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DIY Heat Pump Installations: Navigating Legal and Regulatory Hurdles

Justin · 2024-04-13T08:59:03Z

My interest in DIY heat pump installations began when I converted my old garage into a workshop. As a keen and experienced ‘DIYer,’ I wanted the satisfaction of doing the entire project myself—including heating this previously damp and dark space. I chose to install a mini-split air conditioner in heating mode because I could keep it completely separate from the house, it was relatively cheap, and I have previous experience with these systems. The practical side of the installation was straightforward, especially compared to understanding the permitted development and planning application aspects! In this article, I’ll share what I learned about the legal and regulatory aspects of installing my own system. It should be applicable to both dedicated air source heat pumps (ASHPs) and split-system air conditioners being used to heat spaces such as workshops, home offices, etc. Permitted Development Many professional air-conditioning and heat pump contractors state that any installation can be done under ‘Permitted Development’ (PD). In many situations that may well be the case, but it should be noted that the PD route has many restrictions. The following is a summary of the legislation, which is slightly different for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. You should check the full details depending on where you live – there are links are at the bottom of the page. The restrictions are typically: Compliance with MCS Planning Standards or equivalent standards. Only one ASHP permitted per property. (A block of flats usually counts as one property.) The ASHP unit must be more than 1m from property boundaries. It must be more than 1m from the edge of a flat roof and not on a pitched roof. There mustn’t be a wind turbine at the property. THE ASHP mustn’t face a highway if installed above ground storey. The ASHP must not be on, or on the land of, a listed building. The ASHP must not be in an Area of Natural Beauty (AONB), National Park, Conservation Area or World Heritage Site. Apart from the first in the list, the requirements are clear. The first one, the MCS Planning Standards. is somewhat contentious, and has been discussed in several posts on the Renewable Heating Hub Forums. In summary: The standard was written by MCS, and requires that both products and installation contractors be certified by MCS. The cost of MCS certification is high, so much so that there are now umbrella schemes so that non-MCS contractors can work via an MCS certified company to avoid the certification expense. The quality of work of MCS installers is being questioned. SeeFortunately, the Permitted Development legislation specifies ‘MCS Planning Standards or equivalent standards’. Unfortunately, there isn’t guidance on what is considered an ‘equivalent standard’, but it could be argued that the following would be valid as an ‘equivalent standard’. Selecting an MCS approved heat pump Working within the recommendations of MIS 3005 except for the MCS certification requirement Meeting the noise calculation requirements of MCS 020 (see below) In my opinion, this part of the legislation lacks clarity. That MCS wrote the standard that has been included in the legislation appears dubious, especially since it requires installers have MCS certification (a process from which MCS itself financially benefits). A more open approach would be to either detail the requirements in the legislation itself, or to have several organisations offering acceptable certification routes, which would create a competitive market. The MCS 020 Noise Calculation It is perfectly possible to do the equivalent of the MCS 020 noise assessment yourself. The guidelines look confusing, but have been made more user-friendly by Heat Geek in their video. Can you DIY install under Permitted Development? Given the above, yes, I believe it possible to do a DIY installation of an ASHP, working within the PD rules, and fulfilling ‘equivalent standards’ to the MCS Planning Standards requirement. Indeed, MCS themselves, say that ‘an MCS certificate is not a mandatory or legal requirement for system installation’. SeeHowever, there are a couple of other things that should be considered: The system must be for heating purposes only.PD excludes systems that are capable of cooling - i.e. air-conditioners. However, many Local Planning Authority departments are happy to take a sensible approach as they realise that people are using air-conditioners as heat pumps. Also see the conclusion below. Permitted Development may be restricted by the Local Planning Authority (LPA)Some LPAs restrict the installation of ASHPs under PD by imposing an 'Article 4 direction'. This is typically invoked by inner city LPAs where they think noise could an issue in densely populated areas, or it could detract from the unique architecture of an area. SeePlanning Permission If your proposed installation doesn’t meet the PD requirements, it doesn’t necessarily mean you cannot have...

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Safety, Regulations, Tools, Plumbing & DIY Installations

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JamesPa

(@jamespa)

Illustrious Member Moderator

Joined: 4 years ago

Posts: 5479

04/10/2026 2:58 pm

Posted by: @transparent

↑

Are the civil servants thinking of a domestic turbine within a suburban garden?...
... in which case the definition of "curtilage" needs specifying

Yes. The pd is for heat pumps on 'domestic premises'. The term curtilage is frequently used on planning law and, to the best of my knowledge, just means the property boundary.

This post was modified 39 minutes ago by JamesPa

This post was modified 38 minutes ago by JamesPa

4kW peak of solar PV since 2011; EV and a 1930s house which has been partially renovated to improve its efficiency. 7kW Vaillant heat pump.

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