AC delivered and set up for you: the Berlin setup service

You can get an air conditioner delivered and set up for you in Berlin: KlimaLegal's setup service costs a one-off €149 and covers the full assembly. The window seal itself isn't included: you buy it along with the unit, and KlimaLegal fits it. You buy the unit itself through a partner link straight from the retailer, who remains the seller and holds the warranty. Whether the service is worth it depends on the machine. A light monoblock is a solo job. A 45.5 kg mobile split with a window bracket is not.

What "no installer needed" actually means

Mobile split units are marketed with one proud claim: no installer needed. And legally, it's true. The refrigerant line is sealed at the factory and never opened, so you don't need a certified firm and, as a renter, no permission from your landlord. What the claim quietly skips is everything between the doorbell and cold air.

A unit in the PortaSplit class weighs about 45.5 kg, split across two modules. The outdoor module hangs in a bracket that mounts on the open window, and that bracket has to match your window and sit properly, because the alternative is a compressor dangling over the pavement. Then comes the seal. Berlin windows are a zoo: double box windows in the Altbau, tilt-and-turn in newer flats, floor-to-ceiling balcony doors. Each needs a different sealing solution. None of this requires a master craftsman. It does need two free hours and a second pair of hands. Patience helps, because the bracket rarely sits right on the first try.

And then there are the stairs. A fifth-floor Altbau walk-up is charming right up until the courier declares the kerb to be "your address" and drives off. From there, the 45 kilos are your problem.

What can you honestly set up yourself?

More than setup companies like to admit, less than the product ads promise. Roughly:

• Monoblock (around 25 to 35 kg, on castors): a solo job if you're reasonably fit. Click on the exhaust hose, seal the window, plug it in. The fiddly part is the seal, not the machine.
• Window unit: better with two people. It has to sit securely in the frame, so one person holds while the other fixes it in place.
• Mobile split (PortaSplit class): legal, yes. Comfortable, no. Two modules, a window bracket and a precise seal. Hanging the outdoor module is not something to attempt alone.
• Classic or quick-connect split system: not a DIY project for anyone. More on that below.

So if you've ordered a monoblock and the stairs don't scare you, build it yourself and keep the €149. The setup service earns its money where weight, bracket and seal all show up at once, or where there's simply nobody around to grab the other end.

What does it cost to have an AC set up?

KlimaLegal's setup service costs €149, once. It covers the complete setup of a permission-free unit you bought through a partner link, and KlimaLegal fits the window seal too. The seal itself (roughly 30 to €60) isn't part of the €149, so order one for your window type along with the unit. The seal is the part everyone underestimates. A badly sealed window lets warm air flow straight back in, and that is the most common reason a self-installed unit cools poorly.

And don't wait for the heat. Once the first heatwave hits, units sell out and setup calendars fill within days. Buying in spring and booking the setup early beats sweating through the second week of July while you wait for a slot.

If you'd rather not own a machine at all, renting is the alternative. Side by side:

Why classic split systems are off the table

Classic split systems, including the "quick-connect" kind, involve connecting or opening a refrigerant line during installation. Under the EU F-Gas rules, only certified firms are allowed to do that. Install one yourself and the fines can reach five figures, on top of trouble with your landlord over the drilled wall and the unit on the facade. KlimaLegal doesn't install these systems and doesn't advise on them.

Can you claim the €149 on your German tax return?

Probably in part, and this one surprises a lot of expats: it works for renters too. Having tradespeople work in your home counts as a Handwerkerleistung under § 35a of the German income tax act, and the usual figure there is 20 percent of the labour costs back, capped at €1,200 a year. Only the labour share counts, not materials like the seal, so on €149 you'd get roughly 25 to €30 back.

Two conditions people miss: you need an invoice, and you have to pay by bank transfer. Cash payments don't count. This isn't tax advice, so when in doubt, ask your tax software or a tax adviser.

How the setup service works, start to finish

The process is short. You pick a permission-free unit and buy it through the partner link, straight from the retailer, who also carries the warranty. You book the setup service on top. On the agreed date, KlimaLegal turns up, fits the seal you ordered for your window and builds everything ready to run.

If owning a machine doesn't appeal, the Sommer-Abo (Summer Rental) runs from 1 June to 30 September, replaces a broken unit within 3 working days, and gets collected again from mid-September. There are 30 subscription slots for 2027. And if a 45-kilo box is already sitting in your hallway, put your name on the waitlist at klimalegal.de and lock in a setup date.