Air Conditioner Hire: Our Most Common FAQs

As a leading air conditioner hire company based in London and the South East, we at Chilly Pepper Hire frequently encounter the same questions from individuals and businesses seeking temporary cooling solutions. While we’re always happy to provide direct answers, we believe it’s beneficial to compile these frequently asked questions into a comprehensive resource for everyone considering air conditioner hire.

How does AC hire work?

In essence, AC hire involves renting portable air conditioning units for a defined period, offering a flexible and cost-effective way to manage indoor temperatures. If your London property – whether it’s a home, office, retail space, or event venue – is experiencing uncomfortable heat, air conditioner hire provides an immediate solution without the long-term commitment, storage and upfront costs necessary when purchasing.

Here’s a step-by-step overview of how our London AC hire service typically works:

• Enquiry and Assessment: You reach out to us with your cooling needs, specifying the type and size of the space you need to cool, the number of people present, and any heat-generating equipment. We will ask you if there are any special circumstances – such as your office space is in an attic or if you have south facing windows. You can also utilise our online calculator to do an initial assessment online.
• Recommendation: Based on your requirements, our expert team recommends the most suitable portable air conditioning unit(s) from our range.
• Quotation: We provide you with a transparent and guaranteed price for the hire period, including delivery and collection within London and the South East.
• Delivery and Setup: Our team delivers the chosen AC unit(s) to your London location. We can also provide setup and basic installation, ensuring the unit is correctly positioned and vented for optimal performance. During delivery, we can conduct a free site audit to ensure you have the best equipment and setup for your needs.
• Hiring Period: The air conditioning unit is yours for the agreed rental period, providing on-demand cooling to create a comfortable environment.
• Collection: Once your hire period is complete, we arrange a convenient time to collect the unit(s) from your London premises.

What types of AC units can I hire in London?

Chilly Pepper Hire offers a diverse selection of portable air conditioning units tailored to various needs and environments across London for all your air conditioner hire requirements. Understanding the different types will help you choose the most effective solution for your specific situation when hiring an air conditioner.

• Air-to-Air Portable Units (Hose Type): These are the most common type we supply for air conditioner hire, accounting for approximately 85% of our rentals. They work by drawing warm air from the room, cooling it, and expelling the hot air outside through a flexible hose. This hose typically vents through a window, doorway, or a false ceiling. These units are user-friendly, require no maintenance from the hirer, and can operate unattended 24/7, making them ideal for a wide range of applications in London homes, offices, and smaller commercial spaces seeking portable air conditioning.
• Specialist Units (Split Type & Evaporative): For situations demanding more significant cooling power or where external venting isn’t feasible, we offer specialist air conditioner hire units.
  • Split Types: For situations demanding enhanced cooling power compared to standard portable units, Chilly Pepper Hire offers split type air conditioners. Similar in cooling principle to our hose-type units, split type systems feature a separate, compact outdoor condenser unit to expel the extracted heat, rather than using a hose. They offer superior performance and powerful cooling but require considerably more involved installation than typical portable hose-type systems.
  • Evaporative Coolers (Non-Vented): These units cool air through water evaporation and do not require a hose for hot air expulsion. They are most effective in dry environments and can be a good option for enclosed spaces where traditional venting is challenging. However, they do require limited maintenance by the hirer, and as their cooling effect is different from standard units, they can create some humidity and therefore are most effective in dry environments.

To help you decide on your air conditioner hire, our expert team at Chilly Pepper Hire can guide you on the best type of AC unit for you, based on your specific cooling requirements and the characteristics of your London property.

How do I know which AC unit is right for my London property?

Choosing the correct AC unit for your London space is crucial for effective and efficient cooling when you opt for air conditioner hire. We provide several resources to help you make the best decision.

• Our Online Calculator: We’ve developed an intuitive online calculator on our website that takes into account key factors to recommend the most suitable AC unit(s). By inputting details such as the size of your room(s) in square meters, the number of people typically occupying the space, and the presence of heat-generating appliances like computers, servers, or coffee machines, the calculator will suggest the appropriate type and quantity of units needed for your air conditioner hire.
• Direct Consultation with Our Technical Team: Our friendly and experienced technical team is always available to discuss your specific cooling needs in detail. We understand that every situation is unique, and we’ll take the time to understand your London property, the challenges you’re facing with heat, and your desired comfort level. We can then provide a tailored recommendation for the most effective and economical air conditioning solution, with absolutely no obligation. Feel free to get in touch via our website or by phone on 020 7078 3930.

The main thing to remember is that we strive to make the process of hiring the right air conditioners easy and cost-effective for all our customers in London.

Is professional installation required for your AC hire units in London?

Generally, professional installation is not required for the majority of our portable air conditioning hire units, making the process quick and hassle-free. Our units are designed for portability and straightforward setup.

In most instances, when we deliver your units, we can perform a free standard site audit to confirm that you have the most suitable equipment and the optimal positioning for effective cooling. In most situations, not only will our delivery team position the units in your desired location upon arrival at your London property, but they can also assist with the basic setup, including ensuring the exhaust hose is correctly vented through a window, door, or ceiling. Please note that we can only deliver units to the ground floor level unless organised by prior arrangement.

However, we also understand that some London properties may present unique challenges regarding ventilation. If venting through a traditional window or door isn’t feasible, we have recently invested in the latest cooling technology, including a limited number of air conditioners that do not require a hose to expel hot air. If you’re facing such a situation in an enclosed space, we encourage you to contact us directly to discuss the availability and suitability of these advanced units for air conditioner hire.

Can I hire an AC unit for just a couple of days in London?

