Information for disputes with Heat Networks

Before contacting us, consumers should first notify their heat supplier and work with them to try and resolve the issue. The heat supplier has 8 weeks to resolve the complaint, unless they issue you with a deadlock letter allowing you to come to us sooner.

The exceptions are disputes that relate to heat networks who were members of Heat Trust prior to 1 April 2025 and the dispute is specifically about Heat Trust scheme rules or are about certain issues relating to the Energy Bills Relief Scheme (EBRS) / Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS), as these matters were under our remit prior to 1 April 2025.

A Heat Network supplies heat from a central source to consumers via a network of pipes carrying hot water. This avoids the need for individual boilers or electric heaters in every residence.  

Heat Networks help reduce our carbon emissions. They often use renewable forms of energy to generate heat. Some heat networks utilise waste heat from industrial processes or power plants. And it’s usually more efficient for a central heat source to heat multiple homes as compared to individual boilers heat multiple properties.  

There are two types of heat networks.

• Communal heat networks –serve a single building or small site with multiple occupants, such as a block of flats or offices.   
• District heat networks - serve multiple buildings across a larger geographical area, such as a housing estate or university campus. 

Your heat network supplier is the person or organisation that supplies and charges for your supply of heat through your heat network. You will be able to find the name and contact details of your heat supplier on your heat bill.

A contract is usually formed between the energy supplier and the heat supplier to use the heat network technology. This is usually for a period in excess of 20 years, which means that a consumer cannot transfer their supply to an alternative energy source, such as gas, or switch energy supplier. 

From 1st April 2025 Energy Ombudsman can accept disputes relating to all heat networks. We can consider disputes which the consumer became aware of on or after 1 April 2025. 

Before contacting us, consumers should first notify their heat supplier and work with them to try and resolve the issue. The heat supplier has 8 weeks to resolve the complaint, unless they issue you with a deadlock letter allowing you to come to us sooner.

The most common types of district heating disputes are about:

• Billing & payments.
• Customer service.
• Maintenance & delays.
• Loss of service.

Unfortunately, we can't review things like:

• Switching suppliers.
• Billing & payments relating to standing charges or a capital replacement fund charge.
• Billing and payments relating to the energy performance.
• Certificate and charges within the final bill.