Flat heating in a district heating network

pieroabcd

Hi,
I've seen a new built flat that I like, but I have serious concerns about the heating: it's going to be connected to a "district heating network entirely owned and managed by the council".
I don't know how the system works, but it reminds me the "remote heating" system that in my previous place (where i was a lodger, so I couldn't see the bills) made everybody so unhappy: extremely high bills and a lot of limitations on the time slots.

Does someone have experience with those systems and can explain how they work, please? Am I right in assuming that I couldn't turn on and off the heating any time I wish and that I would be bound by the ON/OFF times decided by the Council?

In terms of bills, I've heard of astronomic bills in a house not far from where I live (3.5k per year more than 1 year ago), but that is a house and not a flat. What are your experiences in this regard?

Thanks

user1977

I would expect a newbuild system to be rather more sophisticated than the previous one you describe.

I think the main issue I'd be concerned about is whether the price caps apply to your bills, given you won't be on a normal domestic tariff?

pieroabcd

In the leaflet that I have there's only a lot of marketing fluff about efficiency and "the price drops will be passed over to you" (strangely it doesn't mention the price hikes... ).

The flats have a "power control unit" and a power meter, that's basically all that is says.

The builders have just told me that "I will have complete control over when it is used" but I suspect that it just means that I'll have complete control over the knob.  I find it hard to imagine a system like that that can be turned on literally any time I want. I'd be happy to be proven wrong, though.

user1977

pieroabcd said:

The builders have just told me that "I will have complete control over when it is used" but I suspect that it just means that I'll have complete control over the knob.  I find it hard to imagine a system like that that can be turned on literally any time I want. I'd be happy to be proven wrong, though.

If it's metered so that you pay for what you actually use, I don't see why not.

eddddy

Being a newbuild, I would expect there to be controls for you to turn the heating on and off for your flat (combined with a thermostat to set the room temperature that you want), and a meter to measure how much heat you have used - and therefore what you have to pay.

District heating is supposed to be more efficient than having your own boiler - so theoretically, that should reduce your heating bills. And regulations for newbuild flats mean that it should be very well insulated and energy efficient.


Do you know what fuel the district heating uses? For example, if it's geothermal, that might make the heating very cheap. (Although I believe the cost of servicing/maintenance might be high.)

If it's gas, as mentioned above, there's the issue of whether price caps will apply, potential government help with gas bills will apply, etc.


Edit to add...

And I doubt the control will be a 'knob'...

I suspect you will be able to program when the heating comes on, goes off etc - and specify the room temperature that you want.

pieroabcd

well, of course the "knob" was an exaggeration :-)
The energy come from  mix of solar, wind. They are also exploring heat pumps.
I've just sent an email to  the district heating company. Let's see what they say.

My main concern is "when". I tend to freeze at the strangest times of day, so for me the independence from fixed timings is super  super important.

ComicGeek

District heating is normally really expensive for a number of reasons.

Firstly it won't fall under the energy price cap, so the energy unit costs are likely to be significantly higher. No shopping around for better deals either.

Secondly administrative charges are normally really high, as they don't have the economies of scale for metering and billing that the large suppliers have. Most schemes that I've seen have larger admin charges than the energy itself. You don't have any option but to sign up to their heat provision, even if you don't use any heat the bills will be high.

Thirdly the costs will include for future maintenance and replacement costs for the heat generating equipment and district heating infrastructure - if you had your own boiler then you would incur some servicing and replacement costs yourself, but these are going to be much larger costs.

The district heating supplier should be able to confirm the current energy costs, and their planned increases over the next couple of months - beyond that it's all in the laps of the gods. 

macman

It's basically a central gas-fired boiler, with a heat exchanger (HIU) in each property. A modern one is just as controllable as a local CH and DHW boiler, it's not 'time-limited in any way. Each unit has it's own meter and you are billed per unit, just like any other heat source.
The risk, as others have pointed out, is that the pricing is controlled by the freeholder or management company on a commercial gas tariff, and it's completely unregulated. There are measures proposed to regulate the pricing of district heating schemes, as they are becoming more common, but at present it's entirely open market.

pieroabcd

They came back saying that there are no time limits and that their tariffs are based on the Government's price caps. 
Anyway, being locked in with a single supplier wouldn't make me feel comfortable at all, so yes... I'll stay away.

It's a pity that these build builds always have some major problem. This one had the best layout that I've ever seen in a flat  in the UK but this heating stuff is a major no no no.

macman

You could of course use your own electric heating instead, but at a cost. Is the hot water on the same system?
Their reply is not very coherent, because the price cap does not apply to commercial tariffs, which they will be buying at.