Heat Trust's voluntary consumer-protection Scheme sets a common standard in the quality and level of customer service expected from heat suppliers. It also provides an independent process for settling complaints between consumers on our registered heat networks and their heat supplier.

Our Scheme's protections apply to domestic and micro-business consumers on heat networks that are within Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) and are registered with us.

Heat suppliers need to apply to Heat Trust in order to register their heat networks. Each heat network must be registered with us individually. When joining our Scheme, heat suppliers commit to meeting our Scheme rules and requirements for that heat network. Once a heat network's successfully registered with us, all domestic and micro-business consumers on that network will benefit from our Scheme's protections.

We monitor and ensure that heat suppliers follow our standards for the heat networks they've registered with us. We have a list and a map of all our registered heat networks. If you notice or suspect any company misuing the Heat Trust logo, please let us know.

Our Scheme Information Sheet for consumers explains how Heat Trust works. 

How we protect you

As an independent consumer champion, Heat Trust is here for your protection. We protect you by:

Setting the standard

We set the minimum standards of service and customer care you should expect from your heat supplier to ensure you get a fair, transparent and good value service. These standards are designed to be comparable to those set by Ofgem for electricity and gas suppliers. Every heat network registered with Heat Trust is monitored and independently audited by us to check that it's following our rules.

Empowering consumers

We can help you understand your rights as a heat network consumer and what you should expect from your heat supplier in this unregulated market. Our requirements for heat suppliers cover supporting consumers in vulnerable circumstances, responding to faults and emergencies, guaranteed service payments for interruptions in supply, accurate and transparent metering and billing, and responsive complaints handling.

Ensuring fair treatment

We make sure that you're treated fairly and that your heat supplier has a process for handling complaints. If you remain unhappy with how your supplier has responded to your complaint, we make provision for you to be able to access an independent dispute resolution service through the Energy Ombudsman. You can find more about how to make a complaint here.

For more information about our Heat Trust's standards, see here.

Need more help?

• If you're thinking about moving into a property on a heat network, please click here for some things to consider and for our suggested questions to ask.

• If you're a consumer on a heat network that's registered with Heat Trust, click here for what you can expect from your supplier under our Scheme's standards.

• If you're a consumer on a heat network that isn't registered with Heat Trust, click here for information on other existing protections that could apply to you.

• If you're not sure if your heat network's registered with us, click here to check.

• If you're looking for support with paying bills or managing debt, click here for information on bill support schemes and links to other advice organisations.

Heat Trust has developed a Heat Cost Calculator for use by heat network consumers. This tool allows consumers served by a heat network to get an indication of what their cost of heating and hot water would be with an individual gas boiler. You can find the Heat Cost Calculator here. Its results are indicative, for information only, and can't give an exact like-for-like comparison for any individual consumer's situation.