Decommissioning and refrigerant recovery
Safe removal of old units with refrigerant recovered and paperwork provided. Priced before we book, with a written report after.
- Price confirmed before booking
- Every system listed and checked
- Records you can show an inspector
What is air conditioning decommissioning?
Air conditioning decommissioning is the safe shutdown and removal of a system: the refrigerant is recovered into certified cylinders by an F-gas certified engineer, pipework is made safe, the units are removed and disposed of as waste electrical equipment, and the paperwork is provided for your records.
In the UK, guide prices are about £245–£895 per system, plus VAT. A typical job (removing 2–4 split systems) is £595–£1,950 plus VAT.
Refrigerant cannot legally be vented to the air. When a unit is removed — at the end of a lease, during a strip-out, or because it has failed — the gas must be recovered by a certified engineer, and the equipment disposed of properly.
We recover the refrigerant, cap or remove pipework, take the units away and give you the waste and recovery paperwork. For dilapidations we can also make good wall penetrations and remove redundant brackets and trunking.
Where it suits
- End-of-lease strip-outs and dilapidations
- Office and shop refurbishments
- Failed or redundant units
- Replacing old R22 systems
- Landlords clearing vacant units
- Demolition contractors
What is included
- Refrigerant recovery into certified cylinders
- Electrical isolation by a qualified electrician
- Removal of indoor and outdoor units
- Pipework capped or removed
- WEEE-compliant disposal with paperwork
- Making good of wall penetrations on request
How the work is carried out
Survey
We confirm what is to be removed and any making-good required.
Isolate and recover
Power is isolated and refrigerant recovered and weighed.
Remove
Units, pipework and fixings are removed as agreed.
Paperwork
You get recovery records and waste transfer documentation.
Decommissioning prices
National guide prices for 2026. Local pages show prices adjusted for each region.
| Item | Guide price (ex VAT) | Inc VAT | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single split removal with gas recovery | £245–£495 | £294–£594 | per system |
| Cassette or ducted unit removal | £295–£695 | £354–£834 | per unit |
| VRF system strip-out | £1,450–£6,950 | £1,740–£8,340 | per system |
| Making good wall penetrations | £45–£145 | £54–£174 | per hole |
Ex VAT. Access equipment and large plant removals are priced after survey.
Typical job: removing 2–4 split systems — £595–£1,950 plus VAT.
Things to plan for
Legal recovery
Recovery of F-gas refrigerant must be done by certified engineers; venting is an offence.
Records
Keep the recovery and waste paperwork with your F-gas records.
Dilapidations
Agree with your landlord what must be removed and what can stay.
Re-use
Equipment that is still serviceable can sometimes be relocated; ask us to assess it.
Questions about decommissioning
Can you just disconnect the units?
Not legally, if they contain refrigerant. The gas must be recovered by a certified engineer before the system is opened up or removed.
What paperwork will I get?
Recovery records showing the refrigerant type and quantity, and waste transfer documentation for the equipment.
Can you make good the walls?
Yes, we can fill pipe holes, remove brackets and trunking and leave surfaces ready for decoration.
Can old units be re-used elsewhere?
Sometimes, if they are in good condition and suit the new space. We assess before recovery.
Decommissioning near you
Choose your county or region for local guide prices and the towns we cover.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- London
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Scotland
What happens next
Tell us what you need
Use the form, the quote tool, live chat or call us. A postcode and the type of premises is enough to start.
Survey or visit
For mainland installations we survey free of charge. Service and repair visits, and travel to remote locations, are priced before we book.
Written quote
You get the specification, the price and the programme in writing, including any landlord or planning points.
Work and handover
We install, service or repair around your hours, then hand over the commissioning and F-gas records.
Tell us about your premises
Send a few details and we will arrange a survey or call you back with a guide price.