East Sussex · Heat pump installation
Heat pump installation in Alfriston, East Sussex
Our engineers work in Alfriston on heat pump installation. A look at the job first, a fixed-price quote and written records at the end.
- Checking eligibility for a heat pump grant
- Working out where a cylinder could go
- Deciding on the outdoor unit position
Questions from Alfriston
Do you cover smaller places like Alfriston?
We do. Villages and hamlets get the same service as the bigger towns. We are based in East Grinstead and plan each visit so the job can be finished in one trip where possible.
Will a heat pump in Alfriston need planning permission?
It depends on the property. The Alfriston Conservation Area takes in the middle of Alfriston. The permitted development rules for heat pumps leave out listed buildings and stop outdoor units going on road-facing walls or roofs in conservation areas. Anything outside the rules needs an application, and we raise it with the planning department at Wealden council, normally the authority for Alfriston first.
Does servicing affect my warranty?
It can, for some brands. Read the manufacturer’s terms, or send us the make and model and we will explain them, and book the service at the interval they recommend.
Is there VAT on a heat pump?
Installing an air source heat pump in a home is zero-rated until 31 March 2027, then 5%. Businesses pay the standard rate, and this is general information rather than tax advice.
Who is responsible for leak checks?
Responsibility is shared between the operator, typically whoever owns or controls the equipment, and the service technicians. The interval depends on the refrigerant charge, measured in tonnes of CO2 equivalent: at least yearly for 5 to under 50 tCO2e, and every 6 months for 50 to under 500 tCO2e.
Can landlords and managing agents book you?
Yes. Homeowners, landlords, agents and businesses all book us in Alfriston and across East Sussex. Tell us who should receive the paperwork.
Can I do the refrigerant work myself?
The refrigerant side has to be done by a qualified engineer working for an F-Gas certified company. That is the law, not just our preference, and it also matters for the manufacturer’s warranty. We are happy to quote for the full job, supply to commissioning.
Air source heat pumps in Alfriston, done properly
Many air source heat pumps can be installed as permitted development in England, without a planning application. The conditions include an outdoor unit of no more than 1.5 m³ and compliance with MCS 020(a), and the unit can’t be used solely for cooling or sit within the curtilage of a listed building. We check the rules for your property as part of the survey. Common call-outs are for plans to switch to electric heating with a heat pump and questions about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, on air-to-water heat pumps, underfloor heating and homes heated by oil, LPG or gas.
For a home around Alfriston that’s off mains gas and heated by oil or LPG, an extra £1,500 is available through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme until March 2027, on top of the £7,500.
Refrigerant work is written up in the F-Gas records: what was done, the refrigerant type and any amount added or recovered. Keep the records with the manual and the warranty documents, ready for the next service or a warranty query.
- Place
- Alfriston (BN26)
- Region
- East Sussex
- Quotes
- Fixed, in writing
- Response
- Same working day
- Credentials
- F-Gas certified company, NICEIC approved, MCS
- Prices
- Air-to-water £8,000–£16,000 before any grant (0% VAT for homes)
- Phone
- 07833 053749
- Updated
- 30 October 2026
Also near Alfriston
Also in Alfriston
Air source heat pumps in Alfriston: the local picture
About 55% of homes in and around Alfriston date from 1945 to 1972, according to the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax figures, and about 77% of households live in detached or semi-detached houses, according to the last census (2021). Whether the walls and loft have been insulated makes a real difference to the heat pump size for homes of that period. Detached and semi-detached houses usually have room for the outdoor unit and a cylinder.
If your home is one of the older properties near Church of St. Andrew, the survey checks whether it’s listed or in a conservation area before the outdoor unit position is chosen. Historic houses such as Alfriston Clergy House, about 0.2 miles south-east, are a reminder that listed homes need consent before a heat pump goes in.
Alfriston is about 3 miles north-east of Seaford, in East Sussex. For air source heat pumps in and around Alfriston, please give us a ring on 07833 053749, or email if that’s easier for a fixed-price quote. Our area covers London and the South East, Alfriston included. Alfriston is one of 289 places in East Sussex where we work. For properties nearby, see our Eastbourne page, about 6 miles away.
The closest recent job we can point to from Alfriston was on Corsica Road, Seaford (BN25), about 3 miles south-west: installing a marine-grade Daikin wall-mounted unit in the main living area.
Postcode districts we cover here: BN26. High Street, Ropewalk and West Street and the roads off them are all inside our area. Neighbouring places we cover include Winton (1 mile north), Lullington (1 mile south-east), Dukes Green (1 mile south), Milton Street (1 mile north-east) and Alciston (2 miles north-west). Within a short drive, we also cover Eastbourne (6 miles east), Bexhill-on-Sea (14 miles east), Seaford (3 miles south-west) and Lewes (8 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Alfriston
Typical jobs here are in properties near Ye Olde Smugglers Inn and the streets around them. The closest station to Alfriston is Berwick (Sussex) station, roughly 2.2 miles north. Other landmarks nearby include Old Forge Museum (Alfriston) (less than half a mile north-east) and Chailey Heritage Marine Hospital (4.2 miles south-west). For a walk, there’s Firle Beacon.
Keeping the system healthy
A little care keeps the system in better shape. Our advice:
- File the MCS certificate safely
- Check eligibility for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme early
- Leave space around the outdoor unit
Once commissioned, we register the installation with MCS and give you the certificate. Keep it with the manufacturer’s paperwork, as you may need it later.
Let the heat pump run steadily rather than switching it on and off, using the settings agreed at handover.
Different systems, different jobs
VAT on heat pumps
Please treat this as general guidance rather than tax advice.
Radiators and underfloor heating
Underfloor heating works well with heat pumps because it uses lower temperatures, and we can connect to it where it’s already in.
What happens on the day
Anything involving refrigerant is handled by F-Gas qualified engineers, as the law requires, while the electrical side is covered by our NICEIC approval. So on the day, you don’t need a separate electrician for the electrical side. On site, it takes anything from a couple of days for air-to-air to the best part of a week for air-to-water with radiator changes. For a place like Alfriston, the timing is set with you and the travel is our side of the planning.
- It starts with a conversation about the home, the existing heating and your plans.
- The survey measures heat loss room by room and looks at radiators, hot water and the best spot for the outdoor unit.
- A fixed-price quote follows, setting out the system, any grant that applies and the VAT.
- Fitting day: the outdoor unit is placed, the indoor side connected and the controls set up.
- We commission the heat pump, complete the MCS paperwork and talk you through the controls.
How to prepare
- Move furniture away from the wall where we’ll be working
- Arrange for someone to be there to let us in
- Keep pets out of the rooms we’re working in
Ask for a quote
Our prices page gives typical ranges, but your quote is based on your job, because every property is different. After a look at the job, by pictures or a survey, the price is fixed. To get going, phone 07833 053749.
Advice
Before you call an engineer
Before you call us about a fault, a few checks can save a visit: is the system in the right mode, is the set temperature sensible, are the remote’s batteries working and has the breaker tripped. If the breaker trips a second time, leave it off and ring us on 07833 053749 or send an email.
Refrigerant is off limits for anyone without the right qualifications. The law requires anyone working on equipment containing F gas to hold the right qualifications, and the company to be certified, and escaping refrigerant can cause cold burns. A suspected leak is our job, not yours.
From one of our customers
“Office air con broke down in the July heatwave. Called at 8am, engineer was here by noon and fixed within 2 hours. Brilliant emergency response. They now hold the service contract for the whole building.”
James T., Crawley, office manager