Over 200 housing provider professionals signed up to our latest Chirpy Heat webinar What Housing Providers Need To Do Now – which took a dive into Ofgem heat network regulations – making it our most popular session to date. The level of engagement highlights heat network operators and suppliers are recognising the challenges ahead, and the many areas which will need to be complied with.

Key Focus Areas

Throughout the session – delivered by Client Relationships Consultant, Millie Hurault (pictured), and Business Development Consultant, Paulina Trimble – we explored what housing providers must do now that heat network regulations have landed, how roles and responsibilities will change, and what’s coming next with consumer protection, reporting, and the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS).

The key aspects that must be focused on are:

• Defining your role – for each of your heat networks, are you a heat network operator, heat network provider, or both?
• Register with the Energy Ombudsman and Ofgem
• Create a compliance plan and ensure resources are in place
• Prepare for reporting requirements – this will be required from January 2027, but will be backdated to April 2026. It is therefore crucial to ensure you begin to gather all applicable data and information from this date. This can be fully supported by creating and implementing policies and procedures that are also required.

Engaging with Compliant Customer Billing

What truly stood out at the webinar was the range and quality of questions asked. Attendees were clearly thinking ahead about the operational and financial implications of compliance. Accurate billing of customers, and whether any exemptions apply to these regulations, were topics that were flagged by attendees.

Billing is one of the most visible parts of the resident experience and is a core focus of Ofgem’s incoming consumer protection framework. Fairness, transparency, and accuracy will sit at the heart of compliant billing – and this is where metering becomes central.

Millie Hurault, summarises the regulatory direction:

“Billing must be fair, transparent and included costs must be justifiable. Ofgem are not prescribing what can and cannot be included, although they do have rules around profitability which typically does not affect the social housing sector due to the non‑for‑profit approach.”

According to Ofgem, accurate billing and communication is key to ensuring compliance with this aspect.

Exemptions from Ofgem Regulations

In addition, questions around whether there are any properties or providers that are exempt from Ofgem regulations were raised by attendees. Millie was also able to provide some analysis on this topic:

“All heat networks will be subject to Ofgem regulations and will therefore need to be considered when complying in all areas. This applies to all tenure types including sheltered and supported accommodation. Ofgem has suggested heat networks with less than 11 properties connected may have a lighter version of regulations applied to them, but this has not been confirmed or finalised at this stage. Besides this, no exemptions have been outlined by Ofgem.”

Do You Need Support?

Navigating the new Ofgem heat network regulations can feel complex, especially when you are trying to ensure you are taking the right steps to compliance. Our team of experts can help you understand your obligations, plan your resources and investment, and ensure your processes are fully aligned with regulatory expectations.

Get in touch with our expert team today to discuss your specific challenges, explore practical solutions, and ensure your organisation is fully prepared for Ofgem regulation.

Book a consultation > [email protected]

Join Us for the Next Deep Dive Webinar: HNTAS

Our next webinar will focus entirely on the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) — what it is, what it means, and how housing providers can prepare.

As part of the new heat network regulations the Government are introducing regulatory technical requirements for heat networks. These technical standards will be established through the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) which will help heat network operators demonstrate compliance with the requirements and to improve the reliability of both existing and new heat networks, which in turn will help to ensure positive low cost, low carbon outcomes for consumers.

Join us for the latest in Chirpy Heat’s free webinar series as we discuss what the HNTAS is, what the updates to the technical standards consultation are and what they mean for housing providers.

Sign up here

Join the Chirpy Heat Insight Group – your essential hub for staying informed, equipped, and connected on the road to heat network compliance. This free, exclusive community, brought to you by our heat networks consultancy, helps housing providers stay ahead in managing communal and district heating.

Members gain access to the latest regulatory news, communal heating systems advice, practical tools for strategic planning, insights on decarbonising heat networks, and guidance from Chirpy Heat’s experts and peers. You’ll also benefit from priority access to webinars and events aimed at supporting and guiding housing providers in sustainable heating solutions.

Sign up today and receive a free Chirpy Bird for your desk – don’t worry, it’s not a real bird, just a cheerful companion while you manage your heat networks stress-free!

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