When things go wrong with your heat supply your first line of action should be to raise it with your supplier. If your problem cannot be resolved after speaking directly with your heat supplier, those heat customers whose schemes are registered with Heat Trust have access to a specialist independent complaint handling service, operated by the Energy Ombudsman. To find out if your site is registered with Heat Trust, click here. For customers on heat networks not registered with Heat Trust please see this advice page instead. 

For further information on the Energy Ombudsman click here.

PLEASE NOTE: Disputes between customers and their heat suppliers will not be dealt with directly by Heat Trust. Heat Trust is unable to investigate complaints or make enquiries on behalf of individuals and will only be able to refer you to the information that is set out in the Scheme.

Heat Trust makes provision for an independent dispute resolution service. This service is free to customers and investigates complaints within the Heat Trust remit. The service operates under the Energy Ombudsman.

Top tips

• Keep a record of all contact you have regarding your complaint, including dates, and preferably who it was you were in contact with.
• It helps to know what you would like as an outcome of your complaint e.g. a change in service/ supply, an apology, financial compensation.

 

How to make a complaint

If you have an unresolved problem with your heat supplier, Heat Trust's independent disputes resolution service operated by the Energy Ombudsman may be able to help.

Step 1) Talk to your heat supplier first. You must give your supplier the opportunity to resolve the problem.

If the complaint is not resolved....

Step 2) Check the date. If your heat network is registered with Heat Trust, complaints can be made to the Ombudsman from eight weeks up to 12 months after the complaint was made to the heat supplier. Watch this helpful video, which explains more: The Complaints Process | Ombudsman Services (turn the sound on)

The service is free of charge to customers.

Step 3) Check your eligibility. The Ombudsman can look into complaints about unfair, discourteous, or unprofessional treatment or untimely management of a problem, misleading information and failure of the supplier to comply with their obligations under Heat Trust's requirements. To see your heat supplier’s obligations under Our Standards click here.

Step 3a) Check your eligibility to take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. If you're a tenant or leaseholder from a social landlord (housing association or local authority) or your landlord has signed up voluntarily, you may be able to take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. Find out more information on their website. 

Step 4) Submit the online complaint form available at www.ombudsman-services.org/complain-now. To make a complaint online you will need the name of your heat supplier, if you're unsure then check your bill. The Ombudsman will ask for some details about you, the date that you first complained, actions taken by you and the heat supplier and how you would like the complaint resolved. 

 It can take between 6 and 8 weeks for the Ombudsman to make a decision

Step 5) The Ombudsman makes a decision. The Ombudsman will take all the circumstances into consideration to make a fair and just decision.

Step 6) Action is taken. The Ombudsman can ask your supplier to apologise, provide an explanation, take action to correct the problem or present you with a financial award up to £10,000.

See our 'How to make a complaint' factsheet.

 

Ombudsman Fees

Customers can refer their complaint to the Ombudsman for free. All case fees for complaints that are sent to the Ombudsman are borne by the heat supplier (Registered Participant). Case fees vary depending on how quickly the Ombudsman resolves the complaint.