Most air conditioners are not sold. They are replaced, and the old one is taken away with the installer. But a working split system still has buyers, and the people looking for it want to know who removes it, who reinstalls it and what happens if it fails. This guide covers what we could find on selling a used air conditioner in Australia, what a buyer will ask and when scrapping is the better choice. The sources on resale are thin, so we say where we found nothing. It follows our guides to scrapping an air conditioner and air conditioner disposal and refrigerant rules. We give no prices. ScrapTrade runs a scrap marketplace and has a commercial interest in the scrap trade.
Who removes it
A unit that is installed has to be disconnected, and the gas has to be handled. The Australian Refrigeration Council's rule is that decommissioning a unit with fluorocarbon refrigerant needs a licensed person, so the sensible route is a licensed technician. Tell the buyer that the technician disconnected it and recovered the gas, and keep the invoice. One installer we found quotes A$155 including GST for disconnection with removal and recycling, which is one business's price and not a guide to the cost of removal for resale, but it shows that removal is a paid job.
What buyers expect
We found little on the used market, so we looked at what buyers ask for. On Airtasker, people list second-hand split systems they have bought and want installed, and some ask for licensed and insured installers only. One split-system supplier states that in Australia you need a licensed technician to install a system legally and safely and to keep the product warranty, which is a trade claim and not a regulator's. A listing job described the scope as including the electrical and refrigeration connections. The lesson for a seller is that a buyer is buying a unit and an installation, so be clear who does the second half.
South Australia's energy department says its air conditioner installation requirements do not apply to units that have been previously installed and used. That is one state's guidance, and we did not find the others, so check the rules where the buyer lives.
What to put in the listing
- Make, model and size. Photograph the label on the indoor and outdoor units. Buyers search by model and capacity.
- Age and how it was used.
- Whether it worked, and how you know. Say whether it was running when removed and whether it was serviced.
- What is included. The remote, brackets, the outdoor unit and the indoor unit, and any pipework.
- How it will be removed and who handles the gas. Say so, and say the buyer arranges their own licensed installer if that is the deal.
- Pickup and what is not included. Say whether you are not installing.
Be honest about faults. A buyer who spends on installing a unit that does not work is the one with the problem, and a clear description helps.
For the global view, with US, UK and EU examples, see Sell a Used Air Conditioner: Resale and Removal.
What we could not find
We found nothing on whether a manufacturer's warranty passes to a new owner, so assume it does not unless the maker says so, and check the warranty terms. We found nothing on the gas types, such as R22 versus newer refrigerants, as a factor in resale, although the Australian government has a fact sheet on the R22 phase-out, and we did not review it. We found no source on what any unit sells for.
If nobody buys it
An old or faulty unit goes to scrap, and the metal is worth something. Our guide to scrapping an air conditioner explains how a yard values it. A dead unit, or an old one with a gas that is hard to handle, is usually a scrap job, and an installer replacing your system may take the old one.
Where ScrapTrade fits
One used air conditioner belongs on a classifieds site or with an installer, and ScrapTrade is not the right route for it. The marketplace may suit a contractor, a property manager or a demolition crew with several units, or the metal from them. Listing is free with no commission, price and terms are negotiated live and an accepted bid places the buyer's 5 percent deposit in escrow. Businesses and individuals can sell once verified, and traders in more than 50 countries bid. Working units are not something we could confirm, so email cs@scraptrade.com.au first.
What we could not verify
- What any used unit sells for.
- Whether warranties transfer to a new owner.
- Resale rules outside South Australia.
- Whether a private seller needs any licence to sell a unit that has already been removed.
- Whether ScrapTrade lists working units.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell a used split system?
Yes. People advertise and buy second-hand units, and many want a licensed installer.
Who should remove it before I sell?
A licensed technician, according to the Australian Refrigeration Council, because the gas must be recovered.
Does the warranty transfer to the buyer?
We found no source, so check the maker's terms.
Is it worth selling or scrapping?
A working, recent unit may sell. A dead or old one is usually scrap, worth its metal.
Is ScrapTrade a place to sell my working unit?
Probably not for one unit. Scrap and multiple units fit better, and working units are unconfirmed, so ask support.
Sources
- Australian Refrigeration Council fact sheets on licences, as summarised in search results.
- Airtasker listings and installer pages on second-hand units and removal costs, South Australian Department for Energy and Mining retailer fact sheet addendum, and a split-system supplier's FAQ, as summarised in search results.
- ScrapTrade website, accessed November 2026.
Information only, not legal advice. Licensing and installation rules vary by state.