Discussing the heat network challenges for the year ahead with housing providers, the word overwhelmed came up repeatedly.
At the start of our recent free Chirpy Heat webinar, Heat Network Priorities 26/27: Compliance, Debt Management, Excellent Service and Beyond, we asked attendees from housing providers how they felt about getting heat network tasks in order for the year. The most commonly used word was overwhelmed. Other words that came up were challenging and unsure.
Heat Network Consultant Charlotte Button (pictured) and Client Relationships Consultant Millie Hurault then supported some 130 webinar attendees by running through priority areas and sharing tips for tackling them.
Setting priorities for the year is a particularly important task now because heat networks recently became regulated by Ofgem. However, the new regulated status also complicates the picture, bringing with it additional requirements such as registration and reporting, as well as new expectations around fair pricing and complaints.
Another question put to attendees focused on data readiness — a major priority for the year ahead, particularly with registration and reporting requirements approaching.
Participants were asked how they felt about their data quality and availability on a scale of one to five. The average response was 2.9, indicating moderate confidence — but notably, no one reported feeling very confident.
Charlotte highlighted the scale of the challenge:
“There are between 40 and 50 metrics that you will need to report on… so making sure you understand what the requirements are and where your gaps are is critical.”
She also emphasised the importance of resourcing:
“Make sure you’ve got the right people in place and they understand what is required from them — there’s going to be a lot of data needed to meet these reporting requirements.”
When it comes to preparing for reporting and regulation more broadly, Charlotte’s advice was clear:
“Be proactive, develop that plan and work with Ofgem as well — just be honest.”
With Ofgem launching its registration portal and reporting requirements following soon after, housing providers are entering a critical phase.
Registration requires a clear understanding of your heat network portfolio, organisational roles and key contacts. Reporting will require consistent, high‑quality data across a wide range of metrics, as Millie discussed on the latest Heat Networks with Chirpy Heat podcast.
She explained that with registration and reporting deadlines on the horizon and processes needing to be in place well in advance, early preparation is essential to avoid last‑minute pressure and ensure a smooth transition into full compliance.
If this feels overwhelming, that’s completely normal, and it’s exactly why Chirpy Heat provides tailored support, including for Ofgem registration.
Chirpy Heat combines practical support with a powerful online portal to help you get registered quickly and accurately. Our heat network registration service will launch soon and you can register now to make sure you are the first to hear about it.
Chirpy Heat’s end‑to‑end Ofgem Registration Service offers:
Whether you need support with training, data gaps or submission itself, register your interest in Chirpy Heat’s end‑to‑end Ofgem Registration Service now. Take the pressure out of meeting the January deadline and move towards compliance with confidence. Read more about the service here.
If you have any immediate questions about Ofgem registration or additional details to share, feel free to email [email protected] or call 0203 8272 064.
Whether you need immediate help with tackling an urgent issue or you’re ready to start your long-term strategic journey with us, please get in touch.