Heat networks

A heat network (sometimes called district heating or communal heating) supplies heating and hot water from a central energy source to multiple homes or buildings.

Instead of each home having its own boiler, heat is generated centrally and distributed through insulated pipes to connected properties.

This heat is delivered through a unit called a Heat Interface Unit (HIU).

A HIU works in a similar way to a boiler but without combustion. It transfers heat from the network into your home to provide:

• Heating (radiators or underfloor heating)
• Hot water

The HIU allows you to control your heating while the central system is maintained separately.

Heat network customers may be billed in different ways depending on the system installed.

Metered

• You pay for the heat you use
• Your usage is recorded through a heat meter
• Bills are normally based on your actual consumption

Unmetered (included in service charges)

• Costs are shared through a service charge
• Charges are usually based on estimated annual costs

If you're unsure which arrangement applies to your home, please contact us.

Heating and hot water charges are reviewed regularly and reflect the costs of operating and maintaining the heat network. These costs may include:

• Energy costs
• Maintenance and repairs
• Network operation costs
• Metering and billing services where applicable

Where tariffs change, we will provide advance notice wherever possible and explain the reason for the change

No. Heat network customers cannot usually choose an alternative heat supplier. This is because heating and hot water are provided through a shared central system serving multiple homes.

Unlike gas and electricity supplies, it is not normally possible to switch to another heat supplier.

In most cases, no.

Properties connected to a heat network are designed to receive heating and hot water through that system. Installing an alternative heating system would normally require technical assessments and approval from the landlord or building owner.

If you would like to discuss your circumstances, please contact us for advice.

If you experience a fault with your heating, hot water, HIU or heat meter, please report it as soon as possible.

We'll arrange for the issue to be investigated and keep you updated on progress.

Repair times depend on the nature of the fault and whether it affects an individual property or the wider heat network.

We aim to:

• Respond to emergency loss of heating or hot water as quickly as possible
• Keep customers informed throughout the repair process
• Restore service at the earliest opportunity
• Provide additional support where appropriate to customers on our Priority Services Register

Where a wider network outage occurs, we will communicate updates and expected repair times whenever these are available.

The UK Government has introduced new regulations for heat networks and Ofgem is the sector regulator. 

This is a positive step for customers and will help ensure:

• Improved standards across the industry
• Fair pricing and transparency
• Better customer protection
• Clearer information about heating services
• Access to independent dispute resolution through the Energy Ombudsman
• Consistent service standards across providers

We are working to comply with all applicable regulatory requirements and will continue to update customers as new requirements are introduced.

We have a Priority Services Register (PSR) to support you if you need additional help.

You may be eligible if you:

• Are of pensionable age
• Have a disability
• Have a long-term health condition
• Have young children
• Need additional support during a service interruption
• Have communication or accessibility needs

What support can the PSR provide?

Depending on your circumstances, support may include:

• Extra help during service interruptions
• Priority communications and updates
• Alternative communication formats
• Tailored support based on individual needs

How to join the PSR 

• Complete the form 
• Call our customer service team on 0345 141 4663
• Speak to your housing manger or scheme manager, they can help you complete the form

We aim to resolve any issues quickly and fairly.

If you’re unhappy with your heating service, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

If you are still not happy, you can make a complaint. Please let us know you live in a property connected to a heat network, this will help us direct your complaint. 

Complaints relating to a heat network are dealt with slightly differently to housing complaints. We do not follow a two-stage process with prescribed closure timescales. Instead, we use a single stage, but the complaint remains open until resolution.

You can read more about the heat networks complaints process on our complaints process page.

Independent dispute resolution

If you have made a complaint and we have not resolved it within eight weeks, or we issue a deadlock letter, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman. The Energy Ombudsman can consider heat network complaints and provides a free, independent dispute resolution service. 

The Energy Ombudsman can:

• Review complaints
• Investigate disputes
• Make decisions on complaints
• Recommend actions to put things right
• Award compensation where appropriate