4 ms·

I’ll take your word on the other points but this one: > Many European countries have draconian laws about air conditioning that are killing people this summer.

by scott_w 3mo ago

I’ll take your word on the other points but this one: > Many European countries have draconian laws about air conditioning that are killing people this summer. Needs some debunking. In fact, I think you may have been fed lies because the UK government felt the need to specifically call this out: https://mhclgmedia.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/25/air-conditioning-rules/ https://mhclgmedia.blog.gov.uk/2026/06/25/air-conditioning-r... In short: AC in the home is legal in the UK subject to following regulations, both national and local. Councils are generally happy to tell you how to comply, in my experience with building control.

AnthonyMouse 3mo ago
Reading that sort of thing is kind of amusing, e.g.: > In most cases, planning permission is not required to install it for a small home if it would not materially affect the appearance of the building from outside. Substantially all air conditioning units affect the appearance of the building from the outside because they require a coil or vent somewhere on the exterior of the building to expel heat. > Building regulations already require new residential buildings, including houses, flats, student accommodation, residential care homes and children's homes, to be designed to minimise overheating. If planning permission for aircon was denied, worry not, because the building code now requires measures that will keep some new buildings to a temperature ten or twenty degrees cooler than the older buildings (planning permission for aircon likewise denied), which is quite a difference when even the newer buildings are over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They wouldn't need to spin it like this if there weren't actually buildings where people want to install air conditioning and are prohibited from it, because if that was the case they would have said that.
- scott_w 3mo ago
  You're completely misreading regulations. "Materially affect" does not cover things like "puts a unit outside" because otherwise putting a satellite does would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside," yet millions of people get Sky TV. > If planning permission for aircon was denied Again, this is not part of the article because it literally says you don't need planning permission! There are regulations you must follow about the size and location but, as long as those are followed, you don't need planning permission. At most, you alert Building Control who will tell you the process and, as long as you follow it, they will sign it off. For the avoidance of doubt: getting work signed off by your council's Building Control department is not planning permission. As long as your work follows the regulations, they will sign it off. Planning permission is ONLY needed if you want to do work outside of what building regs normally allow for residential properties. > They wouldn't need to spin it like this if there weren't actually buildings where people want to install air conditioning and are prohibited from it They wouldn't need to spin it like this if the media and their useful idiots like you didn't outright lie about what was actually happening.
  - AnthonyMouse 3mo ago
    > "Materially affect" does not cover things like "puts a unit outside" because otherwise putting a satellite does would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside," yet millions of people get Sky TV. They're referring to regulations by the local council. All of them are different. Millions of people being able to install a satellite dish is entirely compatible with any number of different people in different localities being refused because the condenser is "ugly". > Again, this is not part of the article because it literally says you don't need planning permission! It literally says: > In most cases, planning permission is not required to install it for a small home if it would not materially affect the appearance of the building from outside. Which strongly implies both that there are cases when it's required anyway and there are cases when it would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside" since otherwise they wouldn't need to qualify it.
    - scott_w 3mo ago
      > the condenser is "ugly". "Ugly" is not part of planning regs. Local council planning regs cannot override statute and they don't deviate that much. You'd know this if you lived in the UK (which you don't). > Which strongly implies both that there are cases when it's required anyway I explained why you might need planning permission: because your planned work sits outside of building regs. > there are cases when it would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside" Yes, those are things like "it's too big" or "it's a listed building." Instead of hand-waving about things you don't understand, put some fucking effort in and show these cases that are obviously reasonable but still being blocked. Here, let me add yet more research since you won't do it yourself: https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/expert-advice/air-conditioning-building-regulations/ https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/expert-advice/air-condition... A list of reasons air-conditioning might require planning permission. Are you telling me that you, Anthony, know more about building regs in the UK than: * Residents of the UK who have to work with them when they want to building work on their home. * Companies who work with building contractors in the UK. * The UK Government.
      - AnthonyMouse 3mo ago

by scott_w 3mo ago

AnthonyMouse 3mo ago

Reading that sort of thing is kind of amusing, e.g.: > In most cases, planning permission is not required to install it for a small home if it would not materially affect the appearance of the building from outside. Substantially all air conditioning units affect the appearance of the building from the outside because they require a coil or vent somewhere on the exterior of the building to expel heat. > Building regulations already require new residential buildings, including houses, flats, student accommodation, residential care homes and children's homes, to be designed to minimise overheating. If planning permission for aircon was denied, worry not, because the building code now requires measures that will keep some new buildings to a temperature ten or twenty degrees cooler than the older buildings (planning permission for aircon likewise denied), which is quite a difference when even the newer buildings are over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They wouldn't need to spin it like this if there weren't actually buildings where people want to install air conditioning and are prohibited from it, because if that was the case they would have said that.

scott_w 3mo ago
You're completely misreading regulations. "Materially affect" does not cover things like "puts a unit outside" because otherwise putting a satellite does would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside," yet millions of people get Sky TV. > If planning permission for aircon was denied Again, this is not part of the article because it literally says you don't need planning permission! There are regulations you must follow about the size and location but, as long as those are followed, you don't need planning permission. At most, you alert Building Control who will tell you the process and, as long as you follow it, they will sign it off. For the avoidance of doubt: getting work signed off by your council's Building Control department is not planning permission. As long as your work follows the regulations, they will sign it off. Planning permission is ONLY needed if you want to do work outside of what building regs normally allow for residential properties. > They wouldn't need to spin it like this if there weren't actually buildings where people want to install air conditioning and are prohibited from it They wouldn't need to spin it like this if the media and their useful idiots like you didn't outright lie about what was actually happening.
- AnthonyMouse 3mo ago
  > "Materially affect" does not cover things like "puts a unit outside" because otherwise putting a satellite does would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside," yet millions of people get Sky TV. They're referring to regulations by the local council. All of them are different. Millions of people being able to install a satellite dish is entirely compatible with any number of different people in different localities being refused because the condenser is "ugly". > Again, this is not part of the article because it literally says you don't need planning permission! It literally says: > In most cases, planning permission is not required to install it for a small home if it would not materially affect the appearance of the building from outside. Which strongly implies both that there are cases when it's required anyway and there are cases when it would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside" since otherwise they wouldn't need to qualify it.
  - scott_w 3mo ago
    > the condenser is "ugly". "Ugly" is not part of planning regs. Local council planning regs cannot override statute and they don't deviate that much. You'd know this if you lived in the UK (which you don't). > Which strongly implies both that there are cases when it's required anyway I explained why you might need planning permission: because your planned work sits outside of building regs. > there are cases when it would "materially affect the appearance of the building from outside" Yes, those are things like "it's too big" or "it's a listed building." Instead of hand-waving about things you don't understand, put some fucking effort in and show these cases that are obviously reasonable but still being blocked. Here, let me add yet more research since you won't do it yourself: https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/expert-advice/air-conditioning-building-regulations/ https://www.checkatrade.com/blog/expert-advice/air-condition... A list of reasons air-conditioning might require planning permission. Are you telling me that you, Anthony, know more about building regs in the UK than: * Residents of the UK who have to work with them when they want to building work on their home. * Companies who work with building contractors in the UK. * The UK Government.
    - AnthonyMouse 3mo ago