Our standard hire periods are typically weekly, monthly, and for longer durations, as this generally offers the most cost-effective solution for our customers in London seeking air conditioner hire. However, we understand that short-term cooling needs can arise.

Please do get in touch with our team to discuss the possibility of daily hire for your specific situation in London. While our pricing structure is optimized for weekly or longer rentals of our air conditioning units, we will always endeavour to provide a cost-effective solution that meets your requirements. Factors such as the availability of units and logistical considerations may influence our ability to offer daily air conditioner hire, so it’s best to contact us directly with your specific dates and needs.

How much does air conditioner hire cost in London?

The cost of air conditioner hire in London is influenced by several factors, including the number of units you require, the type of units selected (based on their cooling capacity and features), and the duration of the hire period. Generally, the longer the air conditioner hire period, the more economical the weekly rate becomes.

For a small, standard portable air conditioning unit, you can expect to pay from around £25 to £35 per week for a typical hire. For longer-term hires of an air conditioner, the equivalent weekly cost for a smaller unit can be as low as £8.40. However, the actual cost will vary depending on your specific needs. For example, hiring multiple units over a long period will naturally incur a lower per unit hire cost compared to hiring a single unit for one week.

At Chilly Pepper Hire, we pride ourselves on offering the most cost-effective air conditioner hire prices across London and the South East. We are unique in that we publish all our pricing online, ensuring complete transparency for our customers. You can be confident that there are no hidden fees, and as we charge no VAT, the price you see is the price you pay.

For a precise quotation tailored to your specific requirements, we encourage you to contact our team directly. We’ll take into account your needs to provide you with the most competitive and accurate price for hiring an air conditioner.

Do you deliver and collect AC units in London?

Yes, Chilly Pepper Hire provides a comprehensive delivery and collection service for air conditioner hire throughout London and the South East. Our aim is to make the entire process as convenient as possible for our customers seeking air conditioner hire.

Our standard delivery and collection service covers areas within and around Greater London and the South East. Furthermore, we offer a discounted rate for deliveries within a four-mile radius of our storage facility located in Surrey. When you place your air conditioner hire order, our team will confirm the delivery and collection arrangements. We strive to be punctual and efficient (traffic allowing), and can provide same day delivery, ensuring your hired AC units are delivered and collected at a time that suits you best.

What happens if an AC unit stops working during my hire in London?

While all our air conditioning units undergo regular servicing and maintenance to ensure optimal performance, we understand that unforeseen issues can occasionally arise during your air conditioner hire period. To provide you with complete peace of mind, all our air conditioner rentals include a no-cost swap-in, swap-out service.

In the rare event that a unit you’ve hired from us breaks down, simply contact our team. We will arrange to come to your London location as quickly as possible to replace the faulty unit with a fully operational one, completely free of charge. We will then take the malfunctioning unit away for repair. Our priority is to ensure that you experience uninterrupted air conditioning throughout the entire duration of your hire period in London, minimizing any inconvenience caused by a breakdown.

Can I hire multiple AC units at once for my London property?

Absolutely! We recommend the hire of multiple units if you have a larger premises or a significant number of people or heat-generating appliances in your London space. Often, strategically placing multiple units can provide more effective and even cooling than relying on a single unit for your air conditioner hire needs.

Furthermore, when you hire multiple air conditioning units simultaneously, especially for longer periods, you will often benefit from more favourable overall rates for your air conditioner hire. We encourage you to utilize our online calculator to explore the potential cost savings for multiple unit hires. Our team can also provide a customized quote for larger orders to ensure you receive the most cost-effective solution for your London property when considering air conditioner hire.

How much will it cost me to run a hired AC unit in London?

Our portable air conditioning units are specifically chosen for their reliability and energy efficiency, aiming to provide a cost-effective cooling solution for your London needs when you opt for air conditioner hire. While the exact running cost will depend on the specific model and your local electricity rates, we can provide some general guidance.

For instance, a typical portable air conditioner unit with a power consumption of around 780 watts will use approximately 21 pence of electricity per hour (based on an average UK electricity price). If the unit runs for 24 hours a day, every day, this would equate to roughly £5 per day or £151 per month (according to the Sus-It energy calculator).

However, in most typical usage scenarios in London homes and offices, the air conditioning unit will not need to run continuously. By effectively managing the thermostat and using the unit as needed, you can significantly reduce these running costs associated with your air conditioner hire. As well as providing general guidance on reducing your operating costs, our team can also provide information on the specific power consumption of the units you are considering hiring.

Are there any London building requirements for portable AC hire?

The primary building requirement for using most portable air conditioning units in London is the ability to vent the hot exhaust air produced by the unit to the outside. This is typically achieved through a window, a door, or sometimes a ceiling vent. This is an important consideration for your air conditioner hire.

You will need to ensure that you have a suitable opening for the provided exhaust hose to be safely and effectively directed outside. We include window sealing kits with many of our units to help improve efficiency and prevent warm air from re-entering the room during your air conditioner hire.

For situations where external venting is not possible in your London property, please contact our team to inquire about our latest range of air conditioning units that do not require venting. These newer technologies can offer a solution for enclosed spaces, although their cooling mechanism differs from traditional vented units. We can discuss your specific building constraints and recommend the most appropriate option for your air conditioner hire.

Still have questions about AC hire in London?

We understand that you may have further questions or unique circumstances regarding your air conditioner hire needs in London. Our friendly and knowledgeable team at Chilly Pepper Hire is always happy to assist you. As a family-run business with over 25 years of experience serving both residential and commercial customers in London, we pride ourselves on providing expert advice and reliable service. Please feel free to get in touch with us via our website or by phone on 020 7078 3930. We’re here to ensure you get the perfect cooling solution for your London property through our air conditioner hire services.