leasehold consent means we want installers who genuinely know this territory before we match anyone with them. If you register your interest, we will tell you honestly where we are up to and let you know as local installers come on board. No fake urgency, no pretending.