Heat Trust protects you so that you can enjoy the benefits of a reliable and sustainable heat network that works for you and keeps you comfortable. We have developed rules, through our voluntary consumer-protection Scheme, that set a common standard in the quality and level of customer service expected from heat suppliers. We also provide an independent process for settling complaints between consumers on our registered heat networks and their heat supplier. Our Scheme protections apply to domestic and micro-business consumers.

Heat suppliers need to apply to Heat Trust in order to register the heat networks that they manage. Each heat network must be registered with us individually. When joining our Scheme, heat suppliers commit to follow and abide by our Scheme rules and requirements. Once a heat network's successfully registered with us, all consumers on that network will benefit from our Scheme's protections.

We monitor and ensure that our standards are followed by heat suppliers for the heat networks they've registered with us. See our list and map of all heat network sites registered with Heat Trust. If you notice or suspect any company misusing the Heat Trust logo please inform us immediately.

Download our Scheme Information Sheet for a summary about how Heat Trust works and our Key Standards Information Sheet for a summary of our standards.

How we protect you

As an independent consumer champion, funded by the industry, Heat Trust is here for your protection. We do this in three key ways:

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 have been 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 is following our rules.

Empowering customers

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. This means you have the same consumer protection you would get from more conventional energy suppliers for gas or electricity. This includes supporting consumers in vulnerable circumstances, responding to faults and emergencies, making 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 are treated fairly and that your heat supplier has a process for handling complaints. If you remain disatisfied 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 information on how to make a complaint here.

For more detailed information on our Heat Trust standards, and for copies of our Scheme Rules and Scheme Bye-laws, please see ‘Our Standards’ section of the website.

Need more help?

1. If you are considering moving into a property on a heat network, please click here for some things to consider and suggested questions to ask.
2. If you are a consumer on a heat network that IS registered with Heat Trust (check here to see the list of Registered Sites), click here for what you can expect from your supplier.
3. If you are a consumer on a heat network that is NOT registered with Heat Trust, please see here for some information on existing protections which could apply to you.

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