With UK summers getting hotter and recent temperatures topping 30°C in parts of the country, it’s a question more homeowners are asking.
Here, we look at the potential returns, the upfront and outgoing costs, and whether there are cheaper alternatives worth considering.
Could air-con boost your property's value?
Recent research suggests it might. Estate agent Benham and Reeves estimates that installing air conditioning can typically add around 2.5% to a home’s value.
In high-value areas such as London and the South East, that could mean thousands of pounds.
Additional research by estate agent Redmayne Arnold and Harris found that homes with air conditioning also sold faster.
When looking specifically at homes in Cambridge, they found that those with air conditioning sold 10 days faster than those without (20 vs 30 days). This is unsurprising, as they found that 65% of buyers prefer the feature.
Find out more:How much does it cost to install?
Benham and Reeves estimates the typical cost of installation to be £3,000.
Based on that figure, a property worth more than £120,000 could, in theory, see a return on investment – although the actual figure will depend on the type of system, the size of the property and how easy it is to install. Larger homes may need more units, increasing the cost.
Alternatively, if you would like a quicker and cheaper option, you could explore purchasing a portable air-con unit. They range in price from £300 to almost £1,000.
Find out more:Where air conditioning is most common
Benham and Reeves analysed Zoopla listings to find the areas with the highest proportion of properties featuring air-con.
Properties in London lead the way for air conditioning, but still only 2.3% of properties have it fitted.
The North East has the lowest number of homes with air-con: only 41 properties have it, or just 0.3% of all listings in the region.
| Area | Total listings | Properties with air conditioning | % of properties with air conditioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 85,603 | 1,989 | 2.3% |
| East of England | 47,502 | 704 | 1.5% |
| South East | 75,443 | 846 | 1.1% |
| East Midlands | 30,495 | 312 | 1% |
| West Midlands | 27,935 | 175 | 0.6% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 26,635 | 166 | 0.6% |
| South West | 47,589 | 233 | 0.5% |
| North West | 28,997 | 138 | 0.5% |
| North East | 15,406 | 41 | 0.3% |
| England | 385,605 | 4,604 | 1.2% |
Rising temperatures could drive demand
A potential boost to your property’s value isn’t the only reason to consider air-con. With the UK’s climate becoming warmer, many homeowners are looking for ways to keep their homes comfortable during hot weather.
The latest State of the UK Climate report, produced by the Met Office with government funding, found that the past three years have all ranked in the top five warmest on record. It reported that 2024 was the fourth-warmest year since records began.
The report notes that 'extreme weather events are to be expected each year as an integral part of the UK’s climate'. In July 2022, the UK recorded its hottest July temperature of 40.3°C.
It also highlights that the greatest impact is likely to be from extremes of temperature rather than average temperatures, with the number of days reaching 30°C and 32°C more than trebling.
This trend means more people may seek ways to keep cool at home. Even if you aren’t considering air-con now, it could become an amenity worth weighing up in the future.
Find out more:Alternative ways to keep your home cool
If you’re not ready to install air-con, or just need a quick fix during a heatwave, we’ve rounded up other ways to stay cool in sweltering temperatures.
Electric fans Air coolers Close windows and curtains Take cool or lukewarm showers Wear the right clothes at nightsource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/do-air-conditioned-homes-sell-for-more-a4CqV9V3uot4