Heat Networks

datakaizen

Hi all,

I live in a purpose-built block of flats served by a heat network. Each flat has its own meter and is billed based on consumption. However, I have been also charged a daily standing charge of £2.38 and a separate daily standing charge (gas) of £0.17. In total, the effective daily standing charge is £2.55. What is the typical range of daily standing charges paid by other forumites who are also heat network consumers? I tried to look for figures published online but no success.

GingerTim

Mine is £1/day for heating/hot water.

Mstty

As I understand it the average on the price capped rate is 53p elec and 29p gas per day. It varies regionally.

Not sure why @GingerTim is paying £1 a day?

Your heat pump network won't be confined by those rates those sadly.

GingerTim

Mstty said:

As I understand it the average on the price capped rate is 53p elec and 29p gas per day. It varies regionally.

Not sure why @GingerTim is paying £1 a day?

Your heat pump network won't be confined by those rates those sadly.

Aren't those the SVT domestic rates? Heat networks are operated as commercial contracts and aren't covered by the SVT and prices vary considerably.

Mstty

GingerTim said:

Mstty said:

As I understand it the average on the price capped rate is 53p elec and 29p gas per day. It varies regionally.

Not sure why @GingerTim is paying £1 a day?

Your heat pump network won't be confined by those rates those sadly.

Aren't those the SVT domestic rates? Heat networks are operated as commercial contracts and aren't covered by the SVT and prices vary considerably.

I did say that it's in my reply😂👍

Are you on a heat network as well if so the £1 makes sense and not badly priced.

GingerTim

Mstty said:

GingerTim said:

Mstty said:

As I understand it the average on the price capped rate is 53p elec and 29p gas per day. It varies regionally.

Not sure why @GingerTim is paying £1 a day?

Your heat pump network won't be confined by those rates those sadly.

Aren't those the SVT domestic rates? Heat networks are operated as commercial contracts and aren't covered by the SVT and prices vary considerably.

I did say that it's in my reply😂👍

Are you on a heat network as well if so the £1 makes sense and not badly priced.

I am indeed, as I was responding to the OP's question about comparable heat network standing charges.

Mine certainly could be worse! Though the pay-off of the charge is that the place is insulated to within an inch of its life and the heating is only needed occasionally (or when my cat looks sad).

MSE_Clare

Hello everyone,

We've just published a new guide on Heat Networks. We'd be grateful for any constructive feedback, if you feel it's necessary. Feel free to post any feedback in this thread.

Here's the guide: What is a heat network?

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply.

danco

I note that the guide says that a heat network uses a "network of insulated pipes carrying hot water ". Our block of flats uses A refrigerated liquid (VRF, variable refrigerant flow) for heating and cooling. I understand that VRF systems did not count as heat networks in the 2014 regulations on Billing and Metering but the more recent (2022 or 23, I forget which) did include refrigerated liquids. The guide needs to be updated to cover this.

In our block, the hot water is individually metered, but the VRF system uses virtual metering, which is currently a source of dissatisfaction between the users and the metering firm.

SustainabilityMary

datakaizen
Have you checked whether your heat network received  help from the Government Support Scheme ((as part of the Energy Bill Relief or Discount Scheme)?

cbmatheson

Our standing charge is much lower than this, approximately 54p per day. The Heat provider have however blatantly breached supply agreements and applied retrospective tariff increases over a 15 month period, have since sent solicitor threats both to leaseholders and private tenants, and other than potentially paying for legal assistance there doesn't appear to be any redress. I posted more about this here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6451676/retrospective-changing-of-tariff-on-heat-network/p1

cbmatheson

If anyone is interested, my experience trying (unsuccessfully) to get redress for retrospective tariff changes with the Property Ombudsman is documented in this i news article (may have to refresh repeatedly to read through the paywall....):

Revealed: Property watchdog tells homeowners not to disclose compensation

https://inews.co.uk/news/housing/property-watchdpgs-gag-homeowners-win-compensation-3011352

"The Heat Trust, a charity, told i it has received complaints about retrospective price increases at other developments with communal heating and believed they could be in breach of the Consumer Rights Act."

"Martin Boyd, chair of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership charity, said there should be “no circumstances in which an Ombudsman is ever suggesting that matters have to be kept confidential”."

"The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said suppliers “should not be unfairly back-dating bills onto heat network customers” and said it will be introducing tougher consumer protections to prevent this."