An air conditioning maintenance contract is an agreement for planned visits to your system over a set period, usually a year, at a price agreed in advance. For businesses it’s the normal way to look after air conditioning. For homes it can be handy, but it isn’t essential.
Contracts vary a lot. Two that look similar on price can cover very different things, so it pays to know what to look for.
What a good contract covers
- Planned service visits at an agreed frequency, with a clear list of tasks: filters, indoor and outdoor coils, drain trays, condensate pipes and pumps, electrical connections, controls, and a check of the refrigerant circuit’s performance. Our guide to what an annual service includes goes through each task.
- F-Gas leak checks and records where the law requires them (see below), carried out by a certified engineer and logged for each system.
- A written report after each visit: what was done, readings taken, defects found and what we recommend.
- An asset list: every indoor and outdoor unit, its location, model, refrigerant type and charge. It sounds dull, but it’s what makes the F-Gas records and any future TM44 inspection straightforward.
Some contracts go further and include a set number of repair call-outs, discounted labour or parts. Those can be useful, but read the terms closely. “Parts included” often has exclusions for compressors, PCBs or damage, and none of that replaces the manufacturer’s warranty, which runs on its own terms.
Where the law comes in
If you’re responsible for a system, you’re the “operator” under the F-Gas rules, and the duty to arrange leak checks is shared between you and the service engineer. GOV.UK’s guidance on checking F gas equipment for leaks sets the intervals by the size of the refrigerant charge in tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e):
| Charge | Minimum leak check interval |
|---|---|
| 5 to less than 50 tCO2e | Every 12 months (24 with leak detection fitted) |
| 50 to less than 500 tCO2e | Every 6 months (12 with leak detection fitted) |
| 500 tCO2e or more | Every 3 months, and automatic leak detection is required |
To work out tCO2e, multiply the charge in kg by the refrigerant’s global warming potential and divide by 1,000. R410A has a GWP of 2088, so a system holding 3 kg of R410A is about 6.3 tCO2e and needs a yearly check. A 3 kg R32 system is about 2.0 tCO2e and doesn’t. Hermetically sealed systems under 10 tCO2e have no set maximum interval.
Only F-Gas certified companies with qualified engineers can do this work, as GOV.UK explains under company certification. A contract makes sure the checks and records happen on time.
Want it done properly? AirCon Doctor installs, repairs and services air conditioning and heat pumps across London and the South East, from our base in East Grinstead. We’re an F-Gas certified company and NICEIC approved. Get a fixed-price quote.
Domestic contracts: are they worth it?
Most home systems are small enough that no leak check is legally required. A yearly service is still good practice: it keeps the system efficient, catches drain problems before they become a damp patch, and some manufacturers expect regular servicing under their warranty terms. Our annual service is £95 to £150 + VAT.
A home contract mainly saves you remembering and booking. If you have one system and you’re organised, booking a yearly service works just as well. If you’re a landlord with several properties, or you have a multi-split serving the whole house, a contract keeps everything on one schedule.
Commercial contracts: why most businesses have one
For a business the case is stronger. Larger systems often carry legal leak check intervals, you need records that stand up if someone asks, and a breakdown in summer costs money in lost trade, unhappy staff or overheated IT. Planned visits spot worn fan motors, failing condensate pumps and slow leaks before they stop the system.
Visit frequency depends on the system and how hard it works. A shop with a couple of wall units may need one visit a year. A restaurant dining room, a gym or a server room running all day may need more, because filters and coils load up faster.
What to compare before you sign
- Exactly which tasks are done on each visit, in writing.
- Whether F-Gas leak checks and record keeping are included for every system that needs them.
- What happens when a fault is found: is the repair quoted separately, and at what rates?
- What response the contract commits to for breakdowns, stated in the contract rather than a sales promise.
- Whether the engineers work on your brand and refrigerant type.
- Notice periods and what happens to your records if you leave.
We price our maintenance contracts at a fixed price with your quote, after we’ve seen the systems.
Quick answers
Is an air conditioning maintenance contract a legal requirement?
No. The legal duty is for the operator to arrange leak checks and keep records where the refrigerant charge is 5 tCO2e or more. A contract is simply the easiest way to make sure that happens.
How often should a commercial system be serviced?
At least once a year for most systems, more often for equipment that runs long hours or sits in dusty or greasy surroundings. Legal leak check intervals depend on the charge in tCO2e.
Does a contract replace the manufacturer’s warranty?
No. The warranty is the manufacturer’s, on its own terms. Regular servicing helps you meet any servicing conditions those terms contain.
Related services
- Air conditioning maintenance contracts
- Air conditioning servicing
- Commercial air conditioning
- TM44 air conditioning inspections
More advice
- Air Conditioning Annual Service: What’s Included and Why It Matters
- Air Conditioning F-Gas Regulations: What Businesses Must Know
- How Long Does Air Conditioning Last? Lifespan and Replacement Guide
- Air Conditioning for Offices: What You Need to Know
- All advice
This guide is general information, checked against the sources linked on 30 October 2026. It isn’t legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, grants and product ranges change, so check the current position before you rely on it.