Heat Networks

danco

I was just reading the Heat Networks guide, as I live in a block of flats with a heat network. I note that it says that the flats will have a meter registering the usage. Unfortunately this is NOT true of my block. We have a VRF system, and apparently these cannot have individual meters in each flat. Instead there is a virtual metering system whose working is rather opaque, and we cannot see daily usage. I think the guide needs correcting to cover this.

We are in dispute with the management regarding various aspects of the heat network (not formal dispute as yet, but repeated letters asking for clarification have led to replies that do not answer our questions and are sometimes actually incorrect). They have recently given a figure for estimated usage in the flats which is wildly different from the figures for my usage provided by the billing firm. More than that, this estimate is very different from that provided by their consultant a year or so ago. The management have not yet had time to explain this issue.

Can anyone give a (very rough) figure of expected usage in a two-bedroom flat in a block built in 2019, so that I can make some comparisons. I realise any comparison will be vague. But until now I had accepted the billing company's figures as broadly in line with the consultant's estimate. The newly provided estimates are so different from my figures that there has to be something wrong somewhere.

QrizB

cbmatheson said:

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....):

Note that @cbmatheson has a thread here and they have recently succeeded in having their retrospective charges reversed:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6451676/retrospective-changing-of-tariff-on-heat-network

QrizB

danco said:

Can anyone give a (very rough) figure of expected usage in a two-bedroom flat in a block built in 2019, so that I can make some comparisons. I realise any comparison will be vague. But until now I had accepted the billing company's figures as broadly in line with the consultant's estimate. The newly provided estimates are so different from my figures that there has to be something wrong somewhere.

You should have received an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) whe you bought the flat. This will include details of expected energy usage.

What does it say?

danco

Ah, it might that the management has been using EPC figures to give their estimate. These are known to be often inaccurate and we had a much more detailed figure from the consultant the management employed last year. My figures are roughly similar to what the consultant said, but, as I mentioned, the estimated figure the management now gives is wildly different from their consultant's figure. I am waiting for a response to how the estimate was arrived at and why it differs from the consultant.